On 14 and 15 January 2026, the partners of the EU project PESCO-UP met in the European capital, Brussels. Our two STFI colleagues, Dr Anna Große and Romy Naumann, were also in attendance. Together with project partners from ten European countries, they presented their research findings and set out the project’s milestones for 2026.
The aim of PESCO-UP is to develop a sustainable, economically and technologically viable process for transforming waste from PES/CO blends into high-quality, single-material products for a subsequent use cycle. This is intended to conserve important resources. The holistic approach of the PESCO-UP project encompasses not only recycling but also innovative processes such as digitalised material identification, data exchange and efficient sorting.
The STFI acts as a research and technology partner in the project, contributing its expertise in the textile processing of recycled cotton and polyester fibres into yarns and fabrics (woven, knitted and non-woven materials). Initial trials for yarn production have already taken place.
On the eve of the PESCO-UP project meeting, project partner CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies) hosted a policy event on the topic of “Digital Product Passports (DPP): The golden thread through textile recycling?”. The aim of the event was to discuss the potential of the DPP for more traceable, transparent and sustainable value chains in the field of textile recycling. During a panel discussion with five European experts, interesting insights were shared regarding the complexity of the topic, and the challenges that need to be overcome on the path to the DPP were discussed.
