The impact of climate change, added to the increase in the price of energy, has caused the textile sector to ask itself what is the path to follow for companies. “The future lies in ecological and sustainable transformation”, assured David García, general director of MODACC, the Catalan fashion cluster. He said this within the framework of the Digital and Sustainable Transition Innovation Day for the Textile and Fashion Value Chain in Catalonia, organized by the Reimagine Textile initiative of the TecnoCampus technology park, the Mataró City Council and the Eurecat technology center.
Sustainability and digital transition in transformative projects have been the central axis of the innovation day held in Mataró, which has had the participation of leading companies in the Catalan and Spanish textile sector. Presented by the journalist Xantal Llavina, the founder of FactorEnergia, Emili Rousaud, also took part in the event; the Councilor for Employment and Business, Sergi Morales; the vice-president of Eurecat, Jaume Ferrús, the president of the Asociación de Empresarios de Géneros de Punto de Mataró y Comarca (ASEGEMA), Francesc Casas and the mayor of Mataró, David Bote.
The companies of the Catalan textile sector have debated in a round table about their future in a sustainable and digital key. The conference brought together the directors of FINSA, Hilaturas Arnau, TEXIA, BUFF and Bobo Choses, the last one born in Mataró just 14 years ago.
Companies have wondered if sustainable and digital transformation are a threat or an opportunity. "An opportunity, 100%", stated the executive director of Hilaturas Arnau, Joan Santamaria. Maria José Badrinas, financial director of FINSA, understands it as a double opportunity: that of sustainability, "because we will produce fabrics that last longer", and that of digitization, "which will allow us to be more efficient and improve quality".
The debate has also investigated the transforming role that the client has in this transformation. According to Maria José Badrinas (FINSA), legislation "always lags behind social changes." In fact, the sector has stressed that the one who will promote the real changes in consumption habits will be the clientele, who will buy with environmental awareness.
The textile sector in Catalonia suffered a very significant setback at the end of the 20th century that was aggravated by the 2008 crisis. This fact forced companies to relocate their production to distant countries, but now, the revaluation of the zero kilometer product and rising energy prices have put the reindustrialization of Catalonia on the table.
"There is a lot of talent, but it is difficult to attract and keep it", assured the technical director of BUFF, Raquel Bernadas, who has highlighted the generational gap suffered by the art of clothing. "Our dressmaking school in Igualada comes out of this problem," she explained.
Another of the bets of the sector for the reindustrialization of the territory is a collaboration between the business world and the public administration. In this sense, in his intervention at the beginning of the act, councilor Sergi Morales warned that "the climate emergency context" urges to reach these pacts. The round table also opted for the public-private model: “it is an important path for the future”, said David García.
The day has also included a conference by Emili Rousaud, CEO of Factor Energia, an electricity trading company founded in 1999 in Catalonia. His presentation, The energy challenge, key to digital and sustainable transition for the textile value chain in Catalonia, has put black on white about the increase in the price of electricity.
"Inflation in Spain is closely related to the price of energy and food," said Emili Rousaud, who has linked it directly to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. "Now, Ukraine can no longer be the breadbasket of the world because it is at war."
Faced with this scenario of energy dependence, the CEO of Factor Energia has proposed the energy transition as the key to moving forward. "The Iberian Peninsula is the European region with the most solar radiation", confirmed Emili Rousaud, a fact that places Spain and Portugal in a very advantageous position in terms of photovoltaic energy generation.
In this context of change, "self-consumption is the way to have a competitive company", in the words of Emili Rousaud. Photovoltaic panels in residential buildings, in industries and in energy communities are essential for the self-generation of green energy, which allows us to take care of the environment and "save as much as possible". "The era of fossil fuels is over," he concluded.
But you don't just have to count on the sun. Wind farms can be seen greatly favored by the air currents that exist in the Iberian Peninsula. "If we are capable of making the energy transition, here we will have the most economical energy in the European Union," the manager said.
The day ended with the delivery of the Reimagine Textile Awards, designed to finance projects that seek to innovate in the textile sector with an ecological and digital perspective.
The special mention of the jury has been given to Infinite Athletics, a company that recycles the thread of sports rackets to create 100% recycled garments. His representative, François Devy, recalled that in Catalonia there is "the entire value chain, and it has to be used".
The award for the best sustainable project with a circular economy approach has been received by SUSTEIN, a proposal to give used medical devices a second life. In addition, this same initiative has won the Innovation Plus award, which highlights the task of entrepreneurs.
The winning proposal in the functional textile category was UBRA, a bra capable of detecting diseases thanks to its sensors and artificial intelligence. Marina Sánchez, CEO of the project, was grateful that her work was recognized precisely during World Breast Cancer Day.
The best digital business model has been RRRENT, an online platform that allows you to rent clothes with the aim of bringing the fashion sector closer to new consumption habits. "Our goal is to be the e-commerce of reference", said Mireia Ros, the founder of the project.
