ECOSYSTEX, launched in early 2023 and managed by Textile ETP, fosters a European Community of Practice, consisting of 43 projects with over 300 registered experts.
The Second ECOSYSTEX Conference just wrapped up an incredible two-day journey in Milan, where sustainability, tracebility, and collaboration took centre stage. Co-organised by four ECOSYSTEX member projects - TRICK, SCIRT, HEREWEAR, and my-fi - this event brought together industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers to explore the future of textiles.
The conference opened with welcoming remarks from the European Commission, Textile ETP, and our co-organising partners Sistema Moda Italia, UniCredit, and Accenture. Their support set the stage for two days of inspiring discussions. Updates from the European Commission were a key focus, providing crucial insights into upcoming regulatory developments like the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and Horizon Europe’s 2025-2027 program. These sessions, led by DG ENV, DG RTD, and DG GROW, highlighted the increasing role of collaborative research in driving sustainable textile innovation.
The interactive workshops and panel discussions were another highlight of the conference:
- Several deep-dive thematic sessions allowed participants to explore critical topics such as the role of data in public policy, textile traceability, and the implementation of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) within the TRICK Project.
- We also heard insightful perspectives on biofabrication and other sustainable design practices from my-fi, who invited industry leaders share their insights and experiences, sparking discussions on the future of sustainable materials. The conversation then deepened as the session highlighted the vital role of creatives and policy makers in driving material-driven design innovation.
- We then turned our attention to the HEREWEAR project, which offered fascinating insights into sustainable production and finishing processes, as well as new environmental assessments. The HEREWEAR’s hands-on workshop was a unique opportunity for participants to engage with bio-based textiles, innovative materials, and local manufacturing models.
- Finally, SCIRT introduced their new 'True Cost' tool, featuring a guided discussion exploring the new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and the potential role and impact of the True Cost concept in sustainable design.
In addition to these panel discussions, participants were given an exclusive tour of Accenture's Customer Innovation Network, where future-ready technologies and applications for the textile industry were presented, and Decathlon's warehouse in Basiano, where participants got the opportunity to see their highly robotised and automated management of online purchases, see their stock management and gained insight to their repair and rental offering.
Following the successful conference, plans are in motion for a follow-up event in autumn 2025, involving member projects at a different European location.
All information to sign up to public webinars and other community news is available on www.ecosystex.eu and on ECOSYSTEX’s LinkedIn page.
Photos of the ECOSYSTEX Conference are available here.
