TEX-DAN Study Trip to Slovenia Day 2 - Circular hot spot conference at the Centre Rog Ljubljana

The second day of our Study trip, on September 11, we visited the Centre Rog in Ljubljana where was held the Circular hot spot conference.
The conference was organized by the Slovenian Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy, Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport and in cooperation with the Slovenian Centre for Circular Economy. The aim was to bring together national and European planners and implementers of circular economy measures. Visitors could see and discuss best practices in waste management in Europe, including Sweden and the Netherlands which are leaders in this field.

One of the round tables held was Entanglement of waste textile management, where was discussed the challenges in textile management waste in Europe. The main themes were problems with textile collectors and slow implementation of the systematic approach in textile collection in most of the EU and global overconsumption of cheap textile.

The TEX- DAN manager Mr Bendo Zoltan attended the round table, giving an overview of the TEX-DAN project aims and state of the play in the textile waste management in the Danube region. Apart from Zoltan, the round table speakers were Mr. Aquilin Neve de Mévergnies, director of the TESS GEIE (network of social enterprises that manage textile) who was TEX-DAN guest on our Study trip to Slovenia.

 Other speakers were: prof. Phd. Aleksandra Anić Vučinić,  Faculty of Geotechnics, Zagreb, head of the Institute for Environmental Engineering and Ms. Saška Susman Ekotekstil L.t.d. The moderator and lead panelist was Ms. Mojca Žganec Metelko, Director, KNOF social enterprise, Coordinator of Reuse&recycle network Slovenia.

Apart from participating in the round table, TEX-DAN partners had an opportunity to tour the Centre Rog and see its features.

The touring host was Mr. Uroš Topič, head of textile lab who introduce us with building history and how it has become modern
creative hub.

He said that main idea is to have a creative hub where locals and international guests can create anything they can think of, either by themselves or with the help of our skilled mentors. There are nine production labs (including textile lab), where both traditional hand tools and the latest technologies are available. There is also Rog's marketplace, they provide diverse workshops. Every year hub invites international artists to contribute with their work. The hub is very popular among all Slovenian cities and plays important not only as creativity hub, but as community and social meeting point.

In the textile lab, participants can learn how to sew and how to make bio colors of onion and other plants. There are several courses from beginner to advance level. The most advance exam is making a winter coat, which is considered as the most advanced skills in sewing.