#Recycling / Circular Economy

2023-03-09

Digital solutions for the circular economy

The team of the Mittelstand-Digital Center at DITF: Project Manager Alexander Artschwager, Dr. Heiko Matheis, Christine Schoch, Bastian Baesch, Christoph Riethmüller, Tobias Hecht, Dr. Michael Haupt (left to right). Photo: DITF

Small and medium-sized enterprises are facing big tasks: Production should be sustainable and allow for later recycling, work and qualification are increasingly taking place digitally, and supply chains must be fully traceable. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF) support companies in the introduction of these future-relevant technologies.

Partners are ITA Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University, Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut in Chemnitz (STFI) and DER MITTELSTANDSVERBUND - ZGV. The Gesamtverband textil+mode management is in charge of management. In Denkendorf at the DITF, showcases about digital engineering with a focus on supply chain, circular economy and artificial intelligence can be experienced by all sectors.

To this end, a demonstrator is being set up to provide transparent proof along the entire supply chain from fiber to end customer. A quick check tool will then support SMEs in quickly assessing their supply chain risks and provide them with an initial overview of their ecological footprint.

The Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Smarte Kreisläufe is part of Mittelstand-Digital.

What is Mittelstand-Digital?

Mittelstand-Digital offers guidance for small and medium-sized enterprises and the skilled crafts as they embrace the digital transformation, informs them about the opportunities and challenges of digitalization and provides financial support for digitalization projects. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action makes it possible for all of these services to be rendered free of charge.

For more information visit http://www.mittelstand-digital.de.

Fabolose: Fabricating vegan and circular leather alternatives from bio-tech-derived cellulose

Fabulose is an EU funded project coordinated by the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF). Its consortium consists of leading research institutes, biotech innovators, and industry stakeholders who aim to create high-performance, biobased and recyclable leather-like fabrics, using efficient biotech production routes for bacterial cellulose, cyanophycin and bacterial pigments

More safety and comfort for protective clothing thanks to auxetic fabrics

When everyday materials are pulled, they stretch or elongate in the direction of the pull and become narrower in cross-section. We can also observe this property in two-dimensional textiles. Auxetic structures behave differently here. They have the striking property of not changing under tensile stress or even increasing their width or thickness. These properties are advantageous, for example, in protective textiles or textile filter media. The DITF are researching auxetic fabrics for various applications.

Panty liners prevent bacterial vaginosis

Worldwide, almost one third of women of childbearing age suffer from bacterial vaginosis. This is when the sensitive microbiome of the vagina becomes unbalanced. Such a disorder of the vaginal flora can cause urogenital infections, abscesses on the ovaries or fallopian tubes or premature births. This significantly increases the risk of infertility in women and of contracting a sexually transmitted disease or HIV.

Reju secures €135 Million in Dutch NIKI Funding for industrial-scale textile-to-textile regeneration hub at Chemelot Industrial Park, the Netherlands

Reju™, the progressive textile-to-textile regeneration company, has been awarded €135 million in funding under the Netherlands’ Nationale Investeringsregeling Klimaatprojecten Industrie (NIKI) program. The funding will support Reju’s planned industrial-scale Regeneration Hub at Chemelot Industrial Park in Sittard-Geleen, covering both the investment phase and ongoing operations, and represents a critical milestone on the path toward final investment decision.

eeden is now a Canopy partner

eeden is committed to enable circular textiles by developing recycling technologies that turn textile waste into valuable raw materials. But the commitment goes further – eeden advocates for supply chain solutions that uphold responsible environmental and ethical standards, protecting global ecosystems including Ancient and Endangered Forests.

Carbios confirms Longlaville plant in France following financing progress

Carbios has reaffirmed its plans to build its Longlaville plant in France within a project financing framework, targeting the start of production in the first half of 2028. The company also reports a solid cash position of around €60 million at the end of 2025 and has appointed Benoît Grenot as Deputy Chief Executive Officer to support the execution of its strategic projects.

New study shows low environmental impact by Cotton made in Africa Organic Cotton from Tanzania

Today, the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is announcing the results of a comprehensive life-cycle analysis (LCA) for cotton produced in Tanzania under the Cotton made in Africa Organic (CmiA Organic) standard. The study emphasises the small ecological footprint of CmiA Organic verified cotton. This can largely be traced back to the absence of synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilisers, and artificial irrigation. Consequently, CmiA Organic cotton can help the textile industry meet regulatory requirements as well as science-based targets. The results also show that the consequences of climate change threaten the livelihoods of these cotton farmers, even though the type of agriculture they practise barely contributes to climate change.

PERFORMANCE DAYS proves its relevance as the industry’s key meeting point

Held on March 18–19, 2026, PERFORMANCE DAYS once again confirmed its position as a leading international platform for functional textiles. A total of 3.366 trade visitors and around 560 exhibitors gathered in Munich, with the event already kicking off successfully on DAY 0, which received highly positive feedback for its interactive format. Despite challenging conditions caused by the public transport strike in Munich, the event saw strong attendance and a consistently high level of activity across both exhibition days.