VERDEinMED - PreVEnting and ReDucing the tEXtiles waste mountain in the MED area
Duration
01.07.2026. - 31.12.2027.
Budget
EUR 3,648,507.00
Project Description
The transition towards a circular economy in the textile sector continues to represent a major challenge across the Mediterranean area. Although awareness and regulatory pressure are increasing – particularly with the introduction of mandatory separate collection of textile waste and forthcoming Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes – many regions still face significant gaps in governance, operational capacity and market readiness. Public institutions, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and stakeholders involved in waste management, in particular, often lack the appropriate tools, coordination mechanisms and technical support required for the effective implementation of circular solutions.
Through the 6th Call for Thematic Projects (Test Projects) – Test to Transfer – Fast Lane under the Interreg Euro-MED Programme, the VERDEinMED project was officially selected to adapt and transfer its results to new Mediterranean territories in four countries: Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the Transfer Phase, project activities will focus particularly on issues related to the implementation of the EU Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for textiles at national and regional levels.
Transfer Phase activities officially started on 1 July 2026 and will continue until 31 December 2027. This will be followed by a three-month project closure and final reporting period, bringing the official project end date to 31 March 2028. The overall duration of the project is 51 months, with a total budget of EUR 3,648,507.00, 80% of which is co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg Euro-MED Programme. The official VERDEinMED website likewise states that the project entered its Transfer Phase in July 2026 and that its activities extend until March 2028. Interreg Euro-MED - VERDEinMED
Building on the results of the original VERDEinMED project, which developed and tested an integrated Support Service for circular textiles, this continuation of the project aims to transfer, adapt and ensure the uptake of this solution in new territorial contexts. The Support Service, which brings together policy support tools, operational guidance and market development measures, has been validated through pilot activities and is now ready for wider uptake and scaling. The official project documentation describes the VERDEinMED Support Service as a mechanism designed to support businesses, raise consumer awareness and assist policymakers in developing informed strategies and action plans for the textile sector. Interreg Euro-MED - VERDEinMED
The overall objective of the project is to enable public institutions, clusters and innovation stakeholders to adopt and integrate the Support Service into their institutional and operational practices, thereby accelerating the transition towards circular textile systems.
The expected change is a shift from isolated pilot experiences towards systemic and integrated solutions that support decision-making, stakeholder coordination and the implementation of circular economy strategies.
The project applies a structured transfer approach based on the giver–receiver model, in which experienced partners transfer knowledge and tools to new territories, which then adapt and implement them according to their specific needs. This process is supported by VERDE Hubs, which act as regional ecosystems for stakeholder engagement and the co-creation of solutions, as well as by the Knowledge Platform, which provides a digital environment for knowledge exchange, cooperation and monitoring of the transfer process. VERDEinMED officially describes the Knowledge Platform as one of its main digital tools and the VERDE Hubs as networks supporting the transition towards circular and sustainable textiles. Interreg Euro-MED - VERDEinMED
The transnational approach is of key importance, as challenges related to textile circularity – such as fragmented value chains, alignment of regulatory frameworks and market barriers – are shared across different regions. By transferring tested solutions and fostering cooperation between territories at different levels of development, the project enables mutual learning, adaptation and scaling of solutions, thereby increasing its overall impact across the Mediterranean area.
The innovative character of the project lies in its focus on moving from experimentation towards institutionalisation. Rather than developing new pilot activities, the project ensures that an already proven and validated solution is effectively embedded into governance systems, operational practices and market processes. The integration of physical components (VERDE Hubs) and digital components (the Knowledge Platform) further strengthens the project’s capacity for the long-term uptake and transfer of results.
The project builds on previously validated mechanisms for the uptake of results, including cooperation agreements, strategic commitments and institutional support tools developed during the initial phase of the VERDEinMED project.
Partners
Lead Partner:
CERTH – Centre for Research & Technology, Hellas – Greece
Partners:
Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía – Spain
Diadyma S.A. – Greece
Bulgarian Fashion Association – Bulgaria
Confindustria Umbria – Italy
Legambiente – Italy
Consorci de la Ribera – Spain
CITEVE – Portugal
e-Zavod – Slovenia
Textile Trade Association Textile Cluster (TTA-TC) – North Macedonia
SERDA – Bosnia and Herzegovina
CREC – Waste Cluster of Catalonia – Spain
CUEIM – Consortium of University Studies in Industrial and Managerial Economics – Italy
TexCycle SA – Bulgaria