LIFE-CIRTECHTEX: key advances and results towards the Circular Economy
Overview of the most relevant milestones achieved to date and next steps
The LIFE-CIRTECHTEX project, funded by European funds through the LIFE programme, has achieved significant results after 2.5 years of implementation, advancing towards the circular economy in the manufacture of technical textiles for personal protective equipment (PPE).
The consortium has worked in a coordinated manner to establish an efficient model for managing textile residues, reducing waste and reintegrating materials into new high-value applications.
Main achievements
- Collection and recovery of textile residues:all industrial partners have implemented systems for collecting production leftovers, including pre-consumer materials and initial experiences with used garments. To date, more than 60 tonnes of textile residues from different production stages have been collected, ensuring quality and traceability.
- Development and validation of recycled materials:after more than 30 preliminary tests on yarns and fabrics to validate compositions and performance, 5 fabrics containing recycled content have been developed for the multi-risk and foundry sectors, with further fabrics still under study. All tests and studies carried out demonstrate the feasibility of integrating recycled materials into high-performance applications for the PPE market.
- Traceability and quality control systems:recycled material flows are supported by robust systems that ensure compliance with the technical and regulatory standards of the sector.
- Training andupskilling of staff: to date, more than 150 professionals have been trained, improving the quality of recovered materials and the efficiency of processes.
Challenges and lessons learned
- The collection of post-consumer materials remains a challenge, driving new awareness-raising strategies and collaboration with end users.
- Recycling multi-component materials requires precise control at every stage to ensure consistency and quality.
- Within the European regulatory framework, waste management has underscored the complexity of its interpretation and application. The project has taken this into account as part of its analytical and contextual considerations, in line with its demonstrative approach and focus on prototype development.
- Traceability has been confirmed as a critical element in ensuring compliance with PPE standards.
Next steps
In the final months of the project, LIFE-CIRTECHTEX will focus on:
- Validating new recycled yarns and fabrics and scaling up prototype production.
- Intensifying the collection of post-consumer materials and strengthening collaboration with end users.
- Further assessing environmental and socio-economic impacts.
With the results achieved, LIFE-CIRTECHTEX reaffirms its commitment to innovation, sustainability and the transformation of the technical textile sector towards a more circular, responsible model aligned with European policies.
