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Worth Partnership Project: a great opportunity for all creatives

After the success of the recently ended second call, a great new opportunity has opened up for creatives who want to develop innovative products using transnational collaborations.

Basic financial support, personalised coaching and mentoring, market positioning, protection of intellectual property and two international events to a total value of € 60,000: this is what can be aspired to by those who decide to participate in the third call of the WORTH Partnership Project, the four-year initiative funded by the European Union’s COSME programme, which aims to encourage the development of innovative products through transnational collaborations between designers, traditional and digital artisans, SMEs, start-ups and tech firms.

All sectors of the creative industry are involved: from fashion textiles, to footwear, furniture/home decor, leather/furs, jewellery and accessories. In particular, candidates must show a strong interest in collaborating, creating and innovating on a transnational basis. The jury that will select the winners will be made up of international experts who will evaluate the projects based on their attitude towards innovation, their social and environmental impact, technical and industrial feasibility and their market potential.

And it was precisely this innovation in the footwear sector that characterised some of the winners of the first call:

FOLDABLE HIGH HEELS – Germany and UK

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The most frequent problem among women is foot pain after having worn their favourite heels for hours: the partnership of this project has therefore created the first all-in-one solution for a both comfortable and at the same time elegant shoe. Designed by a team of engineers, the heel of the shoe can be shut away with just a click, and adapts to the shape of the sole, ensuring comfort and stability. The heel, once enclosed, stays hidden under the sole of the shoe and remains covered so as not to get damaged or dirty in the course of walking.

ACDL – ARTISAN CHAUSSEUR DESIGN LAB – Italy and France

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Born from the desire to bring together the craftsmanship of the footwear sector and at the same time to update it through new ways of thinking about production, this project is the perfect example of how tradition and innovation can find perfect harmony. The customer is able to customise their order through multiple colour variations, with 18 different possibilities, and throughout the production process is sent updates and insights on how the shoe is produced and at what stage of production it is. In the production of these shoes, we see a drastic reduction in waste materials, which is often what characterises a shoe collection; this is because the basic design of each shoe remains the same and each product is made after the order.

www.worthproject.eu

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