Digi4Wearables

Footwear production is an important sector of Albanian economy, which has a long tradition. The footwear sector operates with two types of companies: companies producing and exporting part of product work and companies producing and exporting the whole product. Five types of business models are known: M (Make); CM (Cut and Make); CMT (Cut Make and Trim); FP (Full Package) and OB (Own Brand).

Regarding the Albanian consumer the need for footwear is fulfilled mainly by imported footwear products. Meantime there is a growing number of the companies operating in footwear sector that have shift their business model to Full Package. This change of business model has pointed out the need for qualified workforce from the companies and the data collected from surveys depict the lack of qualified working force. Gaining digital skills should be sustained by footwear companies. All this is accompanied by urgent needs of advanced methods of digital design and production.

The Digi4Wearables project will develop an innovative training methodology using emerging and inclusive practices and tools to improve the knowledge of workers in footwear companies in Albania on digital manufacturing.

The Digi4Wearables Educational package will consist of:

• Website with online material structured in thematic sections.

• Videos and reports with guidelines, informative material and best design/manufacturing practices.

• Course materials divided in seminars according to the thematic topic.

Digi4Wearables’ actions of virtual training and physical training workshops/seminars that will take place in Portugal, Albania and Romania will bring designers, product developers and managers, technicians, trainers and other stakeholders together.

Moreover, these digital tools will sustain the sustainable way of production as an emerging need required for every company, in order to reduce the negative impact on the environment.