Among the 5 main objectives of RegioGreenTex, there is the ambition to build a dynamic recycling textile ecosystem at European level by making demand and offer meet on a shared digital platform. Indeed, even in a closed-knit environment as the textile industry, it is not always easy to find new suppliers or new partners willing to take the chance on a new project. But with the challenging times ahead in terms of sustainability, digitalisation and circularity, innovation requires more and more networking and collaboration among partners from a broader value chain.

As one of the 26 pilot projects of RegioGreenTex, the Belgian partner Ariadne Innovation is developing and creating such digital ecosystem. Indeed, the team at Ariadne Innovation has built a dedicated RegioGreenTex digital platform where project partners can digitally meet, cooperate and find sustainable solutions together.
Founded in 2020 by sustainable textiles ambassador Julie Lietaer, Ariadne Innovation drives change in textiles and fashion by informing, inspiring and connecting. Ariadne Innovation is based on the belief that the future of the textile and fashion industry focuses on 3 pillars: sustainability, collaboration and digitalisation. Each pillar is associated with social and individual challenges. Through open and close cooperation and by the right digital tools, Ariadne Innovation wants to support companies to make this shift possible.
In order to do so, Ariadne Innovation has created Ellie.Connect: a digital platform where SMEs, NGOs, academic institutions or individuals can connect to create positive change through peer2peer learning and collective intelligence. Currently active in 19 countries and with over 500 members, Ellie.Connect offers a variety of intelligent functionalities and in-person support to enable sustainable change. Since creating Ellie.Connect, Julie Lietaer  has indeed been on a mission to a drive positive impact in the textile industry.

As partner of RegioGreenTex, Ariadne Innovation has developed a new digital tool to facilitate matchmaking and knowledge exchange between RegioGreenTex partners. This digital matchmaking tool is built on the foundations of the already existing Ellie.Connect ecosystem digital platform, but with its own identity and own URL and exclusively available for free to all RegioGreenTex members. The aim for the digital tool is to support the RegioGreenTex regions towards more transparency and sustainability in the value chain.

The platform will also serve as a communication tool among and between partners capturing the needs and challenges of  the SMEs and matching them with relevant coaches, experts, and mentors across regions; it will also facilitate exchanges within the ecosystem, from one-on-one messages between companies to trainings and webinars. Newly created content and other concepts developed within the project may be presented and circulate among the partners.

The innovation element of Ariadne Innovation pilot project will be tested by RegioGreenTex project partners and will serve as an example for the European textile industry supply chain as a whole; in the future, other partners will be able to join and create further collaboration and partnerships. It is indeed a very relevant example of investment in innovation to make the textile industry more circular.