The EU project Label4Future, launched in January 2024, aims to promote the circular economy in the plastics industry through innovative design approaches. Supported by the EISMEA program (European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency) and the Interreg Europe Interregional Investment Instrument (I3), the project addresses the urgent need to reduce the ecological footprint of products right from the design phase.

Especially in less developed regions of the EU, companies in the plastics sector face significant challenges such as resource scarcity, high waste generation, and significant environmental impacts. To tackle these challenges, Label4Future aims to enable companies to design sustainable and reusable products from the outset.

The 2,5 yearsproject brings together various regional stakeholders to strengthen the goals of the project partners and facilitate implementation across the EU. Creative Industry Kosice acts as the lead partner, supported by project partners from Slovenia, Czech Republic, Netherlands, and Slovakia. Austria is represented in the consortium by Austria Wirtschaftsservice and Ars Electronica.

As part of the project, a Green Innovation Alliance will be established, providing selected companies, chosen through an open call, with access to workshops, living labs, and mentoring. Through a cross-sectoral approach, where companies, circular economy experts, and creatives collaborate, solutions in the field of eco-design with a focus on New Design, New Material and New Procedure will be developed and tested.

Additionally, in the Regional Policy Labs, measures and recommendations for policymakers will be developed to intensify support for SMEs in implementing circular economy solutions. Label4Future aims to sustainably improve the conditions for circular design at the product, business model, and policy levels through targeted political measures.

For more information about the project, please visit the Projectwebsite.