The Tunisian Textile and Clothing Federation (FTTH) is exploring ways to recycle post-industrial waste in the clothing sector in a bid to lower the carbon footprint of the industry.
The body organised a seminar in Tunis on the recovery and recycling of post-industrial waste and launched the Med Test III, an initiative aimed at promoting clean industries in the southern Mediterranean.
The meeting encouraged more textile operators to adopt a green economy approach where chemical waste from factories is recycled.
Apparel is Tunisia’s second-largest industry behind electronics accounting for 22% of exports with nearly 1,100 factories.
According to local press, the Med Test III initiative which will also be launched in Morocco and Egypt, aims to set up an ecosystem that values post-industrial and pre-consumer textile waste, while encouraging companies to adopt safer and more ecological chemical protocols. It is a project funded by the European Union and the United Nations.
The MED Test III programme aims to strengthen local infrastructure, technical expertise, and know-how to ensure a recycling process, with a more attenuated environmental impact.
GNet News, citing Stefano Dotto, an official from the EU Commission, who was speaking at the conference, said the ambition of this project is to reach 0% pollution, thanks to the establishment of a textile waste map. Businesses must, in turn, create commercial partnerships for more efficient recycling.
