CITEVE leads Portuguese textiles investment of €138 mn on bioeconomy

Named Be@t — Bioeconomy at Textiles — this ambitious project focuses on making the textile and clothing industry enter in a new era and set "a new rhythm of change in all segments across the sector,” according to CITEVE’s general manager, Braz Costa. “Be@t will boost the development of added value products from biological resources instead of using fossil raw materials, while keeping in mind the need for the production of high-quality products and the expansion to new market opportunities.”

In the project, CITEVE leads a consortium of 54 entities which involves companies, universities, technological institutes, and other partners, who initiated their working sessions calendar at CITEVE's facilities in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal.

“These actions are very important steps for the enormous change we are starting to make in the textiles and clothing industry and in three years will revolutionise the whole sector, from feedstock to design, R&D or production lines,” stated Costa. He has admitted that this bioeconomy project implies huge challenges for creatives, researchers and developers, and an enormous investment. Furthermore, Be@t will foster the matching of both market and legal demands related with environment and planet conservation. This project is also expected to introduce a new chapter on raw materials as well as new techniques, technologies and equipments for producing or processing new bio-based textile structures. As a result, the investment will generate considerable market chances to this sector as it drives the progress in sales strategies and promotion actions in different countries, which will allow the showcase of 'Made in Portugal' textiles and clothing.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)