Textile ETP unveils the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for "Textiles of the Future" European Partnership
Brussels, Belgium – 11 July 2024 – Textile ETP published the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for the "Textiles of the Future" European Partnership. The Partnership, officially announced by the European Commission in March 2024, is set to launch by the end of this year. It aims to support the textile sector, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in implementing a comprehensive research and innovation program. This initiative comes on the heels of the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles introduced by the European Commission in 2022, which called for significant reforms in the design, production, and marketing of textile products within the EU.
The SRIA was presented in a public webinar on 11 July to a large textile stakeholder audience, which can be watched again here, and slides can be downloaded here.
Strategic Objectives Aligned with Green and Digital Transition
The SRIA, developed by Textile ETP with input from its members, addresses the major challenges of the ongoing green and digital transition in the textile sector. It focuses on upcoming regulatory requirements and global market trends while leveraging key enabling technologies.
The central vision of the Partnership is to develop and demonstrate new technologies and innovative business models for the competitive manufacturing of safe and sustainable textile products. These products will be made from low-impact functional materials using clean and digitally connected processes within regional, circular, and fully traceable supply chains. This will promote quality jobs, industrial competitiveness, and responsible consumption in Europe.
Priority Areas and Strategic Topics
In a collaborative effort involving hundreds of experts from across the European textile ecosystem, the SRIA identifies three main priority areas and 13 strategic topics:
Priority area I: Sustainable Materials & Clean Processes
Strategic Topic 1: Sustainable bio-based feedstock
Strategic Topic 2: Sustainable fibres
Strategic Topic 3: Sustainable textile chemistry
Strategic Topic 4: Resource efficient processes
Strategic Topic 5: Efficient end-of-life sorting, separation & recycling
Priority area II: Digital Supply Chains & New Business Models
Strategic Topic 6: Digitalisation of the textile value chain
Strategic Topic 7: Sustainability & Circular Data Management
Strategic Topic 8: Design for sustainability & circularity
Strategic Topic 9: Circular business models & value-added customer and end-user services
Priority area III: Advanced Manufacturing & High-performance Textiles
Strategic Topic 10: Automated and AI-supported smart manufacturing
Strategic Topic 11: On demand digital and networked manufacturing
Strategic Topic 12: Safe & sustainable materials for technical applications
Strategic Topic 13: (Multi)functional materials for technical applications
Future Implementation and Funding
Following the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between the European Commission and Textile ETP, dedicated calls for proposals will be launched under Cluster 4 of the Horizon Europe programme between 2025 and 2027. These calls will reflect the priorities set out in the SRIA and will be approved by the Partnership Board, consisting of representatives from the European Commission and private stakeholders.
The collaborative projects funded through these calls will involve industry players, with a focus on SMEs, alongside research and technology organizations, universities, and other stakeholders. The aim is to focus on higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) to ensure the rapid deployment of developed solutions at an industrial scale within the European textile sector.
In the initial phase (2025-27), at least €60 million will be allocated by public and private stakeholders to core research and innovation actions. This funding will be supplemented by additional public and private investments from various EU, national, and regional programs, and investors. These funds will support accelerated exploitation actions, including demonstration, pilot testing, new manufacturing facility setups, early market replication, and start-up creation.
Community Building and Dissemination Activities
Textile ETP will coordinate community building, project and technology brokerage, and communication and dissemination activities. These efforts will ensure that project results, new technologies, knowledge, and best practices are quickly disseminated within the EU textile ecosystem and beyond.
The ultimate objective is to enable the European textile sector to comply with forthcoming sustainability and circularity regulations while successfully competing on the global stage and seizing growth opportunities in both existing and new markets.
