The AEI Tèxtils promotes the circular economy
AEI Tèxtils, the technical textile cluster of Catalonia, has been working in the field of circular economy and sustainability for more than four years. We present several success stories below.
|03.09.2019| An example is the PACTEX project, carried out between 2017 and 2019. It was developed jointly with the Packaging Cluster and the Leitat Technology Center and was supported by the Waste Agency of Catalonia.
In the framework of the project, industrial waste from companies of both clusters was analyzed with the aim of promoting efficient use of the materials. In addition, innovative proposals and measures were launched to reuse and reduce industrial waste. We worked directly with 20 companies, which allowed us to identify 10 applicable and viable solutions for the two sectors at the industrial level.
LIASA and NG Plastics
In fact, in two cases the actions have materialized on an industrial scale. This is LIASA, manufacturer of cords and ribbons and partner of AEI Tèxtils. This company collaborates with NG Plastics, a partner of the Packaging Cluster, to convert its polypropylene thread residue into raw material to manufacture a new product. It is a project co-financed by the Waste Agency of Catalonia.
E.CIMA and Back to Eco
The second case of success is found in the company E. CIMA, S.A.U., manufacturer of knitted fabrics by warp. In its industrial process, the company generates tissue waste with 100% polyester 3D structure, of various colours, from laboratory test remains. Currently, this residue is used as raw material by the Back to Eco brand.
Back to Eco is the upcycled brand of the By My Eco association, an initiative that extends the life of jeans by transforming them into bags and accessories. E.CIMA waste is used as an inner layer for computer and tablet cases.
This initiative represents another example of the possibilities of the technical textile sector to contribute to circularity and the cluster as a tool to promote initiatives that contribute to the sustainability of the sector.
More information on the site: textils.cat