The southwestern part of Germany is a location known for technological expertise in textiles. Successful businesses and institutions deliver one-of-a-kind products, services and technologies for the textile, fashion and clothing industries. The textile and fashion initiative was begun in order to further develop and strengthen these regional competences. It is made up of a network from industry, research, and politics, in order to combine the already existing potential and make it transparent. The goal of the initiative is the networking of the entire value-added chain – from design all the way up to production. The synergies arising from this being all of the participants competitive advantages and added value to strengthen the business, the branch and the entire region.

As follows, three key areas have resulted from this:

• Joint technology and research activities
• Harmonisation of joint training and continuing education
• The creation of a platform on regional networking and communication

The start of the initiative's planned activities was a kick-off event financed by ZRW on 16 October 2014 in Kaiserslautern, which offered the chance to exchange information. In 2015, there were numerous work meetings, company visits and a joint fashion show. The major objective: increasing the degree of recognition and the circle of colleagues.

Right now, as the first large cooperative project, a joint summer programme for students and trainees is being prepared, the results of which will be shown in autumn 2016 in Kaiserslautern.

Project partners: Human Solutions | Hochschule Kaiserslautern [Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences] | Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft Kaiserslautern [Business Development Society Kaiserslautern] | City of Pirmasens (Business Development) | Xi‘an Typical Europe GmbH | Peter Kaiser | Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Verkehr, Landwirtschaft und Weinbau [Ministry of Economics, Transport and Regional Development]