HEREWEAR

HEREWEAR aims for a holistic approach to establishing a market in the EU for locally-produced textiles made from locally-sourced bio-based materials Today, virtually all clothing is produced in Asia, at low cost, under poor labour conditions and with few concerns for the environmental impact. The vast majority of clothing is made of two types of fibres; polyester (ca 64%) and cotton (ca 22%). Polyester is used for its strength, durability and cost effectiveness (ca €1/kg). Cotton is used for its comfort properties. The current system has considerable disadvantages and shortcomings. Polyester is oil-based and sourced in the Middle East, whilst cotton is mostly grown in e.g. India, with a large environmental impact because of pesticides and high water consumption. Moreover, small fibre fractions are released from the garments, especially from polyester fibres, during washing and wearing. These microplastics end up and accumulate in soil and water. The textile sector is considered the second largest contributor, with the annual amount of primary microplastics released from textiles estimated at 190,000 mt. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101000632.