Research & Development

The textile industry generates 6 million tonnes of waste a year in the European Union alone. Less than 1% is recycled.

iEcoBioTex was created precisely to challenge this cycle. Led by CR in partnership with CIIMAR and the Polytechnic Institute of Porto, the project is developing a new generation of biodegradable textile articles, designed to leave the smallest possible footprint, and innovative biotechnological processes able to treat these materials at the end of their life.

What sets iEcoBioTex apart is not only its intention. It is scientific validation. The articles developed are tested in three different environments: soil, the marine environment and composting, with an integrated ecotoxicological assessment to make sure their degradation is safe for ecosystems.

For CR, being part of this project means building a way of producing that makes sense in the long term.

TextileWave brings together scientists, manufacturers, designers and waste managers around a practical question: can cellulosic textile waste be recovered organically in a way that is safe, efficient and scalable?

The project assesses whether composting is a viable destination for this waste, making sure that the resulting compost is of good quality and safe. To do so, it identifies and characterises cellulolytic microorganisms able to speed up the process and develops microbial formulations optimised for industrial use. In parallel, it is creating a compostability index that allows ecodesign criteria to be built in from the moment products are conceived.

CR takes part as an industrial partner, because a solution that only works in the laboratory is not enough.

Bactocell is a research project developed in partnership with leading scientific institutions, including CIIMAR, ESS|P.PORTO, Lipor and 2Lives. Together, we are developing new technologies and processes that significantly reduce textile waste and promote environmental sustainability.

For CR, being part of this project is a natural extension of what we already do internally: question every process, reduce what is unnecessary and build a way of producing that makes sense in the long term.