REACT had a final round of presentations for the project’s run last week, covering two events taking place in Italy: all with a focus on the textile innovation ecosystem.

REACT at NanoInnovation 2022

On 22 September, REACT took the stage of this year’s edition of NanoInnovation – an event based in Rome, aimed at researchers, institutions, investors and companies, as well as economic operators, government institutions, and media – which was created with the purpose to become the reference national event for the wide and multidisciplinary community involved in the study and development of micro and nanotechnologies and in their integration with other enabling technologies (KETs) in all application fields.

Valentina Trovato, from REACT’s collaborator University of Bergamo, represented the project during the “New products or manufacturing process development” hybrid session – which had an overall audience of 20 people in attendance – in which she presented the activities carried out by the project, within the specific topic of chemical finishing removal from acrylic fibers, one of the cornerstones of REACT’s process (The presentation slides are available here).

THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN THE TEXTILE CLOTHING FASHION SECTOR. ACTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Right on the following day, REACT was one of the protagonists of the “The Circular Economy in the Textile Clothing Fashion sector. Actions and opportunities” event, which attracted over 80 participants and took place in the setting of the new Multi-Lab facility of REACT’s coordinating partner Centrocot, located in MalpensaFiere.

Although held in Italian – as the presented initiatives connect with local actors – the event was designed to align with the European Sustainable Development Week 2022 and was co-organised by Centrocot and UNIVA (the Varese province industry sector union) with the aim of offering a showcase for significant endeavours on the topic of Circular Economy in the textile sector: offering an in-depth look on the results and opportunities generated by such research, support and connected training actions (More details on the agenda can be found here).

Within this premise, REACT had a central block to present its results – conveyed by project partners Barbara Ferrari (Parà Research & Development) and Andrea Cataldi (Soft Chemicals Srl), with an eye to the Industry perspective – and the environmental impact of the prototypes created within the project’s run – through an overview provided by Centrocot’s Michela Secchi.

To catch-up with REACT’s history and development, make sure to check out our news archive and our resources section – which features all presentations, videos and press coverage about REACT.

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The event, hosted at the local Kulturhaus, featured both an exhibition floor and an extensive series of lectures and presentations from international guests from the textile industry and the related research fields.

Coordinating partner Centrocot was representing REACT through Multisectoral and Innovation Researcher Daniele Piga, who held a spot in the presentation sessions, showcasing the project’s result to an audience of about 50 participants. His presentation – entitled “REACT, a tool for impurities problems in outdoor sector recycling” – offered a comprehensive overview on REACT’s achievements in the recycling of acrylic fabrics for sun protection and furniture, nearing the end of the project’s run. The slides are available for download in the dedicated section of the website: /resources/presentations/

To keep up to date on REACT’s last developments and event participations until the end of the project, follow the project on social media or subscribe to our newsletter.

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REACT has been featured on the 2022 summer issue of EU Research, a UK-based scientific magazine with a long track record reporting on EU-funded projects, publicising scientific research to push its long-term potential, whether that be commercial development or facilitating further academic collaboration.

The EU Research SUM22 issue, entitled “The necessity of science in uncertain times” focuses on sustainability, among other central topics building its overarching theme: an area which finds a perfect match in REACT’s objectives and achievements. The article (featured on page 51), revolves on an interview to Daniele Piga, Multisectoral and Innovation Researcher at coordinating partner Centrocot: offering both a big picture on how the project fits within the general scheme of Europe’s efforts towards an effective circular economy, and details on REACT’s own process giving new life to waste acrylic fibres.

The article can be read in its entirety at the following link: https://issuu.com/euresearcher/docs/react_eur31_h_res

To keep up to date on REACT’s developments and event participations until September 2022, follow the project on social media or subscribe to our newsletter.

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From 21 to 24 June, REACT featured at this year’s edition of Techtextil: the leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens.

The fair, hosted at in Messe Frankfurt (Germany), is an event in which, famously, international exhibitors cover the entire spectrum of technical textiles, functional apparel textiles and textile technologies.

REACT’s coordinating partner Centrocot was present on the exhibition floor with a booth, and the center’s Multisectoral and Innovation Researcher Daniele Piga held a lecture in the context of Techtextil Forum: his presentation – entitled “Recycling of fabrics: REACT removes finishing for high-purity secondary raw materials” – took place in the morning of 23 June, in front of an audience of over 60 participants, and consisted in an overview of the project’s work and latest development in the recycling of acrylic fabrics for sun protection and furniture.

The presentation is available, in its entirety, in the dedicated section of the website: /resources/presentations/

To keep up to date on REACT’s developments and event participations until September 2022, follow the project on social media or subscribe to our newsletter.

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Project partner Parà‘s latest prototype – featuring recycled acrylic textile obtained through REACT’s process – was presented at the leading Italian and international event, held from 7 to 12 June in Milan, joining the thousands of products revealed for the first time in this incredible showcase and forum for industry professionals, featuring more than 370,000 attendees every year, coming from 188 different nations.

The new prototype, a fully functional outdoor awning, is still undergoing detailed testing and quality assessment procedures, but already shows characteristics and performance comparable to products created using virgin fiber materials.

To learn more about the prototype and the recycling process behind it, watch this brief interview shot on location at Parà’s booth at the Salone, in which Barbara Ferrari (Parà Research & Development) tells us about the awning and its place in the path towards circular economy.

To keep up to date on REACT’s developments and event participations until September 2022, follow the project on social media or subscribe to our newsletter.

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REACT partner Parà presented a follow-up to the chair prototype showcased during the event’s 2021 edition: A beach umbrella, cushions and seating unit created using recycled acrylic textiles obtained through REACT’s innovative process – a real breakthrough for the advancement of European circular economy.

Making the prototypes

In an interview shot at the world-renowned Italian furnishing textile exhibition in Villa Erba (Como, Italy), Barbara Ferrari (Parà’s Research and Development) explains features and qualities of the prototypes, taking us through the process’ phases: from Parà’s collection and categorisation of production waste to prototype.

In-between, several other key steps, each involving one of the international partners in the consortium: the identification of different finishing and removal of hazardous chemicals from the gathered samples, as conducted by CENTROCOT and Ghent University, in collaboration with University of Bergamo; CETI‘s development of the dedicated fraying technique and the open-end spinning process; Ják Spinning‘s development of the subsequent ring spinning method; and, finally, Soft Chemicals‘s set-up of the pilot plant for the non-mechanical treatment of the finishing.

Want to see more?

An additional prototype is soon to be featured at the upcoming Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan (June 7-12), during which Parà will reveal a recycled textile fine-tuned for awnings, completing the range of applications of recycled acrylic textiles in the outdoor furniture sector: make sure to visit their booth (STAND G09 HALL 13)! – More information on the event here

To keep up to date on REACT’s developments and event participations until September 2022, follow the project on social media or subscribe to our newsletter.

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The European Commission has just unveiled a package of European Green Deal proposals to foster the sustainability of consumer products, focusing also on the textile supply chain.

The awaited proposal reflects the EU efforts to advance the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) released in March 2020 and promote more sustainable, longer-lasting, and easier to repair and recycle consumer goods. “We want sustainable products to become the norm on the European market,” said Frans Timmermans, the EU Commissioner responsible for the environment, announcing the proposal at a press conference. The proposal addresses several domains, including textile which accounts for the fourth-highest impact on the environment and climate change, after food, housing and mobility.

The package consists of:

• The Sustainable Products Initiative, which aims to boost the circularity of products on the EU market, including a reform of Ecodesign laws.
• A Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, which sets out the plans for new policies to bring more sustainability to one of the world’s most polluting, wasteful and exploitative sectors.
• A proposal for the revision of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR).
• New rules to reinforce consumer power.

Sustainable and Circular Textiles

The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles sets out the vision and concrete actions to ensure that by 2030 textile products placed on the EU market are durable and recyclable, made as much as possible of recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances and produced in respect of social rights and the environment.

Some of the measures include:

• New design requirements for textiles under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, setting mandatory minimums for the inclusion of recycled fibers in textiles, making them longer-lasting, and easier to repair and recycle. Under the proposed regulation, sustainable textiles products will become the norm in the EU. The proposal would also ban the destruction of unsold products under certain conditions, including unsold or returned textiles.
• Clearer information on textiles and a Digital Product Passport based on mandatory information requirements on circularity and other key environmental aspects.
• Tight controls on greenwashing, with stricter rules to protect consumers and direct links to the upcoming Green Claims Initiative.
• Action to address the unintentional release of microplastics from textiles. In addition to product design, measures will target manufacturing processes, pre-washing at industrial manufacturing plants, labelling and the promotion of innovative materials.
• Harmonised EU rules on extended producer responsibility for textiles, and economic incentives to make products more sustainable (“eco-modulation of fees”), as part of the revision of the Waste Framework Directive in 2023.
• Support to research, innovation and investments and to the development of the skills needed for the green and digital transitions.
• Addressing the challenges related to halting the export of textile waste.
• The co-creation of a Transition Pathway for the Textiles Ecosystem to establish the way forward and set out concrete step on how to achieve the 2030 goals set by the Textiles Strategy.

The Commission invites all interested parties and in particular SMEs, public authorities, social partners and research organisations to express their views on how best to realise the transition, while boosting resilience. You can provide feedback through the online survey and follow up workshops.

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EU Green Week 2022 will take place in hybrid format from 30 May to 5 June 2022. On 30 May, tune into the Youth Citizens’ Dialogue with Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, and check out the LIFE Awards. Sessions on 31 May put three important aspects of the green transformation in the spotlight: circular economy, zero pollution, and biodiversity.  Moreover, throughout the week, partner events will be taking place across Europe and beyond.

For more information on EU Green Week 2022’s programme and registration: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/eu-green-week-2022_en

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The REACH Regulation aims to improve protection of human health and the environment through the better and earlier identification of the intrinsic properties of chemical substances. This is done by the four processes of REACH: registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals. REACH also aims to ensure free circulation of chemical substances in the EU and to enhance innovation and competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry.

The overall objective of the revision is to ensure that the provisions of the REACH Regulation reflect the ambitions of the Commission on innovation for safe and sustainable chemicals and a high level of protection of health and the environment, while preserving the internal market, as provided for in the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability.

SMEs can share their views in the SME Panel questionnaire to improve the way in which the revised REACH Regulation should work for SMEs. The public consultation is running from 20 January until 15 April 2022.

Link to the SME Panel questionnaire: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/SME-panel-REACH

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A JOINT POLICY BRIEF

NONTOX Policy Brief: An EU Joint Approach to Recycling and Eco-design, is the result of a joint work of five Horizon 2020 projects: NONTOX, PLAST2bCLEANED, CREAToR, CIRCULAR FLOORING and REACT. The document provides insights on extensive research and innovative solutions for the recycling and eco-design of plastics. The ultimate goal is to help policymakers and other stakeholders with science-based recommendations to advance Europe’s circular economy and climate neutrality.

As explained in the Policy Brief “applying ambitious circularity principles for plastics in Europe will have net positive benefits in the transition towards the circular economy, unleashing opportunities to take niche ideas into the mainstream, increasing market uptake and significantly reducing damage to the environment”.

Collaboration among these projects is not new, as they are already partnered up in the Plastics Circularity Multiplier, a group committed to plastic re-use and recycling efficiency.

TREATMENT PROCESS TO REMOVE PLASTICS WASTES FROM TEXTILE

The REACT project developed an innovative treatment process that improves the recycling of outdoor awnings and furnishing. The partners, coming from the textile supply chain, researched, tested, and fine-tuned a technique that detects and removes hazardous substances, ensuring eventually the purity of the recycled fabric. This will allow European fabric producers to be more self-sustainable and create a virtuous circular economy development in the vertical sector. Watch the video interview with Barbara Ferrari (Parà’s Research and Development) to know more about the REACT treatment process and prototype.

Read the full NONTOX Policy Brief with our policy recommendation to reduce the environmental footprint of plastics and other waste products.

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