After more than two and a half years of collaborative work, the European LIFE-CIRTECHTEX project is entering its final phase, consolidating significant advances in the circular economy applied to the technical textile sector for personal protective equipment (PPE).
Co-funded by the European Commission’s LIFE programme, the project has validated the industrial feasibility of reusing technical textile waste within the same value chain, helping to reduce the sector’s environmental impact and promoting a more sustainable and efficient production model.
During the project, the participating partners implemented systems for collecting and sorting textile waste from both industrial processes and used garments, successfully recovering more than 68 tonnes of high-value textile material. From these materials, new recycled yarns, fabrics, and garments have been developed for different technical protection sectors.
The tests carried out throughout the project demonstrated the possibility of incorporating recycled materials while maintaining the technical, quality, and safety standards required by the PPE sector. In parallel, traceability and quality control systems were also developed to ensure compliance with industrial and regulatory requirements.
In addition to the technical advances, LIFE-CIRTECHTEX promoted training and professional development activities, with more than 150 people trained in textile waste recovery, sorting, and reuse processes.
As part of the project’s final dissemination activities, the consortium published a video showing the complete process developed within LIFE-CIRTECHTEX, from waste collection to the manufacturing of new recycled materials, offering an overall view of the circular model implemented.
To provide a more detailed overview of the project’s main results, impacts, and milestones, the consortium has also published the final LIFE-CIRTECHTEX newsletter, which summarizes all the activities carried out and the technical and environmental achievements obtained.
Final LIFE-CIRTECHTEX Newsletter:
LIFE-CIRTECHTEX - Newsletter
Full process video:
LIFE-CIRTECHTEX - Full textile recycling process
The project will officially conclude with the final event scheduled for May 20, 2026, in Pineda de Mar, where the final results and conclusions achieved throughout these years of joint work will be presented.