“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” – African proverb
Introducing EU Horizon 2020 twin projects Herewear, the New Cotton Project, and MY-FI.
Launched in October 2020, the EU funded twin projects share a common goal to develop holistic bio-based solutions for some of the fashion industry’s biggest sustainability challenges. The projects come together to share knowledge and data insights to amplify value and impact for each project and the fashion industry as a whole. Bringing together key players from across the value chain, each project focuses on combining technology innovation, data sharing and collaboration to develop scalable solutions for a more sustainable model of textile production.
HEREWEAR: Empowering local, circular and bio-based textiles
Herewear aims at the creation of a European ecosystem for locally produced circular textiles and clothing made from bio-based resources. Emerging sustainable technologies for wet and melt spinning of cellulose and bio-based polyesters, for yarn and fabric production and for coating and colouring will be developed and piloted at semi-industrial scale. The project aims to significantly reduce the microfiber release via measures along the textile manufacturing process. Herewear will also maximize the sustainability and circularity of clothing via connecting regional micro factories and by platform-supported, networked production resources.
Going beyond cotton. The New Cotton Project harnesses collaboration and cutting-edge technology to create circular fashion
The New Cotton Project explores a solution for preventing cotton-rich textile waste from being wasted and using it instead to create new raw materials for the industry. The project brings together twelve pioneering players from across the value chain to demonstrate a circular blueprint for commercial garment production. Textile waste is collected and sorted, and regenerated into a new, cellulosic fiber, Infinna™, using Infinited Fiber Company’s technology. The fibres will be used to create different types of fabrics for clothing that will be designed, manufactured and sold by global brands adidas and H&M in 2022. The project also aims to act as an inspiration and steppingstone for further, even bigger circular initiatives in the industry going forward.
MY-FI. The mycelium revolution. Reinventing a smart, circular and competitive textile industry
The mission of MY-FI is to develop a biobased material derived from mycelium, with multiple applications in the fashion, automotive, and leather industries. The testing of different mycelium production processes will allow identifying the most promising growth media. Processing and finishing techniques will be adopted to develop a product prototype with advanced functionalities, to be then upscaled. An integrated sustainability assessment will show the benefits and potentials for improvements. Overall, MY-FI activities will contribute to: empower the fashion, automotive and leather industry to successfully face the challenges posed by the emerging global trends, meet the market demands for innovative, functional and sustainable biobased materials, improve the environmental performance of these industries, and provide guidance to policymakers.
Learn more about each of the twin projects at:
