EU’s industry is pushed by EC‘s green deal to convert into a net-zero industry, accelerate the transEU’s industry is pushed by EC‘s green deal to convert into a net-zero industry, accelerate the transition to climate neutrality and drive its resilience. As an important part of the EU manufacturing industry, the EU’s textile sector is thus called to action and to reach the next level of disruptive innovations in sustainable textiles. BioFibreLoop is a business-driven consortium of 12 partners from small to large industry and scientific institutes and will meet these challenges by deploying a new generation of renewable, recyclable, bio-inspired materials made of lignin, cellulosic and polylactic acid at TRL 7 by 2027. The innovation addresses the outdoor/active/workwear industry and will result in circular, technical textiles made from biopolymers with innovative bio-inspired non-toxic functionalisation. BioFibreLoop will demonstrate breakthrough technologies and pave the way for market entry: (i) near to zero waste biomimetic functionalization through circularity, (ii) zero use of hazardous chemicals, (iii) satisfied consumer needs through smart functionality for hydrophobicity, oil repellency, self-cleaning, and antibacteriality. In 3 industrial demo sites (IT, DE, AT) biomimetic functionalisation and recycling of the bio-based materials will be proven at large at TRL7. These are based on processes owned by partners and brought in at TRL4 e.g. lignin-based thermoplastic coating, laser-based technology for surface structures in bio-based textiles, thermomechanical recycling of PLA and lignin-based textile materials to serve as valuable secondary raw materials. At the project’s end, a patented circular, sustainable and safe process will be validated and demonstrated at a large scale to generate brand-new renewable, recyclable and functionalised materials. By 2035, 20% of the textile industry will adopt our solution boosting ~ 950 Mio. € additional revenues.

The main objective of the RETEX MSCA SE project is to form a world class international and inter-sectoral network of organizations, working on a joint research programme in the field of novel Sustainable Electronic Textile Materials, by replacing conventional textile materials with sustainable, environmentally friendly, and advanced materials such as; regenerated fibres from cotton fabrics. This can only be achieved by bringing together world-class experts in materials, polmers, environmentalists, chemists, software engineers, and designers with state-of-the-art innovations and processes in their respective fields of expertise. The participants will exchange skills and knowledge to create sustainable textile materials, strengthening collaborative research between different countries and sectors. RETEX will also refine and produce potential commercial market opportunities for non-academic participants in the project .Our goal is to train next generation of researchers and innovators in sustainable textiles through cross-sectoral and training modules. The staff members will develop new skills, be exposed tonew research and innovation environments, international networks, new industrial processes and techniques whilst widening and enriching career development through cross-sectoral knowledge transfer and international mobility.