Waste2Fashion aims to minimize the environmental footprint of post-consumer textile waste by transforming the growth of the sustainable fashion sector into a tangible socio-economic opportunity for the entire Mediterranean region. To foster an equitable and circular development model, the project is built upon three fundamental pillars: eco-design (creating products that minimize waste and allow for easy disassembly), the enhancement of collection and sorting systems for used textiles, and the advancement of recycling and upcycling technologies.

In a global context where over 100 billion garments are sold annually and less than 1% of materials are effectively recycled, the participating territories—Egypt, Italy, Lebanon, Spain, and Tunisia—require a significant strengthening of infrastructures, practices, and systems to effectively address the environmental impact of the prevailing linear fashion model.

Waste2Fashion facilitates the transition toward a drastic reduction—and ultimate elimination—of final waste disposal. Furthermore, the project positions the participating regions ahead of forthcoming European Union regulations regarding textile waste management and recycling.

Practical Implementation and Pilot Projects

The project will implement two practical pilot schemes in the target areas to test collection, reuse, and revalorization strategies. Key focus areas include:

• Establishing local infrastructures for textile collection.

• Technology transfer to transform discarded garments into high-quality recyclable materials.

• Developing market opportunities for newly processed materials.

• Providing technical and financial assistance to local businesses investing in the sector.

Consortium:

The Waste2Fashion consortium brings together seven partners from five countries:

• MedWaves, the UNEP/MAP Regional Activity Centre for Sustainable Consumption and Production (Spain) – Lead Partner

• CEDARE (Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (Egypt)

• The Egyptian Clothing Bank (Egypt)

• Next Technology Tecnotessile (Italy)

• Fondazione Museo del Tessuto di Prato (Italy)

• FTTH (Fédération Tunisienne du Textile et de l’Habillement (Tunisia)

• FabricAID (Lebanon)

Total Budget: € 2,822,814.00 (EU Contribution – Interreg NEXT MED Funds 85.5%: € 2,498,190.39)

Duration: 36 months

Start Date: 11/11/2025 End Date: 10/11/2028

Partners: 7

Countries: 5 (Egypt, Italy, Lebanon, Spain, Tunisia)

Pilot Projects: 10 (2 pilots per area: Beirut, Cairo, Catalonia, Monastir, and Tuscany)

Website: https://www.interregnextmed.eu/project-page/waste2fashion/about/

Contacts:

Filippo Guarini: f.guarini@museodeltessuto.it

Francesco Bolli: f.bolli@museodeltessuto.it