On May 19, 2025, the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Sofia University „St. Kliment Ohridski“ hosted an international conference „European Apparel – Thinking our way out of Unsustainable Supply Chains“. The event was part of Project № КП-06-Австрия/3 funded through the COMPETITION FOR PROJECTS UNDER BILATERAL COOPERATION PROGRAMS BULGARIA – AUSTRIA – 2022 by the Bulgarian National Science Fund.

The conference brought together representatives from the business sector, academia, young researchers, and students to discuss the challenges and opportunities related to the sustainable development of the European apparel and textile industry.

Experts from TexCycle/Eurotex Ltd., the Executive Director of the Bulgarian Association for Textiles, Apparel and Leather (BATOK), as well as lecturers from Sofia University and the Technical University of Sofia, took part in the discussions. The event also featured virtual participation from the research team at University of Salzburg „Paris Lodron“ and representatives of the Antoan Vill company, Bulgaria.

The discussions focused on the following key topics:

• Challenges and opportunities for sustainable supply chains in the textile industry;
• The role of small textile producers in the transition to sustainable practices;
• Practical solutions for improving environmental sustainability in the sector.