TEX4GREEN

• Optimize and scale lignin-based coatings, demonstrating high-performance, fluorine-free coatings based on lignin intermediates, tailored for PET/PA technical textiles (virgin and recycled), and validated in sports footwear by DECATHLON. 
• Create safe-and-sustainable-by-design biosurfactants as alternatives to fossil-based copolymer blocks, tailored for seamless apparel and interior textiles. 
• Validate algae-derived pigments (Spirulina, Chlorella, Haematococcus) combined with biodegradable dyes and fixing agents as safe alternatives to synthetic azo/heavy-metal dyes, ensuring scalability, color fastness, and recyclability, tailored for seamless apparel and interior textiles. 
• Demonstrate technical feasibility of implementing all three value chains in real textile/footwear environments, ensuring drop-in compatibility with existing equipment. 
• Ensure that all materials and processes follow safe-and-sustainable-by-design principles, integrating life cycle safety, environmental, and socio-economic assessment. 
• Deploy a digital twin framework to model and predict the performance, safety, and sustainability of TEX4GREEN bio-based textile solutions across the value chains. 
• Ensure that the textile materials developed in the project can be recycled via nonwoven remanufacturing while maintaining material quality. 
• Develop feasible and scalable business models that invest in a roadmap for each value chain, providing a holistic and long-term perspective on how project innovations create, deliver, and capture value. 

The UM team is mainly involved in the development of fluorine-free coatings and safe-and-sustainable-by-design biosurfactants.

• Deliver five new bio-based textile products and processes, contributing to the growth of the European bio-based textiles market, projected to reach €13.9 billion by 2030. 
• Accelerate market adoption, replacing hazardous chemicals in at least 25% of product lines within 2-3 years post-project, particularly in sportswear, interior textiles, and fashion applications. 
• Attract five new industrial partners/early adopters in textiles, fashion, and retail to foster SSbD uptake.
• Scale new value chains, creating skilled green jobs across the supply chain, supporting the just transition goals. 
• Cut environmental and health impacts with 40% chemical oxygen demand reduction in wastewater, 50% lower effluent toxicity, and 0% PFAS release. 
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, reduce water use by 15%, and maintain efficient scouring at 60°C. 
• Generate high-quality knowledge on bio-based textile chemicals, setting new standards for toxic-free processing with durability >20 wash cycles and color fastness >3, while sharing insights to advance a circular textile industry. 
• Strengthen human capital in safe-and-sustainable-by-design bio-based textile chemicals by training over 20 researchers/technicians through workshops, exchanges, and pilot demonstrations.
• Promote knowledge in safe-and-sustainable-by-design bio-based textile chemicals through more than 10 high-impact open-access papers, eight public newsletters, five knowledge-sharing events, and engagement with over 500 stakeholders across academia, industry, and government to drive collaboration.