The HackThatFashion project, formally titled ‘Synergies for a sustainable fashion sector’, was funded by the European Union under the Creative Europe Programme (CREA). It ran from May 2022 to April 2024, with a total budget of EUR 200 000, fully supported by the EU. Coordinated by ELLINIKO VRAVEIO EPICHEIRIMATIKOTITAS (Greece), the consortium also included partners from Spain and Estonia, bringing together organisations supporting entrepreneurship, design and creative industries. HackThatFashion aimed to enhance innovation and business creation in the fashion sector through a design‑driven approach, fostering collaboration between traditional fashion designers, companies and technology actors. By applying design thinking methodologies, the project supported the adoption of advanced technologies and sustainable practices, while promoting cross‑sectoral and cross‑national cooperation. A central element of the project was the HackThatFashion platform, designed as an open, peer‑to‑peer support environment facilitating collaboration, capability building and networking across the European fashion ecosystem. 

The project delivered a range of activities and tools supporting collaboration, innovation and capacity building in the fashion sector.

Key achievements of the project include:

• Organisation of three national hackathons, where fashion designers worked collaboratively on solutions supporting circular and sustainable fashion. These were complemented by an international “Best of the Best” hackathon, bringing together leading participants to present and further develop their ideas.
• Delivery of three national matchmaking events, enabling partnerships between designers, companies and industry experts, and supporting the development and scaling of innovative concepts.
• Development of two practical toolkits, including one focused on digital and high-tech capability building and another on sustainable and circular fashion practices, enabling companies to adopt more resilient and future-oriented business models.
• Establishment of policy dialogue and stakeholder engagement through three local policy forums, bringing together policymakers and stakeholders, and contributing to a set of recommendations on supporting innovation and sustainability in the fashion sector.
• Creation of business models for fashion competence centres in Greece, Estonia and Spain, based on project results and aimed at continuing support for designers and SMEs.

HackThatFashion contributed to EU objectives on innovation, sustainability and economic resilience by addressing structural challenges in the fashion sector, including limited digitalisation, unsustainable production models and fragmented collaboration across value chains. By promoting design‑driven innovation and facilitating collaboration between creative and technology actors, the project supported the uptake of advanced technologies and circular business practices. The project also aligned with EU priorities on the green transition by encouraging the development of solutions that extend product lifecycles, improve resource efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Through its focus on capability building, networking and business creation, HackThatFashion supported the resilience and competitiveness of fashion designers and SMEs, particularly in the context of post‑COVID‑19 recovery. Its emphasis on cross‑sectoral collaboration and ecosystem development further contributed to a more connected innovation ecosystem within the European fashion industry. 

HackThatFashion was implemented through a European partnership involving organisations from Greece, Spain and Estonia, combining expertise in entrepreneurship, design, innovation support and creative industries. The project facilitated collaboration between designers, SMEs, technology providers, policymakers and support organisations through hackathons, matchmaking events and policy forums. Through these activities, HackThatFashion enabled the exchange of knowledge, best practices and innovative ideas across borders, contributing to the development of a pan‑European community of fashion professionals. The project’s outputs provide transferable resources for continued use by the sector. Overall, the project helped to build connections within the European fashion community and contributed to ongoing dialogue around innovation and sustainability in the European fashion ecosystem.