A new European Union (EU) project network has launched aimed at accelerating collaboration in textile sustainability and circularity.
ECOSYSTEX, also known as the European Community of Practice for a Sustainable Textile Ecosystem, is a collaborative initiative supported by the European Commission’s Research Executive Agency (REA), the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA), and the Circular-Biobased Europe Joint Undertaking, with facilitation by the Textile ETP.
Comprising 17 EU-funded research and innovation projects, ECOSYSTEX aims to accelerate collaboration in the field of textile sustainability and circularity. The community will focus its work on:
- Interproject collaboration to share best practices and exchange new knowledge
- Engagement with policymakers to provide support in designing and implementing effective policies and programmes
- Dissemination to ensure the interested, public expert community can be informed about the latest developments and results of EU research and innovation projects addressing textile sustainability and circularity.
One notable aspect of ECOSYSTEX is its inclusive approach, bringing together academic and applied researchers, technology developers, textile industry experts, and other stakeholders from across Europe. The initiative seeks to address fragmentation in knowledge dissemination by serving as a central hub for sharing research findings and technological advancements related to textile sustainability and circularity.
An enormous body of new knowledge and an arsenal of innovative technological solutions are resulting from collaborative research projects and programmes across Europe, but information about their results is fragmented which inhibits take-up and scale-up. It also means that policy makers and other stakeholders may miss out on latest data and insights that could make their legislative or implementation initiatives more relevant, specific and impactful. ECOSYSTEX aims to become the central European knowledge hub and go-to resource for latest research work and technology state-of-the-art information on all matters related to textile sustainability and circularity.
The project leaders
The concept for ECOSYSTEX originated from the CISUTAC project, drawing inspiration from similar initiatives in other industries such as the Plastic Circularity Multiplier. Since its inception in the autumn of 2022, ECOSYSTEX has grown steadily, with 17 projects joining as founding members. Membership is open to ongoing European-funded projects focused on textile sustainability and circularity, as well as concluded projects meeting the specified criteria.
Dated: February 27, 2023
