1

Why the project matters

Globally, over 100,000 million pieces of clothing are sold every year, and production has doubled in the last decade alone, textile waste quickly becoming one the fastest-growing waste streams. However, less than 1% of global textile waste is recycled back into the fashion sector, with most post-consumer items ending up in incinerators or in landfill. Within this global problem, the 5 involved territories (Egypt, Italy, Lebanon, Spain and Tunisia) do not yet have the recycling and re-use practices and processes in place to effectively address the environmental impact created by a linear fashion industry.

2

What it aims to achieve

• To implement replicable, cross-border demonstration pilots that reduce and valorise post-consumer textile waste through circular economy models.
• To enhance resource efficiency, promote eco-design practices, and foster the creation of sustainable business opportunities through closed-loop recycling and innovation in the textile sector.

3

Expected change

• Enhanced capacities of local actors in textile waste collection and reuse.
• Improved eco-design and circular business practices across five countries.
• Reduced landfill use and Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to textile disposal.

4

What the project delivers

• 5 local pilot systems for textile waste collection, sorting, and pre-recycling.
• 1 Eco-design Fashion Academy training 60 designers/start-ups.
• 1 Circular Acceleration Lab supporting 10 eco-initiatives.
• 8 sustainable business plans for long-term textile waste valorisation.
• Guidelines for post-consumer textile waste endorsed by regional actors.
• 3 cross-border stakeholder events for dissemination and scaling.
• Public awareness campaigns to boost circular practices.
• Toolkit and technical blueprints for replication across the region.

5

Who benefits

• 5 local textile waste organizations in Spain, Italy, Tunisia, Egypt, and Lebanon equipped with improved collection, sorting, and recycling systems.
• 450+ sorting plant workers benefiting from upgraded technologies and improved working conditions.
• 60 designers, sustainability managers, and start-up founders trained in circular design through the Eco-design Academy.
• 10 start-ups or SMEs supported through the Circular Acceleration Lab to launch sustainable textile-based products.
• 5 local/regional public authorities supported in advancing their textile waste policies and systems.
• 120 policymakers, fashion sector stakeholders, and public actors engaged through dissemination and capitalization activities.