The European JUST FASHION project is inviting applications to join its Sustainability Transition Acceleration Hub, a support programme aimed at SMEs and micro-enterprises in the fashion sector that wish to structure and accelerate their sustainable transition whilst improving their access to public and private funding.

This acceleration hub aims to support between 6 and 12 fashion companies through a structured programme combining strategic expertise, operational tools and personalised support, with a view to transforming environmental and climate commitments into concrete drivers of economic development.

A bespoke support programme

The Sustainability Transition Acceleration Hub offers a programme lasting approximately 10 to 12 months, delivered mainly online, centred around:

• group sessions and themed workshops (sustainable business models, investor expectations, investment readiness);
• individualised mentoring focused on structuring climate transition plans and their financing;
  self-assessment tools to measure the company’s maturity in terms of sustainability, growth and investment;
• personalised financing strategies, including the exploration of innovative financing methods (financial and non-financial crowdfunding, hybrid financing, impact investments);
• networking opportunities with experts, mentors, investors and other companies engaged in similar initiatives.

The aim is to enable selected companies to develop a clear and credible financing roadmap, tailored to their business model and stage of development, and to strengthen their ability to engage with financiers.

Who can apply?

The call is open to SMEs and micro-enterprises in the fashion sector based in the European Union that already incorporate sustainability into their operations, vision or value proposition, or have begun to consider or take concrete action regarding environmental and climate transition.

Businesses that are still at an early stage of their sustainability journey are also eligible.

Background

This call forms part of the European JUST FASHION project, a project co-funded by the European Union that aims to support a just and sustainable transition in the fashion industry. The Sustainability Transition Acceleration Hub is one of the project’s operational initiatives, designed to help fashion companies align economic performance, climate transition and access to finance. The JUST FASHION project is also being carried out in close collaboration with the European Fashion Alliance (EFA), a European network bringing together organisations representing the fashion sector that are committed to a more sustainable and innovative industry. Wallonie-Bruxelles Design Mode (WBDM) is a member of the European Fashion Alliance and, as such, is part of a European initiative aimed at supporting fashion companies in their transitions, structuring and development on an international scale.