CISUTAC Newsletter

Revolutionizing Zipper Repair: A Modular and Semi-Automated Solution for Sustainable Fashion

Despite efforts to promote sustainable fashion by encouraging customers to extend the lifespan of their clothing, there is no standardised infrastructure or systematic approach for repairing textile products at scale and a reasonable cost.

As part of the CISUTAC project, PCH Innovations conducted a context analysis with Decathlon Italy to identify the most relevant repairs to consider and zipper repair was chosen as the most valuable intervention.

While most zipper repairs are done using standard sewing machines, the process can be challenging due to the unique size and components of each zipper. To address this issue, PCH Innovations created a modular, semi-automated concept that can adapt to different processes and materials, allowing operators to work more quickly and efficiently with a digital interface (in collaboration with STAM), hand-held tools, and ergonomic handling structures to hold garments in the correct position.

Reading more about PCH Innovations's concept and CISUTAC’s journey towards a more circular economy.

Read the full article

CISUTAC gets to know the consumers

In March, 3 CISUTAC focus groups took place in Antwerp, Belgium! Wageningen University & Research interviewed 18 customers of De Kringwinkel to discuss their attitudes and behaviours towards circular textiles - such as recycled, reused and repaired clothes - which helped us better understand the needs of second-hand buyers.

CISUTAC General Assembly

On 6 February, CISUTAC partners gathered for a General Assembly to report on the latest developments of the project, especially related to the repair and dismantling pilots, but also the upcoming steps and activities for Spring 2023. We also heard from Farrukh Nauman, from RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, with whom we discussed AI in circular fashion and the importance of data, and how we can best apply AI to CISUTAC. EURATEX's Mauro Scalia presented the latest circular textile developments and what's coming up policy-wise from the European Union and some Member States.

Policy roundtable with EU projects on post-consumer textiles

Hosted by the New Cotton Project, the roundtable focused on the ‘field’ experience of CISUTAC and SCIRT, bringing data on their results, day-to-day experiences and policy insights on the collection and sorting of post-consumer textiles. The event opened a line of dialogue between the projects, European Commission policy officers, key stakeholders and other influential members of the European Textile Industry.

Company visits to start implementing the pilots

PCH Innovations and Centexbel visited De Kringwinkel to discuss the pilot implementation of semi-automated stations for product repair and disassembly in their space.

CISUTAC goes public!

CISUTAC was presented at the Plastics and Circular Economy Conference and Eco Chemical Solutions Fair, both in Spain. The events, attended by CISUTAC partner AIMPLAS, were an opportunity to present the project to companies, administrations, technology centres and associations and discuss about new legislation, and technological trends.

CISUTAC talks with the supply chain

Decathlon Italy organised its end-of-the-year workshop with the Italian supply chain, including partners, employees and suppliers. The event mostly focused on production sustainability and circularity. Suppliers play a significative part of Decathlon value chain, and by sharing technologies and best practices within them, we hope reach the sustainability targets fixed by the European Commission.

With 19 EU-funded member projects focusing on textile sustainability, ECOSYSTEX, the European Community of Practice for a Sustainable Textile Ecosystem, has been formally launched in early 2023, with a mission to accelerate collaboration in the textile sustainability and circularity field.

As a joint initiative of the European Commission’s Research Executive Agency, the European Health and Digital Executive Agency and the Circular-Biobased Europe Joint Undertaking, and facilitated by CISUTAC partner Textile ETP, this network of textile circularity projects aims to create a long-term community of practice, ensuring collaboration across project consortia and lasting beyond the individual projects’ durations.

Four dissemination webinars have already been organised, presenting the different projects that make the ECOSYSTEX community, their objectives and outcomes. If you could not join us for these events or if you would like to watch them again, the recordings are available below:

ECOSYSTEX Membership is open to running European-funded projects focusing on textile sustainability and circularity, or concluded projects meeting the same criteria. For more information about the membership, contact Textile ETP.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the grant agreement No. 101060375.

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