Fashion For Change – Transforming fashion towards sustainability

Fashion For Change is a European initiative funded by the European Union through the COSME programme, aimed at improving the competitiveness and environmental performance of SMEs, designers, and fashion startups in Europe.

The project provides the sector with a virtual knowledge library, an accelerator programme for sustainable fashion entrepreneurs, and a circular economy self-assessment tool designed to guide companies in their transition towards more sustainable and digital models.

Main objectives

• Promote sustainability in the fashion industry.
• Improve the environmental performance of companies and startups.
• Foster the competitiveness of designers and SMEs in the sector.
• Accelerate the transition towards a circular economy in the European textile industry.

Collaboration with Fabio Molinas – Nanocork® Project

Within the framework of Fashion For Change, Care Applications® collaborated with designer Fabio Molinas (Lebiu SRL) to scale up the Nanocork® project, a sustainable and vegan alternative to leather and conventional textile finishes.

The challenge was to reuse cork waste from the wine industry to create new fabrics and textile finishes that respect the environment. Thanks to ECOFinish® atomization technology, developed by Care Applications, it was possible to apply cork without immersion in washing machines, drastically reducing water, chemical, and energy consumption—without generating waste.

During the project, several industrial tests were carried out with clients already using ECOFinish® technology, including its upgrade for Nanocork® applications in Spain and Turkey, with successful results.

This finish, known as bio-denim or Nanocork®, opens the door to a new category of circular, biodegradable materials with high aesthetic performance for fashion, footwear, and accessories.

Impact and Innovation

• Pioneering dyeing and finishing technology: application without immersion and with minimal use of chemicals and energy.
• Circular and bio-based model: use of cork waste as the main raw material.
• Social and economic benefits: new income opportunities for the cork industry, local employment in rural areas, and alignment with the growing demand for ethical and sustainable fashion.
• Scalability: supported by the EU and the COSME programme, the project evolved from a demonstration level (TRL 6) to a fully qualified system (TRL 8), ready for industrial application.

Fashion For Change demonstrates how collaboration between designers, startups, and technology providers such as Care Applications® drives a greener, more competitive, and responsible European fashion industry.