The project unites 19 partners from nine European countries, including Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, in a collaborative effort over four years.
The consortium will work towards systemic change in textile waste management by creating Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes and circular solutions that are interoperable.
Coordinated by RINA Consulting and backed financially by the EU, Circula-TEX aims to tackle the environmental and logistical obstacles that currently hinder Europe's textile sector.
These include disparate regulatory policies across EU nations and inconsistent approaches to collection and recycling.
The project's objective is to establish uniform criteria and viable, scalable solutions that will facilitate the adoption of EPR schemes throughout the European Union.
A RINA representative said: “Circula-TEX is not just a project; it is a strategic enabler for the European Green Deal and the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles. Our collective goal is to deliver actionable solutions that ensure every stage of a textile product’s lifecycle contributes to a more sustainable future.”
Circula-TEX's innovations include:
- Crafting evidence-based criteria for harmonised EPR schemes and associated policies across the EU.
- Evaluating these criteria through market-oriented case studies with direct industry partner involvement to guarantee relevance and effectiveness
- Implementing an advanced labelling system compatible with the Digital Product Passport to enhance product traceability, including post-consumer waste stages such as sorting, reuse, and recycling
- Developing eco-design guidelines to promote the creation of textiles that are more reusable and recyclable.
Circula-TEX's members includes Centre scientifique & technique de l'industrie textile belge ASBL, European Apparel And Textile Confederation, and Fedustria from Belgium.
Italy contributes eight partners: Centro Tessile Cotoniero E Abbigliamento, Confindustria Moda, Inticom (www.yamamay.com), Next Technology Tecnotessile Societa Nazionale Di Ricerca, Oniverse, Retex.Green, Rina Consulting, and Temera.
Other participants are TexCycle from Bulgaria; Global Fashion Agenda from Denmark; Tallinna Tehnikaülikool from Estonia; Hugo Boss from Germany; TEXAID from Switzerland; Modint Ondernemersorganisatie Voor Mode, Interieur, Tapijt En Textiel from the Netherlands; Asociacion De Empresarios Textiles De La Region Valenciana and Confederacion De La Industria Textil Asociacion from Spain.
