Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HEREWEAR (Bio-based local sustainable circular wear)
Reporting period: 2022-04-01 to 2023-09-30
Today, a large amount of clothing is produced in low cost countries, far away from the brands creating them, under poor labour conditions and with few concerns for the environmental impact. The vast majority of clothing is made of only two materials: polyester and cotton. However, these have considerable disadvantages and shortcomings. Polyester is oil-based while cotton growth has a large environmental impact because of pesticides and high water consumption. Moreover, small fibre fractions are released from the garments, especially from polyester fibers, during washing and wearing. These microplastics end up and accumulate in soil and water, and thus contribute to the so-called 'plastic soup'. The textile sector is considered the second largest contributor of microplastics.
HEREWEAR aims at the creation of an EU economy for locally-produced circular textiles and clothing made from bio-based resources via a holistic approach covering all necessary levels. On the technical side, 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. Further, we aim to significantly reduce the microfiber release via measures along the textile manufacturing process.
We will maximize the sustainability and circularity of clothing via connecting regional micro factories and via platform-supported, networked production resources. A HEREWEAR community will be built of like-minded actors from along the value chain to build the necessary partnerships. Guidelines will be provided to support fashion design, with a focus on biobased materials and reuse/recycling. Garment prototypes for streetwear and corporate clothing will demonstrate the HEREWEAR circular bio-based concept.
The project objectives clearly are in line with the recently published 'EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles' (COM (2022) 141) and thus HEREWEAR activities are contributing to realising this EU strategy.
HEREWEAR aims at the creation of an EU economy for locally-produced circular textiles and clothing made from bio-based resources via a holistic approach covering all necessary levels. On the technical side, 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. Further, we aim to significantly reduce the microfiber release via measures along the textile manufacturing process.
We will maximize the sustainability and circularity of clothing via connecting regional micro factories and via platform-supported, networked production resources. A HEREWEAR community will be built of like-minded actors from along the value chain to build the necessary partnerships. Guidelines will be provided to support fashion design, with a focus on biobased materials and reuse/recycling. Garment prototypes for streetwear and corporate clothing will demonstrate the HEREWEAR circular bio-based concept.
The project objectives clearly are in line with the recently published 'EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles' (COM (2022) 141) and thus HEREWEAR activities are contributing to realising this EU strategy.
From technical research side, the main focus so far was on the following aspects:
'WP1 – Design for bio-based circular textiles' focuses on how to design for bio-based local circular textiles. In this reporting period, main focus has been given to the collection of relevant biobased samples, the development of design guidelines, the scenario building of garments and the first version of the interactive tool supporting circular product development.
'WP2 – Biorefinery' deals with the biorefinery methods for the production of cellulose from lignocellulosic biomass and seaweeds. Biorefinery methods have been applied to the selected biowaste streams. For the wheat straw biomass it was possible to develop pulps suitable for wet spinning of fibres (in WP3).
'WP3 – Wet & melt spinning' uses cellulose (stemming from WP2) and bio-polyester compounds (relying on commercially available polymers) to produce yarns. To tailor the properties of the yarns, these are further combined by hybrid yarn processing techniques. Reference yarns have been developed and hybridized. Further, the bio-based polyesters have been optimized and their comfort properties tailored thanks to advanced blending. The first wheat straw based yarns were successfully produced.
'WP4 – Bio-based textile intermediates manufacturing' uses the WP3 yarns to produce and treat textile intermediates. Focus has been given to the development and production of reference woven/knitted fabrics and the enzymatic treatment, bio-based printing and coating of these fabrics. Also, first bio-based dyeing trials have been performed.
'WP6 – Environmental & social assessment' deals with the life cycle sustainability assessment of the HEREWEAR materials and the minimization of microfibre release. Focus was so far on setting the scope of the assessments and identification of the textile parameters affecting the microfibre release.
In 'WP7 – Stakeholder community building' the HEREWEAR community has been built and first engagement activities took place. The goal is to build a motivated, growing and long-lasting HEREWEAR stakeholder community. 'WP8 – Innovation management & Impact' focused on the dissemination activities to ensure awareness of the HEREWEAR project and attract members for our HEREWEAR community. Further, the search for fitting (novel) business models was started.
From coordination side (WP9), the focus has been on establishing the basic project management processes, mainly related to communication (shared Teams environment, monthly WP telco’s, contact lists), quality management (e.g. for internal review of project deliverables), reporting (e.g. templates for minutes and presentations) and the clustering activities with projects with similar goals for a more sustainable textile industry (e.g. with our ‘twin projects’, ie the projects approved in the same call topic).
In the coming period, the technical research work will reach the next stage with the start of WP5, in which the results of WP1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 will be applied for the development of the garment prototypes. We also aim to further build and intensify the interaction with the HEREWEAR community, which will help to increase the project’s impact, already during but especially after the end of HEREWEAR.
'WP1 – Design for bio-based circular textiles' focuses on how to design for bio-based local circular textiles. In this reporting period, main focus has been given to the collection of relevant biobased samples, the development of design guidelines, the scenario building of garments and the first version of the interactive tool supporting circular product development.
'WP2 – Biorefinery' deals with the biorefinery methods for the production of cellulose from lignocellulosic biomass and seaweeds. Biorefinery methods have been applied to the selected biowaste streams. For the wheat straw biomass it was possible to develop pulps suitable for wet spinning of fibres (in WP3).
'WP3 – Wet & melt spinning' uses cellulose (stemming from WP2) and bio-polyester compounds (relying on commercially available polymers) to produce yarns. To tailor the properties of the yarns, these are further combined by hybrid yarn processing techniques. Reference yarns have been developed and hybridized. Further, the bio-based polyesters have been optimized and their comfort properties tailored thanks to advanced blending. The first wheat straw based yarns were successfully produced.
'WP4 – Bio-based textile intermediates manufacturing' uses the WP3 yarns to produce and treat textile intermediates. Focus has been given to the development and production of reference woven/knitted fabrics and the enzymatic treatment, bio-based printing and coating of these fabrics. Also, first bio-based dyeing trials have been performed.
'WP6 – Environmental & social assessment' deals with the life cycle sustainability assessment of the HEREWEAR materials and the minimization of microfibre release. Focus was so far on setting the scope of the assessments and identification of the textile parameters affecting the microfibre release.
In 'WP7 – Stakeholder community building' the HEREWEAR community has been built and first engagement activities took place. The goal is to build a motivated, growing and long-lasting HEREWEAR stakeholder community. 'WP8 – Innovation management & Impact' focused on the dissemination activities to ensure awareness of the HEREWEAR project and attract members for our HEREWEAR community. Further, the search for fitting (novel) business models was started.
From coordination side (WP9), the focus has been on establishing the basic project management processes, mainly related to communication (shared Teams environment, monthly WP telco’s, contact lists), quality management (e.g. for internal review of project deliverables), reporting (e.g. templates for minutes and presentations) and the clustering activities with projects with similar goals for a more sustainable textile industry (e.g. with our ‘twin projects’, ie the projects approved in the same call topic).
In the coming period, the technical research work will reach the next stage with the start of WP5, in which the results of WP1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 will be applied for the development of the garment prototypes. We also aim to further build and intensify the interaction with the HEREWEAR community, which will help to increase the project’s impact, already during but especially after the end of HEREWEAR.
The HEREWEAR goals can only be realised if significant progress beyond state-of-the-art is made in all involved steps for the production of bio-based circular textiles. This starts with a design for circularity, focusing on the ability to repair/re-use/remanufacture and recycling. Also the minimisation of microfibre release is being tackled by reviewing the full production chain. Cellulosic fibres are developed from alternative bio-based wastes and subsequent eco-friendly wet spinning techniques. Biopolyester fibres are produced via melt spinning of blended biopolyesters (PLA with PHA and/or PBS). In addition, innovations in the processing for bio-based textile intermediates are investigated, more specifically in (i) hybrid yarn production, (ii) enzymatic (pre-)treatment, (iii) bio-based printing & coating and (iv) bio-based dyeing & finishing. To efficiently produce these novel textiles in the future, focus will be given to digital manufacturing optimisation via both short run production in microfactories as well as networked manufacturing. We will also introduce a label with a tag for EoL handling and for transparency towards the consumers.
HEREWEAR activities are estimated to be relevant for a market segment of ca. €1.5 billion annually, corresponding to ca 7% of the EU streetwear and corporate wear . The results will be commercialised directly by the consortium partners and also via tech transfer to the TCBL and HEREWEAR communities. Via this large pool of businesses focussed on local sustainable textile production, we estimate to reach a market share of 20% in this specific segment, i.e. an annual turnover of ca. €300 million corresponding to ca. 1200 jobs. In this way, HEREWEAR aims to maintain EU textile manufacturing jobs. Project results will also contribute to repair, re-use and recycling initiatives in which lower skilled personnel can be employed, including via social entrepreneurship. HEREWEAR also has a strong focus on local SME partnerships.
HEREWEAR activities are estimated to be relevant for a market segment of ca. €1.5 billion annually, corresponding to ca 7% of the EU streetwear and corporate wear . The results will be commercialised directly by the consortium partners and also via tech transfer to the TCBL and HEREWEAR communities. Via this large pool of businesses focussed on local sustainable textile production, we estimate to reach a market share of 20% in this specific segment, i.e. an annual turnover of ca. €300 million corresponding to ca. 1200 jobs. In this way, HEREWEAR aims to maintain EU textile manufacturing jobs. Project results will also contribute to repair, re-use and recycling initiatives in which lower skilled personnel can be employed, including via social entrepreneurship. HEREWEAR also has a strong focus on local SME partnerships.