The conference marked the end of two and a half years of cooperation between social partners in seven countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Poland, Spain and Türkiye.
Through desk research reports, national seminars, follow-up workshops, joint statements and national action plans, the project has helped strengthen cooperation between employers and trade unions, identify shared challenges and develop practical approaches to addressing them.
Opening the conference alongside EURATEX Director General Dirk Vantyghem, industriAll Europe General Secretary Judith Kirton-Darling stressed that social dialogue is essential to anticipate industrial change, improve working conditions and ensure that workers are not left behind.
Europe's textile and clothing industry supports around 1.2 million jobs and plays an important role in maintaining industrial know-how, skills and innovation across European regions. However, the sector faces mounting pressure from unfair international competition, high energy prices, ultra-fast fashion, changing consumer markets and the green and digital transitions.
A strong industrial strategy that delivers quality jobs
The conference highlighted the urgent need for a comprehensive European industrial strategy that supports investment, innovation and sustainable production while protecting industrial employment.
For industriAll Europe, competitiveness must be built on Europe's strengths: skilled workers, high social and environmental standards, innovation and quality production. It cannot be achieved through lower wages, weaker working conditions or a race to the bottom.
Industrial and trade policies must create a level playing field, support European production and help companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, adapt to industrial transformation.
Responsible supply chains and stronger workers' rights
Responsible business conduct and transparency throughout global supply chains were also central to the discussions.
The textile and clothing industry continues to face serious risks of worker exploitation and forced labour, driven by pressure to cut costs, unequal relationships between brands and suppliers, and complex subcontracting systems.
IndustriAll Europe stresses that due diligence must lead to real improvements for workers. This means greater transparency, meaningful involvement of trade unions and effective measures to prevent and address labour rights violations.
Companies must take responsibility for working conditions throughout their supply chains, while workers must be able to organise, raise concerns and access effective remedies.
A just transition with workers at its heart
The green and digital transitions are transforming how textiles and clothing are designed, produced, distributed and recycled. These changes bring opportunities for innovation and sustainable production, but also uncertainty for workers and their communities.
A just transition requires investment in skills, training and quality employment, alongside the early involvement of workers and their representatives in decisions on restructuring, new technologies and decarbonisation.
Trade unions must have a strong voice in shaping industrial transformation so that workers benefit from change rather than bearing its costs.
Turning social dialogue into lasting action
Strengthening social dialogue and collective bargaining was at the heart of the 'Stitch Together' project and its final conference.
The experience of the seven participating countries shows the importance of bringing employers and trade unions together to address common challenges, exchange good practices and develop solutions adapted to national realities.
However, cooperation must go beyond individual projects. Strong and lasting social dialogue structures are needed at European, national, sectoral and company level to anticipate change, protect employment and improve working conditions.
The project has laid important foundations for further cooperation. The challenge now is to build on this work and turn the dialogue developed over the past two and a half years into concrete and lasting action.
For industriAll Europe, the message is clear: Europe's textile and clothing industry can only have a sustainable future if it is built on quality jobs, strong workers' rights and meaningful social dialogue.
The end of 'Stitch Together' doesn’t mean that social dialogue is ending. It must mark the beginning of stronger cooperation to ensure that Europe's textile and clothing industry remains competitive for companies, resilient and fair for workers.
The 'Stitch Together' project was funded by the European Union.