It has been 7 years since AEI Tèxtils started the preparation of MIDWOR-LIFE project as a result of the need detected in the sector to substitute certain textile finishing chemicals for more sustainable alternatives, to provide fabrics with liquid repellence properties.
This project, which was co-financed by the LIFE program, was the first in a series of projects and activities focused on promoting sustainability in the advanced textile materials’ sector, generating, in total, an investment of 2.3 million euros.
On April 28, within the webinar “For a more sustainable textile industry: the green transition,” the cluster presented its initiatives and support mechanisms to promote the green transition by boosting sustainability and the circular economy in the advanced textile materials’ sector, based on the four pillars of the cluster strategy: innovation, internationalization, skills and business development with networking as the central point of the strategy.
In the field of skills, the cluster develops training content within the virtual courses of the DESTEX and CLEANTEX projects, and organizes intercluster sessions to promote the sustainable packaging. In terms of knowledge, the cluster makes available to companies in the sector the industrial symbiosis guide PACTEX, as well as the reports of the results obtained in the European projects to substitute hazardous chemicals in textile finishing, MIDWOR-LIFE and LIFE-FLAREX. As a continuation of these two projects, the cluster and LEITAT are currently carrying out the SUSTEX project. Also, in collaboration with LEITAT, a study on the circular economy in the sector (CIRCULARTECH) has been developed, the results of which were presented during the webinar.
In the line of innovation and in the field of networking, many of the initiatives in the cluster have, as its main goal, the promotion of innovation and collaboration at a Catalan and European level to boost sustainability.
A key priority for the cluster is to offer direct support to its members to boost the green transition. In this sense, the cluster highlighted four ongoing projects implemented by its members under the Promotion of circular economy program 2019 of the Waste Agency of Catalonia.
This year, in this same program, six projects of companies were submitted with the support of the cluster, on top of two projects led by the cluster itself that include several initiatives related to the packaging and reuse of waste in the sector.
During the webinar, AEI Tèxtils premiered its latest video dedicated to promote sustainability initiatives and activities, with a special focus on promoting the actions of its members. Watch the video.
The webinar ended with a working session with small groups, which discussed the challenges and opportunities of the green transition in the sector.
