The Biodiversity Trust A new call has been launched Help promote circular economy in textile, fashion and footwear sector, within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience (PRTR) program funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU. Its gift is 97.5 million Euros It will also allow funding of well-selected initiatives with amounts ranging from 100,000 to 10 million euros per project and beneficiary organization.
This is call Seeks to align with the European strategy for environmental and sustainability of textile products. Spanish circular economy strategy for Reducing the presence of hazardous materials in textiles, preventing the release of microplastics, promoting the sustainability of textiles or promoting reuse and recycling in closed cyclesEncouraging circular patterns.
Likewise, it includes acquiring digital tools for the purpose of calling Reduces generation of pre-consumer waste, from prototype to dead stock, including cutting scraps, production surpluses and other consumer waste, for example, in apparel returns; Promotes personalized custom manufacturing, therefore, improves the efficiency of industrial processes and reduces the sector's carbon, water and materials footprint.
Ultimately, the purpose of this aid Improving the sustainability and circularity of industrial and business processes It will surpass the previous linear production model, within the framework of a circular economy, to improve the competitiveness and innovation of textiles and fashion.
The deadline for filing nominations will be extended Until June 10. Actions in the textile and fashion and clothing and footwear sectors that make a significant contribution to reducing the consumption of virgin raw materials, reducing waste generation and/or improving waste management are eligible for this assistance. in one of the following categories: research and development for environmental design; Digitization to innovate in terms of processes and organization; Increasing the level of environmental protection of the beneficiary; Waste management and/or optimization from third parties.
The call is expected to be resolved by the end of 2024. All the projects selected should be completed with max. June 30, 2027.
Betting on the circular economy in textiles
The Spanish Circular Economy Strategy (EEEC), approved in June 2020, Circular Spain 2030, lays the foundation for the development A new model of production and consumption The value of goods, materials and resources is maintained in the economy as much as possible, in which the extraction of resources and the generation of waste are reduced to a minimum and unused is used as much as possible. They can avoid.
The Strategic Plan for Recovery, Transition and Resilience in the Circular Economy (PERTE EC) was approved in May 2022 by agreement of the Council of Ministers, Identifying the textile sector as a priority and strategic for Spain In light of the dynamism of the textile, fashion, clothing and footwear sector, it is partly linked to sustainable production and consumption models associated with high environmental impacts, marked by low levels of use, reuse, repair and integration of new technologies. Quality.
Thus, textile and fashion and footwear sector contributed 2.7% of Spanish GDP in 2022Spain is one of the few countries in the European Union with a leading industry that includes fiber preparation, spinning, weaving, dyeing and finishing, printing and finishing, as well as apparel manufacturers and leading global companies.
In the European Union, the consumption of textile products, most of which are imported, currently represents, on average, the fourth largest negative impact on the environment and climate change, and the third highest in water and soil use from the life cycle. A global perspective. About 5.8 million tons of textiles are thrown away in the EU every year, 900,000 tons in Spain alone, with each person throwing away 20 kg of clothing a year.
