The youth exchange “Wear the Change” took place from 15 to 24 July 2025 in Pakrac, Croatia, bringing together 28 young people from Germany, Romania, Spain, Portugal, and Croatia. Organized by Čisteći Medvjedići and funded by Erasmus+, the project explored the environmental and social impact of fast fashion while encouraging participants to promote sustainable practices in their communities.
After returning from the Wear the Change youth exchange in Croatia, our German team organized a local online workshop on 27 August to share what they learned with their community. The workshop focused on spreading the knowledge and experiences gained during the exchange, as well as inspiring participants to reflect on sustainable fashion and youth engagement. (Below you can read the report.)
Through interactive workshops like: textile untangled, forum theatre, and many more, we were able to learn about the different steps of the life cycle of clothing. A group favourite were the hands-on activities, like upcycling old clothing items to produce something new and fashionable, as well as the clothing swap, where every participant exchanged their unwanted clothes. The exchange culminated in a vibrant fashion show, where we proudly presented our creations, demonstrating how sustainable fashion can be both stylish and environmentally friendly.
We had the opportunity to visit Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, where we received a tour through sustainable fashion shops as well as local cultural highlights.
The program not only raised awareness about responsible consumption, but also strengthened intercultural connections and inspired us to take action for a more sustainable future.
Favourite Moments:
Yuyu: Being secluded on a mountain hut surrounded by beautiful nature was one of my favourite things. During every meal of the day we would spend our time eating outside enjoying each other’s company and the stunning view of the hills. It was the perfect place to learn about sustainable fashion. I realised how big of an impact we, the consumers, can have on creating a change in the fast fashion industry towards a more conscious and sustainable form of fashion. I will definitely continue spreading my knowledge and educating others on the alternative choices available.
Basti: Sustainable fashion has been a big topic for many years of my life already. But only since I took part in this project I know the meaning of wearing the change. I now know many inspiring attitudes and behaviours towards fast fashion by having many inspiring conversations with people from all over Europe. I now know how it feels to wear self designed clothes thanks to a clothes repair workshop and a fashion show. And i know how it feels to exchange clothes first hand by taking part in a clothes swap. Thanks to everyone who made this experience special for me.
Erina: I was very shocked when I realized how much damage fast fashion does to the planet. I’d never thought about it that deeply before. It was so interesting to hear everyone’s thoughts and stories, it made me reflect on my own habits too. I also enjoyed getting to know people from different countries and sharing a bit about my own culture. One of the best moments for me was when we got to the top of the mountain. The view was absolutely stunning. I miss the fresh air, the beautiful nature, and especially the people.This whole experience was full of joy and learning, and it truly stayed with me.
Marvin: The second we arrived at the rustic, inviting, soulful home that is Omanovac mountain lodge, a warm, familiar feeling washed over me. I felt welcome from the very first second and my fatigue from the journey quickly turned into palpable excitement.
This feeling only intensified during the course of the project.
The facilitators were really emotionally intelligent, attentive and patient. They made sure to include many energisers and managed to hold our attention at all times. I really appreciated their personal, yet professional approach. It made learning about a topic as potentially depressing and factual as fast fashion engaging and rewarding. I also appreciate the many different methods we used to learn, such as forum theater, expert interviews, self made board games, workshops, group activities, charades and many, many more. I certainly learned more than a thing or two despite already having had a solid grasp on the topic before.
The participants were all really mature, good natured people. So easy to talk to and communicate and have fun with. I will miss them all dearly. We did so many fun things together. We sang by a campfire, had a karaoke night and went on lots of walks around the mountain woods.
The hosts and their accommodation were beautiful too. Some of the kindest, most hospitable and courteous people I have ever met. The accommodation was situated in the most fitting location for the topic imaginable. On top of a mountain surrounded by trees. I used my phone maybe once or twice throughout the project for this reason.
I would recommend this project to absolutely anyone.
Daniel: Taking part in the youth exchange, especially with this being my first one, was a very special and eye opening experience for me. I was already mindful of my shopping habits, but the project deepened my understanding of the impacts of fast fashion and everything connected to it. With this newly gained knowledge I understand now how important it is to inform others and spread awareness about the topic. What I also really loved about this project was the accommodation, our hosts were absolutely lovely, the food was very good and the view was nothing short of stunning. Overall participating in this project was a very insightful experience and I am happy that I got to meet so many interesting people from all around Europe.
Online Meeting Report of “Wear the Change” Date: 27.08.2025
Below you can read the outline of the Online Meeting:
INTRODUCTION: Presentation of topics discussed during the project
We kicked off the meeting by presenting the topics that we discussed and learned about over the
duration of the project. Those topics are:
• What are our clothes made of?
• What happens to them after their life cycle ends?
• Can we dispose or recycle clothing more sustainably?
• What is the environmental impact of fast fashion?
• How are our clothes produced, and under what working conditions?
• Is child labor involved in the supply chain?
• How does marketing (especially greenwashing) influence our choices?
• Are there better alternatives, like slow fashion and circular economy models?
ACCOMODATION: Quick presentation of the location and accomodation of the project
We presented the beautiful mountain lodge and its surrounding forests and hiking routes as well as the
unimaginably kind hosts and good food we were served during the project.
DEEP DIVE: More detailed presentation of the topics mentioned above
After the introduction we did a deep dive into the topic of the project during which we covered every
subtopic in more detail. We talked about the materials used in fashion, their environmental impacts and
recycleability, a breakdown of emission and water usage caused by fast fashion as well as global waste.
We also presented the abhorrent labor conditions a lot of workers, who are sometimes even as young as
children, have to endure and talked about alternatives to fast fashion such as thrifting and buying local.
After that we covered how to spot greenwashing and read labels.DISCUSSION: Opportunity for audience to ask questions and discuss
After we were done with the deep dive, we opened the conversation and gave the audience an
opportunity to discuss the subtopics we presented and for them to ask questions.
REFLECTION: Presented our personal takeaways from the project
Finally, we talked about the personal takeaways and reflections we had after the project. These include:
• A new sensitivity for the environmental and ethical costs of fashion
• Reevaluation of our consumption habits, buying less and more consciously
• Bigger importance of second-hand clothing, and sustainable (local) brands
• More meticulous checking of labels and brand reputation
• Choosing to donate clothes to reputable organizations
• More knowledge on how to repair and reuse clothes
• Desire to share this knowledge with friends and family
CLOSING THOUGHTS: The meeting was really fun and ended up being a really informative experience
for the audience and us. Passing the knowledge that we have gained on to others feels good and some
of us left the meeting with even more impressions and thoughts about the topic than before thanks to
the lively discussion we had. We are open to doing follow up meetings in the future.
“Wear the Change” youth exchange is financed by the Erasmus+ Programme and organized by our partner organisation Čisteći medvjedići.
If you want to experience something similar, check out our open calls here.
