When: 28-29 March 2025
Where: EDHEC Business School, Paris Campus, France
This flagship event was part of the International Day of Zero Waste 2025 celebrations.
The 2025 edition of the International Day of Zero Waste (ZWD), for the first time, had a thematic focus on fashion and textiles. As part of the UNEP and UN- Habitat’s ZWD activities, the youth network of the UNEP Textile Initiative lead a 2-day hackathon in Paris, France.
This in-person gathering acted as the global anchor for similar ZWD workshops around the world, and built on insights from the Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook, which emphasises the critical role of citizen advocacy in driving systemic change. The Hackathon being held in Paris was symbolic. The global fashion capital, home to some of the world’s most prestigious haute couture houses, was a strategic location for discussing and raising awareness on the textile waste crisis and promoting sustainable fashion.
The key objectives of this youth-focused hackathon were to:
- Empower Youth Advocacy – To empower you, participants, to advocate for the changes you want to see in the textile sector. Underpinning the event was the aim to amplify youth voices to drive change in the sector. Young people play a vital role in shaping a sustainable future, and our voices (should) matter (more).
- Raise Public Awareness – The textile waste crisis is a growing threat to environmental ecosystems and local livelihoods, particularly in regions where the issue is most severe. A key solution to address the issue? Embracing circularity. Yet, awareness and adoption of circularity remains too low to drive the change needed. By shining a spotlight on the urgent need for circular solutions, we can shift mindsets, inspire action, and push the industry toward a more responsible future.
This Hackathon provided a platform and the necessary tools to ensure youth perspectives are heard and acted upon. It was emphasized that everyone holds power, within their sphere of influence and beyond, to inspire and enact change. The Hackathon was a youth event led by UNEP youth.
Organizing team
- Naïma Le Lausque, UNEP Textile Initiative Youth Network
- Marcela Cebotaru, UNEP Textile Initiative Youth Network
- Lissy Bäumler, UNEP Textile Initiative Youth Network
