With ZirTeNet, Ecologic Institute supports the networking and coordination of sixteen research and innovation projects funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under the programme "Resource-efficient circular economy – circular textiles".

Textiles are one of the fastest growing material flows in the world and contribute significantly to environmental pollution due to high resource consumption and textile waste. In particular, the "fast fashion" trend is driving the massive use of resources: on average, every European citizen consumes 9 m³ of water, 400 m² of land and 391 kg of raw materials for garment production. In addition, the EU discards about 12 kg of clothing per person per year, of which only 1% is recycled into new garments. As a result, the textile sector is a major contributor to water pollution, land use and CO2 emissions. The rise of cheap, mass-produced imports from Asia, often produced under environmentally harmful conditions and violating human rights, has diminished the importance of Europe and Germany as textile production hubs.

To address these issues, the funded projects focus on developing practical, circular solutions for the German textile industry. ZirTeNet connects these projects, promotes synergies and fosters knowledge transfer. This creates a powerful platform for innovation, driving the development of new business models and technologies that support resource-efficient, circular textile production.

Key elements of the project include:

• Comprehensive networking: Organizing conferences and workshops, supporting cross-sector and cross-technology collaboration, establishing a technical advisory group, and connecting with current research initiatives and networks.
• Sustainable, wide-reaching impact: Implementing communication measures tailored to target audiences (e.g., fact sheets, policy briefs, webinar series, videos, podcasts) and participating in relevant events.
• Active knowledge transfer: Offering educational programs for students and adults and providing communication trainings for project partners.
• Strategic reflection: Conducting impact analysis and gathering "lessons learned."

Through focused educational efforts, strategic insights, and comprehensive public relations, ZirTeNet strengthens the innovative capacity of Germany's textile industry, actively contributing to the transition towards a sustainable and circular textile sector.