MASJIEN

Last Friday, Jasmien took the students of Thomas More-hogeschool for a field visit. They discovered what happens with the garments we give to Kringwinkels, one of the important second hand circuits in Belgium. We took a look behind the scenes to see how the sorting process works. Why is this so important? ⚫ The global fibre production has almost doubled in 20 years. From 57 million tonnes in 2000 to 109 million tonnes in 2020. (Textile Exchange) ⚫ That’s the weight of about 2370 ‘Titanics’. ⚫ Simultaneously, we throw our garments out way sooner, on average only about 1 year after purchasing at a fast fashion retailer. ⚫ This results in huge waste deserts in countries far away (Ghana, Chili,...) and burning of textiles en masse. What did we learn from our field visit? 1️⃣ The circular economy is declining in favour of our known linear model. The global economy is now only 7.2% circular.The global situation is getting worse year on year—driven by rising material extraction and use. 2️⃣ Kringwinkel Antwerpen tries to put as much of garments as possible in local reuse, but still exports and burns textiles via residual waste as they are either not sellable, dirty or damaged. They have 3 different ‘streams’ when they sort our garments: 1) Upper stream = what can be reused/resold locally 2) Middle stream = damaged items that are repairable (zippers, buttons,...) 3) Lower stream = damaged, dirty, unsellable The amount of reusable garments have declined in the past years as the quality of garments has lowered with the rise of fast fashion. As they try to avoid export as much as possible, they have several innovation projects trying to get as much as possible of the middle stream items to the upper stream. They’re partnering in VLAIO Labs on Fibre, Living Lab INFINITEX, Plastic and CISUTAC to name a few. 3️⃣ Surprise, surprise, AI is part of the innovation journey! We saw a set-up where a sweater was scanned and the computer model cannot only tell what colour the sweater is, but can also predict the size, whether it’s kids/female/male clothing and the brand. They’re also testing ways to do price predictions for second hand sales automatically this way. Thank you Margot Barmans, Lieven Van Ermengem and Frank Dingemans for this very insightful tour!

DigiFashion Forum is hosting interesting panel discussions online on November 14th, where Ann will be one of the speakers and share her insights on DPP. The EU regulation framework that includes the Digital Product Passport for the textile sector was released a few months ago. This initiative is setting new standards for accountability and eco-consciousness. Together with Jac Hsieh and Emilie SERRANO, Ann Claes will discuss how fashion and its supply chain can benefit from technology and innovation, and what challenges it will face. Other hot topics: the rise of digital influencers, Cameron Wilson will share his digital journey with the world's first digital super model Shudu and why brands are getting their own virtual representatives. Karinna Grant will share her latest research on virtual try-on for the future of retail. The event will end with a Round Table, where Ching-Hua LIN ROSENGARD and LESLIE HOLDEN will speak with CLARE TATTERSALL, Richard Hobbs and Sean Chiles to reflect on what comes next for digital fashion. Whether you’re a designer, a tech enthusiast, a brand leader, or simply curious about the future of fashion, don’t miss out on being part of this conversation! DigiFashion Forum is a professional network based in Taiwan with a vision to shape the future of fashion by redefining the entire value chain, discovering new opportunities and establish an impactful society. 👉 https://lnkd.in/dvcx55zB PS. Are you a Belgian entrepreneur and want to learn more on DPP? Keep an eye on Howest Cyber3Lab for our upcoming research project! #digitalproductpassport #DPP #ESPR #textile #digitalicon #digitalfashion #Virtualtryon #VTO #virtualsupermodel #virtualinfluencer #future

Today Jasmien took the 2nd bachelor students of 'Fashion Marketing' Businessopleidingen Thomas More to the sorting center of Kringwinkel Antwerpen. They learned all about textile collecting, sorting and the 'end of life'. Thank you for the recap Fleur Lippens!

DPP alert: we are thrilled to announce that Ann will be speaking at The Journey Towards a Future-Proof Digital Product Passport, hosted by GS1 on November 7! The upcoming Digital Product Passport regulations mark a critical milestone in our collective push for greater transparency and sustainability in supply chains. Organized by GS1, a global leader in standards and solutions that enhance the efficiency and visibility of supply chains, this event will spotlight how new regulations can drive the innovation we need to extend product lifecycles and foster circularity. During her talk, she will focus on how we can turn awareness into action by identifying the unique opportunities these changes offer. She will also highlight the upcoming research project on DPP at Howest, focusing on how companies can seize the potential of the Digital Product Passport, making a positive impact while aligning with future-proof goals. More views on DPP will be shared by  Jan Somers (GS1 in Europe) Katrijn Roeland (BABM - Belgian Brands Association ) Laurent Seroux (Procter and Gamble Global Business Services), Ilse Roosens (Creamoda Belgian Fashion), Wim Van Edom (Comeos), Françoise Van Tiggelen, Klaas H. (Wood.be), Wouter Schaekers (Procter and Gamble), Karen Arkesteyn (GS1 Belgium & Luxembourg) Robine Arnoys (GS1 Belgilux) 🗓️ The GS1 Innovation Café is already sold out but dont hesitate to reach out if you want to learn more on the Howest research project and how you can be part of this transformative journey! #dpp #digitalproductpassport #circularity #innovation #technology

📅 The month of MASJIEN! 📅 Mariah is defrosting as we speak, so it’s time to look back at the month of October! 👇 🎉 October was Jasmien’s birthday month and she spent it in Vienna where she gave a workshop to the Austrian Fashion Association, diving into the transformative journey towards a circular future in fashion.  3️⃣ After Vienna Jasmien was headed to Biarritz where it was time to conclude the three-year European research project SCIRT Project, aimed at accelerating the transition to a circular fashion industry.  Within this project, 18 European partners such as Xandres, Decathlon and Flanders DC worked together under the leadership of the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO). 👚 More about SCIRT! Xandres launched a limited edition two-piece partly composed of post-consumer textile-to-textile recycled fibres that was also part of the European SCIRT project. Jasmien has also been a part of this process as Xandres’ Sustainability Advisor. You can still buy the two-piece online ;) 🗣️ Time for brunch and talks! Ann moderated BRUNCH & TALKS by WONDER-CLUB.be and Designregio Kortrijk during the WONDER Creativity Festival in Stad Kortrijk. She hosted a program bringing speakers on stage as Jens Heitland, former Global head of innovation at IKEA, Normann Copenhagen and Pieter Verfaillie, sharing their insights  about circularity in interior and architecture. 👥 Jasmien gave a talk at markant Limburg (in the Xandres two-piece!), organised by M-LIMBURG & M-DIEPENBEEK, where she spoke to 125 people about sustainability in fashion. 🎤 Ann was the first guest speaker of the relaunch of Base +1 by Base Design. This Brussels based high end communication agency is inviting experts in an intimate setting. The focus of the talk? Digital Identity Decoded. Ann dove deep into what it means to be a brand in the digital age, investigating what the rise of digital identity can mean for you, your product and your brand. 🌎 Masjien went around the world in October, because Ann was invited to Scotland by Fashion Council Germany and The King's Foundation to join a panel on Tech & Crafts with David Bamber , Clare Campbell, Maria Benjamin and Mark Hogarth. The Pushing Boundaries conference was all  about craftsmanship, sustainability and bringing the next generation closer to the industry. The unique estate of Dumfries House was the magical setting! 🎧 Digital agency RCA invited Ann over to talk about the rise of digital fashion and digital identity in their newest podcast episode of By Humans. With this podcast series they investigate the impact of Generation Alpha with interesting topics in different episodes.  Have you already listened to it?  👉 https://lnkd.in/gf3wzEWi 🎃 Happy Halloween from Team Masjien!

Is the future of fashion on the digital catwalk? Digital agency RCA invited Ann over to talk about the rise of digital fashion and digital identity in their newest podcast episode of By Humans. What does this mean for the traditional fashion industry? And why does it remain so conservative? Listen to the full episode here -> https://lnkd.in/gf3wzEWi By Humans is the podcast series bij RCA where they connect with experts to explore the impact of technology on our society and marketing. Hosted by Karel Byloos en Tom Van den Bergh. Discover the other editions by Tom Palmaerts, 🏄🏻♂️ Dado Van Peteghem, Pieter Van Leugenhagen and Lieven Van Nieuwenhuyze soon.

Bringing 125 pupils between 14 and 18 years together with industry experts at a unique estate in Scotland? Fashion Council Germany and the The King's Foundation did exactly that.  👇 The main focus of the Pushing Boundaries conference was #craftsmanship, #sustainability and bringing the next generation closer to the industry and which role they see for themselves. For the panel Craft vs Technology Ann was invited on stage together with David Bamber Clare Campbell, Maria Benjamin and Mark Hogarth. We can clearly confirm it is not one or the other but craftsmanship and #technology should go hand in hand to make a difference. 🤝 We loved the carrousel tables from Fashion-Enter Ltd/ FashionCapital - highlighting their repair services and Fashion Interrupted with 3D visualisations. When the pupils were given a survey asking “What can the fashion & textile industry do to encourage you pursue a career within the industry?” several times the answer was #Fortnite and #Vbucks. So during the industry round tables in the afternoon Ann discussed of course gamification, influencers and social media platforms as #TikTok and #Snapchat offering opportunities to reach them.  All of this took place at Dumfries House, a unique estate under the patronage of His Majesty King Charles III, emphasizing on nature and traditions, harmony and change. “ We aim to work with her, not against her” Happy to (re)connect with so many nice people Jule Scott, Anthony Burns , Sevil Uguz, Tamara Cincik, Kasia Kucharska, Rosie Gaunt, Ciorstaidh Monk, Daniela Eichhorn …  and thank you to Scott Lipinski and Jacqueline Farrell for the invitation!

Digital Product Passports are like the perfect storm, where technology and sustainability meet. Powerful and creating winds of change, although today still with a lot of uncertainties how exactly it will develop. Ann Claes is proud to announce a long term commitment at Howest Cyber3Lab, the research unit of HOWEST University of Applied Sciences. Since September she has joined the unit at the forefront of supporting companies in cybersecurity and immersive technology, particularly within a decentralized AI landscape. The team comprises highly skilled experts and young potentials, each passionately engaged in international and national research endeavors. Happy to join Shane Deconinck, Wim Van Renterghem, Cesar De Greve, Jonathan Maes, Ronald Hermans, Patrick Van Renterghem, Pieter Verbeke, Thijs Pirmez and many more under the leadership of Daniël Du Seuil and William Schokkelé. Her main focus today is to launch a research project that will tackle the digital transformation challenges related to DPP and answer most pressing questions, translating the European developments to hands on guidance for the Belgian fashion & textile industry. As Digital Product Passports are product-specific data sets that contain certain information and are accessible electronically via a data carrier, it is a perfect fit for the applied computer science team to bring in their expertise. With Ann on board, of course the focus of the research will be on fashion and textile, one of the first industries targeted for DPP development by the European Commission. The intended scope of the DPP is information related to sustainability, circularity, value retention for re-use, remanufacturing, and recycling. But let’s find out how this can become also an added value for your company unlocking opportunities for new business models and enriched storytelling. Soon the research project will be opening up to companies and organisations that want to sit front row and shape this research project together. Do not hesitate to reach out to Ann if you want to know more already! #dpp #digitalproductpassport #espr #research #howest

Last week, we were delighted to welcome the one and only Veerle Spaepen as a guest lecturer for ‘Fashion & Sustainability’ at Thomas More University of Applied Sciences! Fun fact: Veerle & Jasmien go way back. It was the summer of ‘15… when these two blondies decided to lock themselves in at home and read, research, write, re-write to create the Close The Loop platform. Veerle worked for Circular Flanders & Jasmien for Flanders Fashion Institute (now Flanders DC). The two never lost their passion for creating a better fashion industry 💚 . Veerle touched upon a range of different interesting topics related to 'the customer'. We selected some key insights: 1️⃣ ‘There’s no such thing as ‘the sustainable consumer’. One size does not fit all. Veerle explained 6 different profiles that need to be addressed in different ways. To give a VERY random exampl: The ‘idiosyncratic idealists’ are trying to improve the world and have an internal drive for self-development. They are well informed and often environmentally conscious. If you want to reach them, you have to let them think along and participate. The 'tone of voice' must radiate a sense of equality, because they want to be taken seriously. Comment if this sounds familiar 😜👇 2️⃣ It’s not easy, targeting Gen Z. “You don’t have to be on trend to be fashionable”. GenZ sees fashion as a way to express themselves and are mainly inspired by social media. They buy clothing depending on the season or mood. They link sustainability to buying & selling second hand. Sustainability is important and retailers that take small steps (e.g. take back systems) are appreciated. Honesty and authenticity is key! 3️⃣ Going circular requires behavioural change. You have to get your customers involved, depending on who they are in different messaging and via different channels. But one thing is essential: make it... 👉 EASY PEASY: E.g. try to reach your customers where they already are. Don’t try to lure them somewhere else as it requires effort from them.  👉NORMAL: E.g. when you’d say ‘80% of people still drink a bit of alcohol when they drive a car’, you’d trigger the idea ‘oh, if 80% does it, so can I’. Maybe we can use this reasoning in a positive way for sustainability as well? 4️⃣ Our brain works in strange ways…  96% = ‘system 1’ → quick thinking, intuitive, requiring not a lot of energy, subconscious (1+1 =...?) 1% = ‘system 2’ → slow thinking, on demand, rational, requires a lot of energy, conscious (36x37 =...?) So: make your message as tangible and personal as possible. Make it easy for people and try to let them think not too much. Keep ‘system 1’ in mind. There were way more interesting insights on behaviour change and communication. Veerle will be launching a very interesting guide on this in the next months. Do follow her on on LinkedIn to stay up to date! Businessopleidingen Thomas More #FashionAtThomasMore #sustainablefashion #consumers #sustainability

SCIRT Project… it’s a wrap! You might have spotted it already, but Xandres launched a limited edition two-piece partly composed of post-consumer textile-to-textile recycled fibres. The launch of this collection is part of the European SCIRT project that is coming to an end. Last week, Jasmien attended the final of this exciting 3 year project and wrote an article about it for FashionUnited - https://shorturl.at/wOqjQ Some extracts: Within this project, 18 European partners worked together under the leadership of (VITO). The entire textile value chain was involved and both industry and research institutes worked together to develop innovative solutions that both reduce fashion's ecological footprint. Central to SCIRT was a ‘demand-driven’ approach: what do fashion brands and retailers need to really change? One of the most tangible results of the SCIRT project are the demo garments developed by the brands involved. Xandres and Decathlon presented the items they brought to market at the closing event. Xandres developed a limited edition two-piece from pied-de-poule fabric composed of 17% recycled wool from collected clothing, 36% recycled polyester (PET bottles), 25% polyester and 22% wool. The small ‘colour specks’ you see in the fabric are peculiar to the recycled fabric. Xandres highlights these subtle imperfections as evidence of the circular path each piece has taken. We are proud to say that MASJIEN has also been a part of this journey with Jasmien as their Sustainability Advisor. 👏 Some lessons learned 1. Ecodesign is not easy ‘At some point you realise you have to make choices. Unfortunately, ‘design for longevity’ (with a focus on high quality) does not always go hand in hand with ‘design for recyclability’ or ‘design with recycled content’. This was an important observation for us and the larger project.’ Clio Gydé - Xandres 2. One industry, many languages Where we often talk about ‘the fashion sector’, this collaboration with 18 partners throughout the chain made it more than clear that there is not ‘one sector’. Closing this chain and making it circular requires communication, cooperation and transparency. 3. SME’s have their own challenges ‘That brands like Xandres, Bel&Bo and HNST are stepping into such a time-intensive and complex project is a great result in itself. SCIRT has made it all the more clear that the SMEs in this story can only implement innovations like this with financial and organisational support.’ - Simon Gryspeert - Flanders DC In the article you can find more info on some of the other deliverables like: ♻️ Fibersort 2.0. & Trimclean tech developed by Valvan to make sorting & baling easier (Maurits) 🕵 Detection & removal of elastane with non toxic solvents by Technische Universität Wien (Emanuel, Wolfgang) 💰 True Cost Calculator by Flanders DC & VITO (Tom, Simon, Anse) Thank you Evelien Dils for being the best Project Lead and guiding us all in this exciting but challenging adventure!