EU-Projekt ALADINKick-off for EU project on circular textile production in Europe – Steinbeis Europa Zentrum and DITF once again showcase successful collaboration in securing EU Funding

Steinbeis Europa Zentrum once again has successfully supported the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) in preparing and submitting an EU project proposal. The ALADIN project has secured €5 million in EU funding under the Horizon Europe programme for a duration of four years. Following BioFibreLoop and FABULOSE, ALADIN is now the third EU innovation project whose concept has been developed jointly by DITF and Steinbeis Europa Zentrum. The proposal was led and prepared entirely by Steinbeis Europa Zentrum.

In ALADIN, ten partners from industry, research, technology transfer, and innovation support aim to establish viable business models for circular textile production in Europe.

As of today, most textile products consumed in Europe are manufactured abroad, with more than 80% produced outside Europe. This model often relies on lower labour costs and environmental and social standards. At the same time, 20–30% of all garments worldwide remain unsold each year. Given these implications, the currently prevailing industrial model is not sustainable. To bring back textile manufacturing to Europe in the long-term, industrial models and processes have to take a shift towards sustainability, circular economy principles, and above all, demand-driven production.

For textile production to be sustainable, supply chains have to be shorter and overproduction prevented. This can already be achieved today by connecting and efficiently using existing infrastructures. Circular textile production can be achieved by taking up innovative technologies and materials that enable high-quality recycling and reuse.

This is precisely what the EU-funded project ALADIN, coordinated by the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF), sets out to change. ALADIN stands for “Advanced LocAl and Digital Innovation Network for Circular Garments” and aims to establish viable business models for circular and demand-oriented textile production in Europe.

The project unites ten project partners from six European countries (Germany, Romania, Belgium, France, Czechia, Italy) representing a combined expertise  of design, embroidery, printing, digitalisation, recycling, artificial intelligence, microfactory production, and innovation management. Together, these partners are developing a powerful digital platform for B2B and B2B2C relationships in textile manufacturing while advancing the implementation of new technologies and business models. ALADIN promotes textile production in microfactories, enabling flexible adaptation to individual customer needs and ultimately paving the way for a Europe-wide network of microfactories.

Steinbeis Europa Zentrum led and prepared the EU proposal preparations, including coordinating partner contributions, roles and respective project tasks and activities. Steinbeis Europa Zentrum adds to ALADIN’s objectives through target-oriented and strategic communication and dissemination activities, through fostering results uptake through exploitation activities and IPR management, and through management of ALADIN’s two Open Calls.

Three ALADIN Use Cases

To validate the approach, three specific use cases will be implemented:

• A semi-automatically produced T-shirt
• A smart children’s parka
• A circular blazer dress

These garments will be produced using innovative sustainable materials such as bio-based fibres and recycled textiles, processed in a way to facilitate recycling and reuse at the end of their life cycle, thus strengthening circular textile production.

Cascade Funding for SMEs – Automation, Manufacturing and Digital Services

A particular focus is placed on the active involvement of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which will be integrated into the project through Open Calls, also known as Cascade Funding Calls. SMEs and start-ups will have the opportunity to carry out 18-month innovation projects in areas such as automation, manufacturing technologies, and digital services. Innovation projects will be implemented within smaller project consortia. At the same time, relevant stakeholders will be actively involved in the development of the solutions.

Please feel free to contact us if you would like to learn more about third-party funding opportunities through ALADIN. The first application deadline for SMEs and start-ups is expected to be in February 2027.

EU projects coordinated by DITF with Steinbeis Europa Zentrum as a project partner:

• Read more about BioFibreLoop
• Read more about Fabulose