NEXT TECHNOLOGY TECNOTESSILE SOCIETA NAZIONALE DI RICERCA R L

Their core work

NTT is an Italian research centre based in Prato — Italy's textile heartland — specializing in advanced materials, circular economy solutions, and sustainable packaging. They develop bio-based composites, recycling technologies, and biodegradable plastics for industries ranging from automotive and furniture to food packaging and construction. Their practical focus is on turning waste streams into usable materials and designing products for easier end-of-life recovery, bridging the gap between materials science and industrial application.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

NTT's early H2020 work (2016–2018) centered on advanced bio-based composites and circular design for bulky products like furniture, car parts, and buildings — essentially making things recyclable from the design stage. From 2019 onward, they shifted decisively toward end-of-life solutions: biodegradable packaging, waste sorting technologies, and upcycling enzymes. The trajectory shows a move from "designing for circularity" upstream to "solving the waste problem" downstream.

NTT is moving toward practical waste-stream solutions — expect future work in smart sorting, enzymatic recycling, and bio-based packaging scale-up.

How they like to work

NTT operates exclusively as a project participant, never as coordinator, which positions them as a trusted technical contributor rather than a project driver. With 128 unique partners across 25 countries in just 6 projects, they work in large, diverse consortia — averaging over 20 partners per project. This broad network suggests they are valued for their specialized materials expertise and are easy to integrate into multi-partner teams.

NTT has built a remarkably wide network of 128 unique partners spanning 25 countries through only 6 projects, indicating they consistently join large pan-European consortia. Their reach is firmly European with no evident geographic concentration beyond their Italian base.

What sets them apart

NTT sits at the intersection of textile research heritage (Prato is Italy's textile capital) and modern circular economy materials science — a combination few research centres can match. Their portfolio spans the full material lifecycle from bio-based feedstock to end-of-life sorting and upcycling, making them a one-stop partner for any project needing both materials development and recyclability expertise. Their strong Innovation Action track record (5 of 6 projects are IAs) signals they deliver near-market results, not just lab-scale research.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SUNRISE
  Their largest grant (EUR 443,750) tackling multi-sensor sorting of complex waste like laminated glass — a technically demanding recycling challenge with direct industrial relevance.
• SEALIVE
  Their longest-running project (2019–2024) addressing both land and marine plastic pollution with biodegradable alternatives and policy-making involvement.
• ECOBULK
  Demonstrates NTT's breadth — circular economy applied to bulky products across furniture, automotive, and construction sectors simultaneously.