The CIMIx conference in Vienna offered a number of examples of how cultural and creative industries (CSOs) can fundamentally influence and innovate traditional industries. One of the most interesting examples was the presentation of the results of the European Label4Future project, which connects creativity, the circular economy and the plastics sector.
The trail also led to the Czech Republic: among the organizations involved we find the municipal organization Kreativní Praha and among the selected companies the Czech company Novavita.
Label4Future: when creativity meets the circular economy
The Label4Future project is funded by the European Union through the Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) instrument. It focuses on connecting small and medium-sized enterprises from the plastics industry with designers, creative professionals and so-called new media artists – i.e. creators working with digital, electronic or interactive media (video, VR, animation, internet art, etc.). Their work combines art, technology and innovation and opens up new approaches to materials and production processes.
The key principle of I3 is interregional cooperation based on the priorities of regional smart specialisation strategies (RIS3). Each region in the project thus contributes to the part of the value chain in which it has the greatest know-how.
The aim of the project is to turn bold ideas related to plastic waste into real circular solutions. Support includes:
- mentoring and expert services,
- connecting companies with research institutions, creatives and policymakers,
- artists’ residencies in companies,
- innovation laboratories (Prague – Vienna – Ljubljana),
- testing solutions in a real environment.
It is not just about recycling – it is about a complete rethinking of the entire life cycle of plastics, from design to production to reuse.
The project is being implemented by a consortium led by Creative Industry Košice, which succeeded in strong European competition thanks to a clear vision of connecting the creative sector and circular innovation. The partners are Ars Electronica (Austria), European Creative Business Network (EU), Austria Wirtschaftsservice – AWS (Austria), Slovenian Chamber of Commerce, Technical University of Košice and Kreativní Praha (Czech Republic).
The partners’ task was to find suitable companies and connect them with creative professionals who can bring new methods of working with materials, data visualization, interactivity or design.
Czech example of good practice: Novavita and circular luxury interiors
One of the most striking results of the project is the cooperation between the Czech company Novavita and Portuguese designer Carolina Espinoza. Novavita has long been dedicated to transforming waste into new, playful and sustainable materials. Their approach is innovative: “We don’t start with a product idea – we start with waste.”
The project resulted in:
- 100% recycled PS design tiles (Peel&Stick) imitating natural stone,
- a significant improvement in production capacity (from 2-3 to 8-10 sheets per day),
- a new type of beam for better pressure parameters,
- stable aesthetics even when using recycled material,
- new supply chains for plastics from e-waste (TVs, monitors, mobile phones).
The result is a scalable circular production model that has the potential to impact the entire interior materials segment.
Another useful output of the project is the Innovation Cook Book – a practical “cookbook” for circular innovation, which offers specific “recipes” for introducing creative and artistic interventions into businesses, tools for supporting cross-sectoral innovations and recommendations for regional policymakers.
For regional RIS3 teams, the brochure can be an inspiration when designing support tools and pilot projects focused on the circular economy, creativity and the transformation of traditional industries.
The Label4Future project confirms that cultural and creative industries are not just a complement to traditional sectors, but can be a strategic accelerator of innovation - especially in areas where it is necessary to fundamentally change the way of working with materials, production processes and the entire value chain.
It also shows that connecting RIS3 priorities, creative industries and industry can bring concrete, measurable and sustainable results. And it is such projects that can be an inspiration for the Czech innovation ecosystem in the years to come.Kreativní odvětví se zapojují do podnikatelských aktivit: Projekt Label4Future propojuje KKO a plastikářský průmysl
