Sustainable fashion show and circular economy good practices presented at the Sustainable Fashion Festival organised by Humana Nova

Last Friday, 14 November 2025, the spacious hall of Metalska jezgra Čakovec transformed into a vibrant meeting point of creativity, sustainability, and social entrepreneurship, where the Social Cooperative Humana Nova proudly showcased its work and impact on the local community.

The programme opened with a welcome from the Cooperative Manager, Ivan Božić. Copyright: Public Institution for the Development of Međimurje County REDEA

The programme opened with a welcome from the Cooperative Manager, Ivan Božić, who thanked all participants and highlighted the importance of Humana Nova’s mission: supporting people in vulnerable situations and contributing to circular economy development, employment, and social inclusion.

The central event of the festival was a fashion show featuring creations by designer Maja Virgej Novak, who transformed discarded garments into entirely new pieces. The audience had the opportunity to see how creativity, thoughtful design, and socially responsible work can result in modern, wearable, and striking fashion items.

The Sustainable Fashion Festival brought together a diverse audience who, beyond the fashion segment, had the chance to meet Humana Nova’s dedicated employees—individuals who, despite life and work challenges, contribute every day to building a more sustainable system and demonstrate that social entrepreneurship can be both humane and economically successful.

Representatives of the local authorities were also present in support: Matija Posavec, Prefect of Međimurje County; Lana Remar, Deputy Mayor of the City of Čakovec; and Rudi Grula, Head of the Međimurje County Tourist Board. They emphasised that Humana Nova is moving in the right direction and assured continued partnership in future initiatives.

On this occasion, the DECIDE project – Digital Services for the Circular Economy – was also presented. Humana Nova and TICM are partners in this international initiative. The project was introduced to the public during the segment dedicated to initiatives with a strong positive impact on sustainability and circular economy development. Recognised as an EUSDR flagship project for 2024, DECIDE is developing practical tools and methods to support companies in creating innovative circular business models and enabling cross-border knowledge exchange. The project and its objectives were presented by Ivan Plačko, Director of TICM, who highlighted the importance of digital approaches in accelerating the sustainable transformation of enterprises.

Ivan Plačko, Director of TICM presented the DECIDE project. Copyright: Public Institution for the Development of Međimurje County REDEA

Alongside DECIDE, two additional projects were briefly presented: the Erasmus+ project RECIKLIRAJ – Intergenerational Creative Recycling, in which Humana Nova is a project partner, and DeCo – Design Collaboration for Sustainable Business+, implemented by REDEA under the INTERREG Europe programme. Both initiatives align with circular economy development and support social and environmental sustainability goals in different ways.

The festival programme was enriched by music and dance performances. The young drummers from the Čakovec Education Centre impressed the audience with their energetic performance, while the Majorettes of Mursko Središće added extra dynamism to the event. The Association for Autism Pogled also presented creative works made by its members.

The first Sustainable Fashion and Circular Economy Festival in Čakovec demonstrated how fashion, creativity, and social entrepreneurship can serve as a platform for sharing important social and environmental messages—and how valuable it is when the community stands behind those who work every day to make a difference.

Photos provided by: Public Institution for the Development of Međimurje County REDEA