Specific needs that triggered the project: .

Separate collection of textile waste is going to be started by EU member states by 2025. Currently the textile sorting is done mainly by hand, which isn’t accurate enough for high-value end uses: technologies and know-how are needed for identification, collection, and automated sorting. Technologies and know-how are also needed in order to recycle the collected and sorted waste.

Even though most textile materials are made of blended fibres, the current technologies lack the necessary processing options. The current activities mainly focus on down-cycling the waste to low value applications, and the current textile fibres aren’t sustainable: they are oil-based, and the cultivation of the cotton needed to produce them require lots of water and chemicals.

To support an efficient material flow and circular economy processes and support the Industrial-Urban Symbiosis, also data sharing readiness needs to be increased. The circular textile system also need the contribute of textile users, who need to be motivated to participate.

The overall objective of the tExtended project is to develop a knowledge-based Blueprint, i.e., a masterplan for a sustainable textile ecosystem.

 The basis of the Blueprint is a Conceptual Framework determining the optimized utilization of textile flows, aiming for retention of value of materials in a safe and sustainable way.

Based on the Blueprint, we will implement a Real Scale Demonstrator, verifying its replicability and potential to reduce textile waste by 80%.

Impact:

Scientific: To support an efficient material flow and circular economy processes and support the Industrial-Urban Symbiosis, also data sharing readiness needs to be increased. The circular textile system also need the contribute of textile users, who need to be motivated to participate.

Societal: Prevention of waste, sustainable consumption models via re-use, creation of jobs.

Economic/Technological: Accelerate the twin green and digital transition in European textile industry by generating new business, strengthening competitiveness and resilience through sustainability, and digitalization.

RISE major contributions will be in digital tools and technologies for textile recovery, textile recycling technologies and will be responsible for classicication system draft version, overview of environmental impacts of different textile waste utilizations and sustainability report. 

Without access to the right testing environments and expertise, promising innovations risk remaining in the development stage. The green transition is happening now, and companies that cannot scale up quickly risk losing their technological edge. 

With Bioeconomy Arena, RISE offers access to facilities, researchers and methods, from laboratory scale to pilot plant. This means an idea can be tested, verified and scaled up within the same network without the company needing to build its own infrastructure. 

This is what Bioeconomy Arena offers

A wide range of technical infrastructure

Bioeconomy Arena offers a wide range of technical infrastructure and RISE’s state-of-the-art laboratories and research facilities cover a broad spectrum of disciplines. Whether you are interested in chemicals, food, materials or biofuels, we can offer comprehensive solutions for all types of development needs within the bioeconomy. 

End-to-end support for upscaling 

Through Bioeconomy Arena, RISE is a one-stop shop for transforming new ideas into scalable, effective solutions. We provide the infrastructure and expertise needed to validate and develop new bio-based processes, offering a seamless journey from concept to commercialisation. In addition to our technical expertise, we also offer knowledge in techno-economics and life cycle assessment (LCA). 

Collaborate and scale up with our experts 

Our team of experienced experts are committed to supporting your development journey. You will collaborate with researchers and engineers who will bring solid, industry-relevant knowledge and experience to every stage of the process. Scale up faster through close collaboration and access to our expertise. Together, we can overcome challenges and pave the way for success. 

How does it work? 

A collaboration begins with an initial, free meeting, during which RISE will assess your needs and suggest relevant facilities and experts. We then draw up a project plan with you, setting clear milestones from testing to a scalable solution. 

The textile sector is in an intensive development phase, with clear guidelines now set via the EU's textile strategy that points out circularity and increased recycling as key areas. Several recycling technologies have come a very long way, but an obstacle to upscaling is the lack of raw material in large volumes. It is a great need of a framework for classification of textiles for recycling, the same applies to criteria for circularity and recyclability, both of these areas have been addressed in this project.

Sweden has led the way when it comes to recycling technologies, and has all the prerequisites to also take the lead when it comes to conditions for large-scale implementation.  Also Europe have a common need for solutions, and the work planned in this project therefore creates benefits far beyond Sweden's, and also the EU's, borders.

In a future textile handling system, recycled materials will be used by several different industrial sectors and actors, this can be among other industries such as the textile, automotive and furniture industries, all of which can use recycled textiles as a resource, but based on their own needs and set requirements specifications regarding the raw material. Today, there is a lack of systems for quality assurance and specification of recycled textile material, both as a direct raw material into mechanical processes and as a raw material into chemical processes.

Objectives of the project

Establishment of a framework for textile recycling as well as a framework for scientifically based assessment of the recyclability / circularity of materials and products.

The potential of the project

The type of framework that have been developed in this project is not available today and has not been the subject of previous work, despite the fact that over time it has been requested by both recycling actors and end users. The ability to guide materials the right way through the value chain is a prerequisite for achieving a high degree of circularity and achieving maximum material and energy efficiency. To give an example, a cotton material that meets all the requirements for a mechanical processing should initially take that particular path, and then in a next loop be relevant for a chemical process. Proper handling of our materials can only be achieved if we have put the right conditions in place for this to happen.

The 20 project partners that was involved in this project represents the different levels of the value chain and together the group had solid knowledge in the different parts represented in the report. Some of the actors was already involved in standardization work and have had a strategic role in the project.

Download the excel and test the different classifications for recycling.
https://www.ri.se/sites/default/files/2025-12/Framework%20Classification%20tool.xlsx 

RISE participates as an associated partner in the project consortium consisting of 30 partners representing thousands of industrial, research, digital, international, standards, organizations across Europe and beyond. The 18-month project will respond to the European Commission's call to create a clear concept for DPP, define a cross-sectoral product data model and DPP system with proven benefits for the circular economy, and develop roadmaps for its implementation. RISE focuses here on information needs linked to textiles and batteries.

CIRPASS has the following objectives:

- Present a clear cross-sectoral definition and description of DPP

- Define a cross-sectoral product data model for DPP useful for the circular economy

- Clarify the requirements related to product identification

- Propose an open DPP data exchange protocol adapted to the needs of circular economy stakeholders and propose such a protocol based on updated digital technologies

- Build stakeholder consensus on key data for circularity and related open European and global vocabulary standards to be included in the DPP for batteries, electronics and textiles

- Develop case studies and roadmaps for pilots, implementation and generation of business value based on cross-sector DPP