Fashion Retail
enterpriseTarget: Clothing Brand
If you are a clothing brand dealing with upcoming waste regulations — this project developed digital product passports and labeling that simplify garment identification and traceability.
TRUSTEX · Project
Optimizing Textile Waste Management and Circular Business Models for Clothing Brands
environmentTestedTRL 5
Imagine if every piece of clothing had a digital birth certificate that told recyclers exactly how to take it apart. This project creates a system to make sure old clothes don't end up in landfills by improving how they are collected and sorted. It's like building a better return-and-recycle loop for the entire fashion industry.
By the numbers
21
partners
12
countries
43%
industry ratio
The business problem
What needed solving
Textile companies struggle to comply with waste regulations and lack efficient ways to collect, sort, and recycle garments. This leads to wasted materials and potential legal penalties as EPR laws tighten.
The solution
What was built
Digital product passports for traceability, eco-design guidelines for new fibers, and a set of recommendations for feasible EPR waste schemes.
Audience
Who needs this
Fast-fashion retailersTextile recycling plantsSustainable apparel brandsEU waste management authorities
Business applications
Who can put this to work
Textile Manufacturing
mid-sizeTarget: Fabric Mill
If you are a fabric mill dealing with non-recyclable materials — this project developed eco-design for new fibers and disassembly technologies that make recycling feasible.
Waste Management
anyTarget: Textile Sorting Facility
If you are a sorting facility dealing with inefficient waste streams — this project developed strategies to improve collection and sorting capacity for the EU industry.
Frequently asked
Quick answers
What is the cost of implementing these EPR schemes?
Based on available project data, specific costs are not provided; the project focuses on analyzing the feasibility and pinpointing weaknesses of these schemes.
Can these solutions be applied at an industrial scale?
Yes, the project involves 9 industrial partners and focuses on improving the EU industry's capacity to manage textile waste.
How is the IP and licensing handled for the digital passports?
Based on available project data, the specific licensing terms are not mentioned, but the project aims to align with forthcoming EU labeling regulations.
Which regulations does this project address?
The project specifically targets Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes and forthcoming digital product passport and labeling regulations.
What is the timeline for the results?
The project runs from 2025-01-01 to 2027-12-31.
Consortium
Who built it
The project is heavily industry-driven with a 43% industry ratio, comprising 9 industrial partners and 6 SMEs across 12 countries. This strong commercial presence, combined with 5 research centers and 2 universities, suggests the outcomes will be practical and market-aligned rather than purely academic.
How to reach the team
Contact the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology
Next steps
Talk to the team behind this work.
Contact us to connect with the TRUSTex industrial consortium.
More in Environment & Climate
See all Environment & Climate projects →