Saxon Network for Biodiversity-friendly Textiles
Science Meets Practice: Building a Network for Textile SMEs to Manage Biodiversity Risks
Description: 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.
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. Aligning with the objective of lokaltextil, we aim to promote biodiversity topics in the textile industry through "inform - network - develop". Through interviews with partners and good case study examples, the monthly meeting aims to help the textile industry develop strategies to mitigate negative impacts on biodiversity and at the same time manage biodiversity risks.
Leadership: Prof. Dr. Remmer Sassen
Editing: Yu-Shan Lin Feuer
Duration: 01.12.2021 to 30.11.2022
Project Partner: lokaltextil
Funding: Saxon State Ministry for Energy, Climate Protection, Environment and Agriculture (SMEKUL), eku Zukunftspreises 2021