The European Social Innovation Competition (EUSIC) is a challenge prize run by the European Commission across all EU countries and Horizon 2020 associated countries. The 2020 competition, Reimagine Fashion, is calling for ideas and ventures that aim to improve the environmental and social impact of the European fashion market through the development of new products, services and processes, and innovative business models.
The innovations should aim to reduce the overall environmental footprint and improve the societal impact of the fashion market, help make it more accessible and fairer, and aspire to change behaviours in a sustainable way. Solutions should clearly aim to deliver impact, pursue sustainability, and be scalable or replicable post-competition – at local, national or European level. Further background on the theme of the competition is available on the EUSIC website.
Projects entering this competition should encourage solutions for sustainable use and consumption, sustainable production (zero waste and climate neutral fashion and textiles production, closed loop fashion and textiles systems, sourcing of alternative, sustainable feedstock, innovative techniques that build on traditional or local crafts for socially sustainable products), as well as solutions for improving the end of life stage.
The competition has three phases.
Phase 2: Out of the 30 semi-finalists, 10 finalists will be invited to the awards ceremony where the three final winners will be announced and receive a prize of €50,000 each.
Phase 3: In 2021, the competition amongst the 30 semi-finalists will be re-opened and will award the 2020 project that will have achieved the most significant results with an ‘impact prize’ of €50,000.
To select the best entries throughout the competition, the European Commission is supported by an external jury of experts.
The deadline for submitting the entries is 4th of March, while the 30 semi-finalists will be announced in May.
