Chair of Environmental Management received eku-Future Prize to build up Saxon Network for Biodiversity-friendly Textile

Have you ever thought of how the clothing we are wearing now can have impacts on biodiversity? Did you know that in our region, Saxony, the economy used to depend highly on the textile industry? 

Textile SMEs can help preserve biodiversity

Awareness in companies is crucial for biodiversity, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as they are in large numbers and, through their business activities, can have an equally great impact on the loss of biodiversity. The textile industry has a particularly large negative impact on biodiversity through its use of raw materials and resources (e.g., chemicals, water, energy, and land). Since this issue is an integral part of sustainable fashion and consumer awareness of environmental damage is increasing, textile companies are gradually facing biodiversity risks. In contrast to the issue of climate change, biodiversity is more difficult to measure. Most companies, especially SMEs, are not yet able to deal with the impact of biodiversity loss that arises from them. SMEs have usually fewer resources (i.e., capital, knowledge, skills) to address biodiversity risks; however, they are the ones that can respond and transform more quickly than corporations. In order to raise awareness of biodiversity and to develop the know-how for this complicated topic, it is necessary to establish a biodiversity network for SMEs in the textile industry.

Building up a Saxon Network for Biodiversity-friendly Textile is our goal

The Saxon State Ministry for Energy, Climate Protection, Environment and Agriculture (SMEKUL) has awarded TU Dresden, Chair of Environmental Management the “eku idee” as part of the eku Future Prize 2021 for Energy, Climate, Environment in Saxony. In collaboration with a practical partner, lokaltextil, and led by Prof. Dr. Remmer Sassen and Yu-Shan Lin, the Chair of Environmental Management has convinced the expert panel with their proposal to build up a biodiversity network in Saxon textile communities. Aligning with the objective of lokaltextil, we promote biodiversity topics in the textile industry through "inform - network - develop". Acting as a network developer, lokaltexil, will bring textile SMEs in Saxony together. The Chair of Environmental Management, on the other hand, will serve as a knowledge provider to transfer the academic knowledge on biodiversity management into practice. Through interviews with textile SMEs and good case study examples, the monthly meeting with partners aims to reach the goal of the project.