TOP (Textile Conversion Process) – atelier has arrived at half of his research period. By the end of December 2020 we hope to be able to conclude with a profitable business plan and an online tool that will help future designers to scale up their products made from textile waste streams.
We knew from the start that there would be many challenges along the way. After all, this project requires the elaboration of new processes in the different phases of production. From sorting to washing, cutting and processing. The drive and passion of the various partners and designers means that we are always looking for alternatives and solutions to difficult issues.
Over the past few months, for example, we have found that it is by no means an obvious story to work out the process of fine-tuning the textile residue streams. After all, you have to take into account the different Kringwinkels where the source material ends up, where it is collected and first sorted and then finely sorted according to specific criteria of the designers.
Today we went with TOP-atelier to visit our new partner Ecoso, in Mechelen. They stand for Ecological and Social Entrepreneurship and as a sorting centre they will make sure that the source material for TOP-atelier is insured. They see this as a perfect test case for achieving one of their objectives, namely to reduce the amount of textile waste. By the end of TOP-atelier they want to have developed a structural system in which sorting for other designers will also be possible.
At the end of January we expect the first large load of men’s shirts for La Gadoue, Paule Josephe and Studio AMA and jeans for Tropas to leave for laundry De Reu.
