Modern textile industry as attractive career path

The motive of the “IPA-CBS cross border project” was to present the textile industry as an attractive career path for young people and a contributor to the economic development of the country. The key goal was to provide vocational education that covers the full range of activities in fashion and textiles and to develop students global vision,  sense of social responsibility, as well as, critical and creative thinking. Thus, the new generation of fashion designers and engineers will lead and strengthen the development of the fashion and textile industry in the country.

From December 2019, the students from high schools in the East region of North Macedonia worked on the capsule collections made of textile waste under the mentorship of the designer Irina Tosheva: “Dimitar Miraschiev” (Stip), “Aco Ruskovski” (Berovo), “Mile Janevski Dzingar” (Makedonska Kamenica), “Vancho Prke” (Vinica) and “Metodi Mitevski-Brico” (Delchevo) as well as the Faculty of Technology at the University “Goce Delchev” (Stip).

“We met wonderful professors, who struggled daily with huge challenges to motivate their students. Additionally, we visited primary schools in Vinica, Stip and Berovo, taking about production optimization and sustainable practices. We also organized visits to textile companies FamMode, Lars, MK Elena, BTB, Textile M, Linea and Poloteks, where we carefully observed the production process of the garments.”-said Tosheva.

In response to increasing restrictions on public events due to Covid-19, together with TTA the final fashion show was organized in an open air in Stip. Every participant had the opportunity to be involved in the real fashion show: makeup, hair, models, fittings, rehearsals, music etc. This was an essential experience for the young designers, to get to witness and participate in the process of the promotion of the textile and fashion products.

This project is co-financed by European Union through INTERREG- IPA CBC Programme between Republic of Bulgaria and Republic of North Macedonia.