This is the first post in an ongoing series on the TLC Evolution of 2021. Stay tuned as we share updates!
Since our CAMP at the end of March, the TLC team has been busy! While mapping the industry and doing preliminary outreach with industry, we had some important realizations that prompted us to pause and think.
We are listening to your feedback!
Through our outreach efforts with local industry, we’ve identified a common thread: organizations want to take action on social and environmental issues, but aren’t sure how it fits into their business model. While pitching the original 2-year Lab, we heard folks asking for more individualized support embedding circular principles into their organizations. We see this as an important opportunity to build the capacity of the regional industry, and a key first step in fostering meaningful collaboration in the future. Stay tuned for our Fall workshop designed to help organizations get clear on their internal strategies for resilience in a changing world!
Leveraging our work so far
We are in a unique position, as we are building off of the results of Leverage Lab’s previous textile collaborative. This has been an exciting challenge to tackle, requiring several rounds of feedback and refinement to get right. We are currently refocusing on the strategic leverage points that emerged from the first collaborative, and how our work can advance them. Our thinking has shifted from designing a new project with a singular goal, to a more iterative model to build on existing work, and move the dial on multiple leverage points. We feel we can provide the most value to industry by redefining our role as convenor, connector and facilitator; helping existing projects scale, and supporting folks from all stages of the textiles lifecycle in their efforts towards circularity. Our long term vision is a thriving circular apparel industry in BC by 2031, and the best way to get there is to thread existing efforts together.
Committed to Collaboration
We have heard from our network that several mechanical recycling pilot projects are moving forward in Canada. As we are committed to collaboration and scaling existing projects, we have shifted short term efforts away from running our own recycling pilot, and towards exploring ways to collaborate and increase impact. Saying this, our research still shows a longer term opportunity for chemical recycling innovation, once the regional industry is ready. Watch this space as we develop our collaborative partnerships.
Stay tuned for the next blog posts in this series. We will be highlighting several exciting Canadian circular textiles projects, and later next month will be announcing our new and improved programming to build capacity for collaboration!