What we do

The main activities of the Textile ETP revolve around Networking, Learning and EU Funding.

According to our current strategy, adopted in 2018, the Textile ETP acts as Strategic Connector, Think Tank and Advocate, and Intelligence and Funding Access Provider to all our members across Europe.    

Two Continuous Wavy Line Animations

Networking

As Strategic Connector , Textile ETP is known as the biggest networking organisation for textile research and innovation in Europe. Through our online platform, networking events and webinars, textile innovation experts from across Europe get to know each other, build connections and start collaborations for mutual benefit. 

Our Annual Public Conference is the occasion to present the main results of the preceding year’s work, introduce new projects and initiatives and provide a platform for our members to share strategic development and results of EU projects and engage with EU policy makers.

From our Annu­al Pub­lic Con­fer­ence to Annu­al Gen­er­al Assem­bly, through the­mat­ic work­shops and webi­na­rs, such as the ITMA2023 Revisited initiative, our networking activities are organised on a wide range of research, technology, industry and policy subjects according to needs and interests expressed by our members.

Learning

Embark on a journey of innovation with Textile ETP! Since 2023, we have been coordinating dynamic Innovation Hubs, which evolved from our previous Masterclasses into broader, more collaborative spaces for innovation and diverse activities. Join forces with textile companies, research organisations, brands, and retailers in a thriving ecosystem. Discover, network, and collaborate on the latest hot topics shaping the future of the textile industry.

Since 2022, Textile ETP has also been facilitating ECOSYSTEX, the European Community of Practice for a Sustainable Textile Ecosystem, the central European knowledge hub and go-to resource for latest project research work and technology state-of-the-art information on all matters related to textile sustainability and circularity.

EU Funding & Projects

As Intelligence and Funding Access Provider, Textile ETP provides its members with timely and focussed access to information on new textile research and technology developments Europe-wide as well as EU funding opportunities. The TEPPIES programme is our members-only brokerage system to facilitate access to EU funding by supporting our members in forming strong project consortia for successful funding applications.

Since 2024, Textile ETP is coordinating the new European co-funded and co-programmed partnership “Textiles of the Future”.

In exceptional cases, Textile ETP participates directly in EU projects  in dissemination, cross-industry collaboration, or coordination roles. All our events and communication channels are at the disposal of our members to disseminate the results of their collaborative research and innovation projects.

Textiles of the Future
European Partnership

In 2024, in the fringes of the EU Research and Innovation Days, the European Commission has announced the new European co-funded and co-programmed partnership “Textiles of the Future”. This partnership is at the core of the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027, addressing the green and digital transition, and a more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe.

As a Think Tank and Advocate, Textile ETP has been nominated to co-manage the "Textiles of the Future" partnership and to develop the Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda, which will guide the dedicated calls for proposals under Cluster 4 of the Horizon Europe programme between 2025 and 2027.

Advocacy

Collectively with our members, Textile ETP has also been developing collectively strategic roadmaps or thematic opinion and position papers. Together with our full members EURATEX, TEXTRANET, NETFAS, and EU-TEXTILE2030, we engage with European research, innovation, and higher education policymakers to inform them about textile innovation potential and research needs to have them reflected in EU policies and funding programmes targeting the textile sector.

TEPPIES for EU Funding

Build­ing strong col­lab­o­ra­tive tex­tile research projects

The Textile Project Proposal Information Exchange System (TEPPIES) is our members-only brokerage system designed to help our research and industry members to form strong European consortia to successfully apply for funding opportunities provided by the EU research and innovation framework programme.

The Tex­tile ETP monitors textile-related calls for proposals and tenders from the EU programmes (i.e. Horizon Europe, European Defence Fund,...) and informs its member about the opportunities.

How does TEPPIES work?

Through a system of non-confidential expressions of interest (EoI), members signal their interest to lead a project proposal in response to a specific thematic call for proposals published by the European Commission.

All EoIs are collected by the Textile ETP and distributed to all members. At a brokerage event, well in advance of the EU submission deadline, all project promotors have the chance to pitch their project idea and find expertise and partners they may still be missing in their consortium. No screening or pre-evaluation of these project ideas takes place, nor does the Textile ETP intervene in the partnership building, project proposal preparation, and submission process.

All Textile ETP members can request a letter of support signed by the Textile ETP secretariat guaranteeing free access to all communication and dissemination channels of the organisation in case the project is accepted for funding and implemented.

ECOSYSTEX

The European Community of Practice for a Sustainable Textile Ecosystem

Gathering EU-funded member projects focusing on textile sustainability, ECOSYSTEX, the European Community of Practice for a Sustainable Textile Ecosystem, has been formally launched in early 2023, with a mission to accelerate collaboration in the textile sustainability and circularity field.

As a joint initiative of the European Commission’s Research Executive Agency (REA), the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) and the Circular-Biobased Europe Joint Undertaking, and facilitated by Textile ETP, this network of textile circularity projects aims to create a long-term community of practice, ensuring collaboration across project consortia and lasting beyond the individual projects’ durations.

ECOSYSTEX aims to become the central European knowledge hub and go-to resource for latest research work and technology state-of-the-art information on all matters related to textile sustainability and circularity.

ITMA 2023 Revisited

Following ITMA, Textile ETP and CEMATEX collaborated to launch together a webinar series and complementary podcast, called ITMA 2023 Revisited. The purpose of this initiative is to provide an interactive platform for the European textile industry and research members of Textile ETP and the European textile technology providers organised in CEMATEX. 

These activities are organised to foster better mutual understanding, exchange on latest technology trends and facilitate future collaborations in research and innovation, including but not limited to EU funding programmes.

A collaboration between

Podcast

Delve into insights and updates on key textile technology innovations and trends showcased at the 2023 ITMA international textile machinery exhibition in Milan. Engage in captivating interviews with textile technology experts offering profound insights into industry-driving trends and technologies.

Webinar Series

Each webinar in the series focuses on a specific ITMA technology chapter, featuring industry keynote presentations on cutting-edge technologies, emerging trends, and innovative practices. The webinar series is exclusively available to Textile ETP and CEMATEX members.

Partnerships and Alliances

To increase our reach into all domains of rel­e­vance for tex­tile research and inno­va­tion, to have a high­er impact in our advo­ca­cy work and the pro­vide a broad­er range of fund­ing oppor­tu­ni­ties for our members, Tex­tile ETP engages in strate­gic cross-sec­toral part­ner­ships and alliances.

In 2021, the Textile ETP became a formal member of A.SPIRE, the association representing the private sector in the Processes4Planet European Public-Private Partnership to promote research and innovation in the European process industries.

Since 2020, the Textile ETP is a member of the HealthTech4EU alliance, a collaboration from a broad range of research and technology sectors coordinating technical input to the agenda-setting of major EU research programmes targeting healthcare innovation such as Cluster 1 of the HORIZON EUROPE programme or the Innovative Healthcare Initiative IHI.

Since 2020, the Textile ETP is a member of the Knowledge and Innovation Community on Climate-related Innovation of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology. The EIT ClimateKIC supports small-scale innovation projects across all sectors of technology and economy to come up with practical solutions to prevent and mitigate climate change impacts.