Mission | Culture & Sustainability

1. The purpose of the Social Cooperative Enterprise is the collective and social benefit, as defined in par. 2 and 3 of no. 2 of law 4430/2016 (Government Gazette 205 / ’Α / 31.10.2016), as in force, ie:
   i.The joint service of the needs of its members, through the formation of equal production relations, the creation of stable and dignified jobs, the reconciliation of personal, family and professional life.
   and
   ii. Serving local or wider social needs through the production of products and the provision of services, which aim at reconciling production and consumption, harmonizing supply and demand and forming new types of social relations based on collectivity and parity and not competition .

2. The purpose of Social Cooperative Enterprise is carried out through the activities of sustainable development and the provision of social services of general interest.
   A. Sustainable development.
   In particular, the Social Cooperative Enterprise, in the context of the promotion of sustainable development will engage in trade or exchange of goods and carry out activities, which:
   a. promote sustainability and protect the environment,
   b. contribute to social and economic equality,
   c. promote gender equality,
   d. protect and develop common goods,
   e. promote intergenerational and multicultural reconciliation, emphasizing the particularities of local communities.

Specifically, the Social Cooperative Enterprise will develop activities related to:

a. The protection and restoration of the natural environment and biodiversity.
b. Sustainable agriculture and animal husbandry, which emphasizes the conservation and spread of endangered local traditional varieties or “breeds” and the prevention of the penetration of genetically modified organisms.
d. Fair and solidarity trade. Fair and solidary trade is defined as a trade partnership based on dialogue, transparency and mutual respect, which seeks greater parity in international and domestic trade. It contributes to sustainable development, ensuring fair terms of trade and securing the rights of marginalized producers and workers.
e. The reduction of waste, with the participation of the citizens, through the reuse, utilization, recycling of the waste or through the redesign of the way of production and distribution of the products.
f. The development of skills and transfer of know-how.
g. Alternative, thematic and mild tourism.
h. The production, processing, promotion or preservation of the productive or cultural heritage of each place.
i. The production and promotion of independent cultural creation.

As key objectives and values ​​of the Social Cooperative Enterprise are defined:

a. The promotion of the creative expression of the human spirit
b. Spreading the knowledge of the past about self-sufficiency and harmonization with nature
c. Supporting and promoting the need for new productive methods, embracing the principles of circular economy, fair trade and sustainability – promoting social justice and respect for nature
d. Social progress by changing the consumer habits of citizens through the promotion of the model of the socially, culturally and environmentally aware citizen
e. The promotion of gender equality at work through the strengthening of women’s (self) employment and the creation of employment opportunities in the rural Greek region

In order to achieve these goals, the Social Cooperative Enterprise will develop activities related to:

Preservation of the intangible cultural heritage and dissemination of traditional folk arts and techniques

a. Intergenerational cooperation through the transfer of know-how from the elderly to the younger (members of the Cooperative and other stakeholders), preservation of it through active practice and transmission to the new generations

b. Creation of handicrafts of traditional fabrics such as weaving, knitting, sewing, embroidery and dyeing

c. Folklore research, recording and imprinting in written descriptions and in original photographic and audiovisual material of the activities, techniques and technology of the past, mainly those related to clothing and “dowry”: cultivation and harvesting of fiber plants, processing and collection of fibers , tool making, spinning, dyeing, weaving, weaving, embroidery etc.

d. Photographing works of local folk art for the creation of electronic archival material that preserves their morphological elements (patterns, designs, color combinations)

e. Utilization of the morphological elements of the tradition (weavers, Lefkada embroidery) for the production of an original work with modern design

f. Training and mutual education of the members of the Cooperative in traditional and new handicraft techniques and transfer of this know-how

g. Finding, collecting and propagating traditional seeds of plants of textile and dye use for the creation of a seed bank, in order to save the traditional varieties of plants

h. Cultivation and processing of fibrous plants for the production of yarn

i. Processing of wool for the production of yarns

j. Collection and cultivation of plants for dyeing yarns and fabrics with traditional dyeing techniques

Ethical management of raw materials with the use of ecological yarns and fabric recycling in the context of the cyclical management of natural resources.

a. Use of natural and / or recycled raw materials for weaving, embroidery, knitting and sewing

b. Collection of donations in kind (clothing, home, linen, accessories, leftover fabrics, etc.) from individuals, private and public agencies and companies for redistribution (re-donation to vulnerable groups, holding swap bazaars for the local inhabitants), or re-use by processing part or all of the textile material

c. Collection and sorting of clothing and textiles in any condition and utilization of them as raw material for production (upcycled products), thus achieving energy savings and reducing the volume of waste

d. Promotion of the remaining material after production (waste fibers / pieces of fabric) for recycling