ETKATEX Etelä-Karjalan poistotekstiilit kiertoon

The project’s main goal is to increase the knowledge about recyclable textile waste collected in South Karelia and to promote the utilization of end-of-life textiles. The term end-of-life textile means both reusable textiles and textile waste, ie. cast-off textiles. The sorting of textile waste and the identification of different fabric materials will be developed during the project. In addition, the use of the obtained materials will be promoted, primarily in South Karelia. This also includes promoting product development of products containing material obtained from end-of-life textiles.



The project will increase the circular economy and business skills of entrepreneurs and those who intend to become entrepreneurs. In addition, the goal is to introduce and promote the products containing material obtained from textile waste to the market. Objective of the project is to promote the creation of new businesses as well as the development of existing businesses by enabling the use of raw textile material returned from the local waste stream as a low carbon recycled material. The projects aim is to increase communication and information about textile recycling, the possibilities of using recycled materials, and perspectives related to resource wisdom.



The implementers of the group project are SaimaanVirta Ry and LAB University of Applied Sciences. The key partners in implementing the operation are South Karelian Waste Management Ltd., LUT University, and Imatra Region Development Company Ltd. The actual target group of the project consists of companies in the area interested in the utilization of end-of-life textiles and the circular economy, those who intend to become entrepreneurs, communities, and residents living in the area.



As a result of the project, an operating model will be created, to help and increase the utilization of recyclable textile waste in South Karelia. The properties and potential new uses of end-of-life textiles will be searched and identified. The project contributes to the network of actors that sort and forward discarded textile material for reuse. New products will be developed, using the raw material obtained from the collected discarded textile materials and the raw materials obtained from the textile waste collected from the area. The project promotes the circular economy. The business skills of entrepreneurs in the area and those who intend to become entrepreneurs will be reinforced, and recycled products and products containing raw materials obtained from end-of-life textiles will be put on the market. In addition, the result of the project is that the communication promoting the circular economy has reached a wide range of audiences and companies. The project has also contributed to the employment and entrepreneurship skills of people in the challenging labor market situation.