Five cooperatives, with the support of Ponent Coopera, have come together to carry out a new intercooperation project that seeks to grow the Espluga Calba textile cooperative, in the region of Les Garrigues (Lleida), the oldest still active. in Catalonia.
To this end, the initiative, called Teixint Futurs, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to increase the production of knitwear pieces and create new jobs.
The cooperatives aspire to triple production and go from 20 to 50 workers. The campaign hopes to raise at least 40,000 euros in one month.
People who participate will receive an exclusive sweater designed by the initiative and knitted by the new people hired.
The Teixint Futurs project is formed by the cooperatives SomPunt, DiomCoop, Associació Alba, Xarxa de Dones Cosidores and Associació Talma and Asociación Talma, with the support of Ponent Coopera. Its main objective is to ensure the continuity of the Espluga Calba textile cooperative, now called SomPunt, a project founded in 1969 that over the years has contributed to the economic development of the municipality and the region of Les Garrigues.
The cooperative had reached a staff of about eighty people. Currently there are 20 working members. With the new project they aim to create between 20 and 30 new jobs, explained the head of Som Punt's technical office, Albert Balsells.
The initiative aims to help ensure the replacement of the workforce since a good part of the existing workers will retire in the coming years.
On the other hand, in the long term the project wants to triple the production of the Espluga Calba cooperative. This will involve work peaks that will be covered with the help of other cooperatives participating in the project and that will receive specific training in knitwear, explained the coordinator of Ponent Coopera, Marcel Vidal.
The crowdfunding campaign seeks to raise at least 40,000 euros in one month. If the optimal budget is reached, which is 70,000 euros, SomPunt plans to add between 20 and 30 new jobs.
The campaign has been running through the Goteo platform since December 4 and contributions can be made until the 30th.
