12 Jan 2021
The roadmap for the EU strategy for sustainable textiles has been published and will be open for feedback until 2 February 2021.
You are here
Textiles, apparel and leather
12 Jan 2021
Call for proposals for textiles implementing partners in Africa - deadline extended until 25 January 2021.
17 May 2022
The second Circular City Centre (C3) webinar in the morning of 17 May will focus on circular city actions and solutions. A new C3 guidance document on this topic will be presented and cities will share information and experiences about their circular actions and initiatives.
19 Apr 2022
In the context of a three-year project on “Innovative Business Practices and Economic Models in the Textile Value Chain” (InTEX), UNEP is seeking an Implementing Partner to support its impact assessment work on sustainable economic pathways for sustainable and circular textiles. The deadline for submitting proposals is 16 May 2022.
Ecodesign criteria for consumer textiles
Research: best criteria for the new EU strategy for sustainable textiles and the Ecodesign directive
This research project lists ecodesign criteria for circular fashion and textiles.
It focused on giving consumer textiles a longer lifespan with optimal reuse potential, making disassembly and recovery possible, and exploring upcycling and high-quality recycling. Extending the life of textile products turned out to have the greatest impact in the short term. Quality seems to be the most impactful ecodesign criterion when it comes to improving the sustainability and circularity of consumer textiles as quickly as possible.
The project defined seven product categories, identifying a set of minimum criteria for each. The report looks at existing labels, standards and regulations and the authors hope it will help expand the Ecodesign Directive by adding a textile category.
Evelyn Lafond
CISUFLO: minimising the environmental impact of the EU flooring sector
The project, funded under Horizon 2020, aims to develop a systemic circular approach to floor coverings.
15 Jun 2022
After two years of cancellations due to COVID-19, EuRIC is delighted to announce that the European Recycling Conference is back and will take place on 14-15 June 2022 at IFEMA in Madrid.
The 4th conference will offer unique networking opportunities, brief participants on the latest regulatory and business developments and be part of the International Recycling and Recovery Trade Fair in Madrid which attracts over 10 000 visitors and 200 exhibition stands. The event will bring together top-level executives from companies, federation leaders and officials from EU institutions.
22 Mar 2022
The EU-funded Fashion For Change 2022 Accelerator Programme aims to support designers, innovators and startups from the European textiles and fashion industry in this transition. Applicants are invited to team up and submit their proposals for the Accelerator Open Call by 19 April.
Laboratorio Cartiera: leather and a social conscience!
The Italian Cartiera is an ethical fashion workshop founded in Lama di Reno, Marzabotto in 2017 which makes leather and fabric items.
Believing strongly that work is an extraordinary tool for social inclusion, Cartiera offers paths for employment and integration of disadvantaged people, mainly refugees and asylum seekers.
Recovo: linking up sellers and buyers of deadstock fabric
Recovo is a B2B platform located in Spain which specialises in selling on deadstock fabric which would otherwise be classified as textile waste.
The platform helps EU-based brands and suppliers to give a second life to unused fabric: this reduces the amount of resources needed to meet buyers' needs and cuts down on the amount of waste to be processed. The platform uploads photos and information on fabric remnants put up for sale by producers which can then earn money from products rather than paying for waste disposal. Buyers can order samples, then buy as much of the fabric as they want which is delivered straight to them.
A user-friendly platform promoting circularity and combating waste!
01 Mar 2022
Just say no to textile waste! In order to identify the potential for circular business practices and fabric recycling, it is important to understand the availability and usage of post-industrial and post-consumer textile waste in production and consumption countries.
A textile evaluation by Clear Fashion: Buying less but better!
Clear Fashion, independant expert of garment evaluation, is a solution that informs consumers on brands' practices and clothes' impact, and enables fashion brands to communicate their scores, in order to bring more transparency in the fashion industry.
Textiles: EU Textiles Strategy and Sustainable Product Initiative: What would an ambitious textiles strategy look like?
Abstract:
At a moment when the EU stakeholders hold their breath for the EU Textiles strategy to be published, this workshop aims to give a final signal to the policy makers that a high level of ambition needs to be maintained in the upcoming proposal in order to create a watershed moment for the textile production and consumption, and more importantly for its global impact on the society and environment.
Microplastics from textiles: towards a circular economy for textiles in Europe
Microplastics from textiles: towards a circular economy for textiles in Europe
Awareness is increasing about the presence of microplastics in our environment and their negative impact on ecosystems, animals and people. The wearing/washing of textiles made from synthetic fibers is one recognised source of microplastics in the environment. Textiles and plastics are among the key value chains in the EU circular economy action plan.
It is possible to reduce or prevent the release of microplastics from textiles by implementing sustainable design and production processes and caretaking measures that control microplastic emissions during use, and by improving disposal and end-of-life processing.
This briefing aims to improve our understanding of microplastics released from textiles from a European perspective and identify pathways to reduce or prevent this release.
Textiles and the Environment The role of design in Europe's circular economy
Textiles and the environment: The role of design in Europe’s circular economy
Circular design is an important enabler of the transition towards sustainable production and consumption of textiles through circular business models. The design phase plays a critical role in each of the four pathways to achieving a circular textile sector:
- longevity and durability
- optimised resource use
- collection and reuse
- recycling and material use.
This briefing aims to improve our understanding of the environmental and climate impacts of textiles from a European perspective and to identify design principles and measures to increase circularity in textiles. It is underpinned by a report from the EEA's European Topic Centre on Circular Economy and Resource Use available here.
Leadership Group on Textiles 2021 - Reflection paper
Abstract:
In 2021, the ECESP Textiles Leadership Group identified three key topics: the EU Policy Framework, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Circular Design for textiles. This document summarises the main takeaways from the three #EUCircularTalks online events and a year of work.
14 Jan 2022
The final part of the LIFE 2021 call for proposals is open! The deadline for applications is 10 March 2022 at 17:00 CET.
Under the topics Circular Economy & Quality of Life and Nature & Biodiversity, specific projects are financed concerning, amongst others, used textiles/textile waste and high quality compost from collected organic waste.
Re4circular: a new AI-based solution to improve the sorting and cataloguing of textile waste
Atelier Riforma started as a social economy startup with a pioneer marketplace for upcycled garments. Realising that the sorting and cataloguing of textile waste were too labour-intensive for industry standards, founders came up with the idea of developing an AI-based automated solution - called Re4circular - to create a digitized and truly efficient post-consumer clothing supply chain.
Progress towards preventing waste in Europe - the case of textile waste prevention
Progress towards preventing waste in Europe: the textile case
Waste prevention is the best waste management policy option, according to the waste hierarchy - the EU's main rule for the environmental ranking of waste management policies. Its main objective is to reduce waste generation, the environmental impacts of waste management and the hazardousness of the waste generated.
To support this objective, the EU and all its Member States have put in place legislation that promotes activities in products' life cycles aimed at reducing the amount of waste generated.
This report aims to assess progress towards the main objective of waste prevention: decoupling (i. e. breaking the link between waste generation and economic growth).
Greenwashing in the Fashion Industry
Greenwashing in the Fashion Industry
This policy paper sheds light on the false claims and misleading communication campaigns advertised by the fashion industry. It discusses the environmental impacts associated with these Greenwashing claims in relation to three issues: materials, circularity and climate.
The paper further presents the most common statements and strategies used by fashion companies to convey their alleged engagement in environmentally sustainable practices.
Finally, recommendations are given on the policies needed on the EU-level to ensure that fashion brands are providing accurate and verifiable information to consumers, for them to make informed choices.
With this policy paper, Generation Climate Europe (GCE) calls on the EU to address the growing issue of Greenwashing in the fashion industry.
UPMADE® by Reet Aus turns textile leftovers from cost into value
The mission of Reet Aus is to minimise the ecological footprint of one of the world's most contaminating businesses – the fashion industry. They do it by industrial upcycling. This not-wasteful way of production is based on a scientific methodology called UPMADE® that has been developed by the designer and founder PhD Reet Aus in cooperation with Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Center.
Angelantonio D'Amario
17 Dec 2021
Since 2020 the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Circular Economy Community has been engaging with civil society, EU and international stakeholders as well as the EIT network by supporting actions to strengthen and optimise the transition towards a more circular and innovative future.
Join this webinar on 17 December to find out more about EIT's work on the ground and hear the stories of involved actors working with EIT to increase the uptake of circular innovative solutions. Participants will get the opportunity to interact with the panel of experts and find out more about opportunities coming from the EIT Circular Economy Community programme.
18 Nov 2021
LOOPS is an opportunity to show what cutting-edge research has been produced, and which changes it can bring to our communities. It is a series of live webinars committed to spotlighting innovation in the field of circular economy. Next event, taking place on 18 November, is about improving the life cycle of textiles.