Evaluation of the Worth pilot project : final report

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, utility, sustainability and EU added-value of the WORTH Pilot project for its entire duration (Nov. 2013 - Nov. 2015). The experience and lessons learnt from this Pilot are to be taken into account in the implementation of a larger-scale pan-European initiative from 2016 onwards (under COSME). The WORTH Pilot project put in place trans-national partnerships between designers and enterprises - whether manufacturers, retailers, craftspeople or technology companies - in the fashion, textile, jewellery, footwear, eyewear, furniture, fur and leather industries. The aim was to deploy more widely the design skills of the creative professions and facilitate the integration of design knowledge in SMEs in these consumer goods and fashion sectors. Following three selection rounds, 34 projects (partnerships), comprising 76 organisations in total, were accepted to take part in WORTH. Each partnership received a limited financial support (up to €10,000) to define and create a product, as well as coaching and advice from the platform, implemented by an international consortium. For each partnership, the final result consisted of a market-ready product, prototype or proof of concept.