A groundbreaking European innovation project has officially launched under the Horizon Europe programme
25 June 2025: A major step forward for sustainable innovation in Europe’s textile sector has been taken with the official launch of Circula-TEX, a pioneering innovation project funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme. The project brings together a powerful consortium of 19 partners from nine European countries: Belgium, Bulgary, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Italy and Netherlands, working collectively, in a four-year timing, to drive systemic change in textile waste management through the development of harmonized Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes and interoperable circular solutions.
Funded by the European Union and coordinated by RINA Consulting S.p.A., Circula-TEX seeks to address the pressing environmental and logistical challenges facing Europe’s textile industry, including the fragmented regulatory frameworks among Member States and the lack of consistency in collection and recycling models. By defining harmonized criteria and practical, scalable solutions, the project aims to support the effective implementation of EPR schemes across the EU.
“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,” said a representative from RINA. “Our collective goal is to deliver actionable solutions that ensure every stage of a textile product’s lifecycle contributes to a more sustainable future.”
A Unified European Response to a Sector-Wide Challenge Circula-TEX’s key innovations include:
- The development of evidence-based criteria for the harmonized implementation of EPR schemes and associated policies across the EU.
- The assessment of the criteria through market-oriented case studies with direct involvement of industry partners to ensure relevance and impact.
- An advanced labelling system aligned with the Digital Product Passport, enhancing product traceability also across downstream stages from post-consumer waste through sorting, reuse and recycling.
- The development of eco-design guidelines to foster the scalability of textile products more reusable and recyclable.
A Consortium of Leaders Across the Value Chain
The Circula-TEX consortium represents a cross-section of the European textile ecosystem, from industry leaders to cutting-edge research institutions.
The participants are:
Belgium (3 partners)
1.CENTRE SCIENTIFIQUE & TECHNIQUE DE L’INDUSTRIE TEXTILE BELGE ASBL
2. EUROPEAN APPAREL AND TEXTILE CONFEDERATION AISBL
3. FEDUSTRIA
Bulgaria (1 partner)
4. TexCycle (Eurotex Ltd.)
Denmark (1 partner)
5. GLOBAL FASHION AGENDA
Estonia (1 partner)
6. TALLINNA TEHNIKAÜLIKOOL
Germany (1 partner)
7. HUGO BOSS
Switzerland (1 partner)
8. TEXAID
Italy (8 partners)
9. CENTRO TESSILE COTONIERO E ABBIGLIAMENTO SPA
10.CONFINDUSTRIA MODA
11.INTICOM SPA
12.NEXT TECHNOLOGY TECNOTESSILE SOCIETA NAZIONALE DI RICERCA R L
13.ONIVERSE HOLDING SPA
14.RETEX.GREEN
15.RINA CONSULTING SPA
16.TEMERA SRL
Netherlands (1 partner)
17.MODINT ONDERNEMERSORGANISATIE VOOR MODE, INTERIEUR, TAPIJT EN TEXTIEL
Spain (2 partners)
18.ASOCIACION DE EMPRESARIOS TEXTILES DE LA REGION VALENCIANA
19.CONFEDERACION DE LA INDUSTRIA TEXTIL ASOCIACION
By leveraging the multifaceted industrial and scientific knowledge base of its partners, Circula-TEX aims to deliver tangible outcomes that improve both environmental sustainability and industry competitiveness.
