CraftAdapt: New Crafts Emerging

Programme: Erasmus+
Focus: Circular economy integration in VET for the crafting sector
Pilot Target: Over 100 artisans and VET stakeholders
Key Materials: 10 e-learning units, 5 entrepreneurial manuals, 25 best practice examples

Overview del progetto
CraftAdapt aims to contribute to vocational education in the crafting sector by integrating circular economy principles. The project addresses modern environmental and market demands through the innovative use of waste materials — plastics, debris and scraps — transforming them into new entrepreneurial opportunities, particularly for artisans from disadvantaged backgrounds. Responding to both EU green transition strategies and the evolving needs of craft markets, CraftAdapt equips artisans with updated skills to thrive in an economy increasingly shaped by sustainability requirements, the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and the Plastics Strategy.

Objectives

• Bridge traditional and modern craft skills, focusing on secondary waste processing, upcycling and repurposing techniques
• Promote upcycling as a craft practice, contributing to the circular economy and aligning with EU environmental strategies
• Update educational materials with new guidelines and learning resources tailored to the changing needs of craft markets
• Foster digital literacy, introducing digital tools to support upskilling and knowledge exchange among artisans
• Pilot test new VET programme through international tests with over 100 artisans and stakeholders

Implementazione
CraftAdapt develops a digital educational toolkit featuring 10 e-learning units for VET schools, 5 entrepreneurial manuals on upcycling and repurposing, and 25 best practice examples highlighting innovative and sustainable crafting solutions. These resources are tested through a training programme targeting apprentices and VET students, ensuring practical application and real-world feedback. International pilot sessions validate the methodology across partner countries.

Expected Results

• Enhanced skills in waste utilisation and circular crafting practices among VET students and artisans
• Improved resilience and competitiveness of artisans from disadvantaged backgrounds
• Integration of sustainable crafting practices into standard vocational education curricula
• Emergence of new craft professions addressing the demands of a green economy

CraftAdapt transforms waste into opportunity, empowering a new generation of artisans to lead the green transition from their workbenches.