Trash-2-Cash · Project

Turn Textile and Paper Waste Into High-Value Products Using Design-Driven Recycling

manufacturingTestedTRL 6

Imagine taking old clothes and paper waste that would normally end up in a landfill and turning them back into new fashion, furniture fabrics, and other products. That's exactly what this project figured out — new ways to break down waste cotton and polyester fibers and regenerate them into materials good enough for designers to work with. Think of it like melting down scrap metal to make new tools, but for textiles. A team of 21 partners across 10 countries built prototypes proving this actually works at a near-industrial scale.

By the numbers

EUR 7,933,461

EU funding for development

consortium partners

countries involved

industry partners in consortium

SMEs in consortium

52%

industry participation ratio

total deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Textile consumption keeps growing, and so does textile waste — most of it ends up in landfills because there's no economically viable way to turn it back into usable fiber. At the same time, virgin cotton production carries serious environmental and social costs, and polyester waste has no good disposal route. Companies face mounting regulatory pressure and consumer demand to close this loop, but lack proven recycling technologies that produce materials designers actually want to use.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered 18 total outputs including a finished Prototype 3 showcased publicly, plus textile waste and recycled paperboard demo materials. Concrete results include eco-efficient cotton fiber regeneration techniques, polyester recycling processes, and design-driven material specifications tested in realistic production environments.

Audience

Who needs this

Fashion brands under pressure to increase recycled content in clothingTextile mills looking to process fiber waste instead of sending it to landfillInterior and furniture companies seeking sustainable upholstery and fabric materialsPaper and packaging companies with cellulose waste streams seeking new revenueAutomotive textile suppliers needing recycled fiber inputs for car interiors

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Fashion & Apparel

any

Target: Fashion brands or clothing manufacturers looking to use recycled fibers

If you are a fashion brand dealing with pressure to reduce virgin material use and meet sustainability targets — this project developed eco-efficient cotton fiber regeneration and polyester recycling techniques tested with finished prototypes. With 11 industry partners validating the approach, the recycled fibers were designed to meet real product requirements for fashion and interior applications.

Textile Manufacturing

mid-size

Target: Textile mills or fiber producers handling large volumes of production waste

If you are a textile manufacturer struggling with growing fiber waste volumes and rising landfill costs — this project built and tested technology to convert zero-value waste textiles back into usable fibers. The consortium included 5 SMEs and produced 18 deliverables including working prototypes in realistic test production environments.

Interior Design & Furnishing

SME

Target: Furniture or interior product companies seeking recycled material inputs

If you are an interior products company looking for sustainable material sources without compromising quality — this project created design-driven recycled materials from textile and paper waste specifically for interior applications. Prototypes were showcased publicly, and the design-first approach ensures materials meet aesthetic and functional requirements.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt this recycling technology?

The project operated with EUR 7,933,461 in EU funding across 21 partners. Specific per-unit costs for the recycling processes are not published in the available data. Licensing or adoption costs would need to be discussed directly with the consortium coordinator RISE Research Institutes of Sweden.

Can this work at industrial scale?

The project produced prototypes in what they describe as a 'realistic test production environment,' which indicates near-industrial validation. With 11 industry partners and 52% industry ratio in the consortium, the technology was developed with scale-up in mind. However, full commercial-scale deployment would likely require further engineering.

Who owns the IP and how can I license it?

IP generated during the project is held by the consortium members, coordinated by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB. Licensing arrangements would need to be negotiated with RISE or the specific partner that developed the technology component you need.

What types of waste can this process handle?

Based on the project objectives, the technology handles textile fiber waste (both cotton and polyester) and paper fiber waste from the paper industry. The project specifically addressed cotton regeneration and polyester recycling as two separate technical streams.

Is this technology compliant with EU waste and circular economy regulations?

The project was funded under Horizon 2020 and aligns with EU circular economy goals including reducing landfill volumes, improving material efficiency, and closing the material loop. Specific regulatory certifications are not detailed in the available project data.

How long would it take to integrate this into our production?

The project ran from June 2015 to November 2018 and reached the prototype stage with realistic test production. Based on available project data, moving from prototype to full production integration would depend on your specific product requirements and existing manufacturing setup.

Consortium

Who built it

The Trash-2-Cash consortium is notably industry-heavy with 11 out of 21 partners (52%) coming from industry, including 5 SMEs. This is a strong signal that the technology was developed with commercial viability in mind, not just academic interest. The 10-country spread across Europe (Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Slovenia, Turkey, UK) means the results were validated across different regulatory and market environments. Coordinated by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden — one of Europe's largest applied research organizations — the project had credible leadership for bridging the gap between lab results and industrial application. The presence of 6 research institutes and 3 universities provided the scientific backbone, while the industry majority ensured real-world requirements drove the work.

RISE RESEARCH INSTITUTES OF SWEDEN ABCoordinator · SE
RISE IVF ABparticipant · SE
SOEX TEXTIL-VERMARKTUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBHparticipant · DE
TEKSTINA TEKSTILNA INDUSTRIJA DOOparticipant · SI
GRADO ZERO INNOVATION SRLparticipant · IT
TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OYparticipant · FI
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS LONDONparticipant · UK
AALTO KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SRparticipant · FI
COPENHAGEN BUSINESS SCHOOLparticipant · DK
SO.F.TER. S.R.L.participant · IT
MAIER TECHNOLOGY CENTRE S COOPthirdparty · ES
MAIER SCOOPparticipant · ES
MATERIAL CONNEXION ITALIA SRLparticipant · IT
FUNDACION CIDETECparticipant · ES
RISE INNVENTIA ABthirdparty · SE

How to reach the team

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB is the coordinator. Contact their technology transfer or licensing department for partnership inquiries.

Order a report on this consortium See RISE RESEARCH INSTITUTES OF SWEDEN AB profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the Trash-2-Cash team? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partner for your specific recycling or material need.

Order a report on this topic More in Manufacturing & Industry 4.0