Deadline: 17-Sep-2026
The European Commission is inviting proposals under Horizon Europe for innovative projects that improve textile reuse, repair, and circular economy systems at city and regional levels across Europe. The funding supports advanced textile collection, AI-enabled sorting systems, second-hand market development, repair affordability, citizen engagement, and scalable circular textile solutions.
The programme falls under HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-04 and has a total budget of €10 million, with approximately €5 million available per project. Projects are expected to strengthen textile circularity, reduce textile waste, support sustainable consumption, and create new green employment opportunities.
Programme Overview
The European Commission has launched a Horizon Europe funding opportunity focused on strengthening circular textile systems through innovative reuse, repair, and textile waste management solutions.
The initiative aims to support cities and regions in developing sustainable and scalable textile circular economy models that reduce waste, improve resource efficiency, and encourage responsible consumption patterns.
The programme forms part of the European Commission’s Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI), which promotes place-based circular innovation and systemic sustainability transitions across Europe.
Main Objectives of the Programme
The programme focuses on transforming textile management systems through innovation, collaboration, and behavioural change.
Key objectives include:
- Improving textile collection and sorting systems
- Expanding textile reuse and repair practices
- Supporting second-hand textile markets
- Promoting sustainable consumer behaviour
- Reducing textile waste generation
- Strengthening circular economy business models
- Encouraging scalable circular textile solutions across Europe
- Creating green jobs and local economic opportunities
- Supporting social enterprises and inclusive innovation
- Enhancing supply chain transparency and traceability
Key Areas Supported
Projects are expected to develop and validate innovative textile circularity solutions at city and regional levels.
Priority areas include:
- Textile waste collection systems
- Sorting-for-reuse technologies
- Repair infrastructure and services
- Upcycling initiatives
- Circular textile business models
- Affordable repair solutions
- AI-enabled textile sorting systems
- Digital traceability systems
- Digital product passport readiness
- Consumer awareness campaigns
- Sustainable consumption initiatives
- Circular retail models
- Social enterprise collaboration
Projects should demonstrate practical implementation potential and scalability across multiple European regions.
Textile Repair and Reuse Strategies
The programme places strong emphasis on extending textile product lifecycles through repair and reuse systems.
Projects are encouraged to:
- Develop local repair ecosystems
- Support affordable repair services
- Promote clothing reuse networks
- Expand second-hand retail opportunities
- Encourage community repair initiatives
- Increase availability of repair materials and spare parts
- Improve product reparability
Manufacturers are also encouraged to support reparability through:
- Providing spare buttons and zippers
- Supplying repair materials
- Offering extended product guarantees
- Designing products for easier repair and reuse
Role of Digital Technologies and Artificial Intelligence
The programme strongly supports digital innovation in textile circularity systems.
Relevant digital technologies include:
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Automated textile sorting technologies
- Digital waste tracking systems
- Supply chain traceability platforms
- Data analytics tools
- Digital product passport systems
- Smart inventory and repair systems
AI-enabled sorting systems can help improve:
- Textile reuse efficiency
- Material identification accuracy
- Waste reduction
- Resource recovery
- Operational scalability
Citizen Engagement and Behavioural Change
Citizen participation is a core requirement of the programme.
Projects are expected to involve:
- Local communities
- Consumers
- Civil society organisations
- Social enterprises
- Educational institutions
- Retailers and manufacturers
Key behavioural change objectives include:
- Encouraging sustainable consumption
- Increasing textile reuse habits
- Promoting repair culture
- Reducing fast fashion dependency
- Improving awareness of textile waste impacts
Strong public engagement strategies are considered essential for long-term success.
Social Inclusion and Gender-Sensitive Approaches
The programme promotes inclusive and socially responsible innovation.
Projects should integrate:
- Gender-sensitive approaches
- Inclusive participation models
- Social enterprise partnerships
- Fair employment opportunities
- Community-based circular initiatives
The involvement of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) expertise is mandatory to maximise societal impact and improve citizen engagement outcomes.
Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI)
The funding topic is part of the European Commission’s Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI).
The CCRI supports:
- Place-based circular economy innovation
- Regional sustainability transitions
- Cross-sector collaboration
- Replication of successful circular solutions
- Knowledge exchange between cities and regions
Applicants are encouraged to:
- Collaborate with the CCRI Coordination and Support Office
- Cluster with related Horizon Europe projects
- Share best practices and implementation experiences
Environmental and Economic Impact Assessment
Projects must assess the impacts of proposed solutions using robust evaluation methods.
Expected assessment areas include:
- Environmental sustainability
- Carbon footprint reduction
- Resource efficiency
- Waste reduction impact
- Economic feasibility
- Job creation potential
- Social inclusion outcomes
- Consumer behaviour impact
Relevant methodologies may include:
- Lifecycle assessments (LCA)
- Circularity indicators
- Sustainability performance metrics
- Socio-economic impact analysis
Funding Details
Programme reference:
- HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-04
Funding type:
- HORIZON Innovation Actions (IA)
Total programme budget:
- €10 million
Expected EU contribution per project:
- Approximately €5 million
Projects are expected to demonstrate large-scale implementation potential and practical deployment readiness.
Who Is Eligible?
Participation is generally open to organisations eligible under Horizon Europe rules.
Potential applicants may include:
- Local and regional authorities
- Universities and research institutions
- SMEs and startups
- Textile companies and manufacturers
- Social enterprises
- NGOs and civil society organisations
- Technology providers
- Circular economy innovators
- Waste management organisations
- Retailers and repair service providers
Strong multi-stakeholder partnerships are encouraged.
How to Apply
Applicants should follow a structured proposal preparation process.
Step 1: Review Horizon Europe Call Requirements
Applicants should carefully study:
- Topic objectives
- Eligibility conditions
- Innovation Action requirements
- Evaluation criteria
- Proposal templates
- Budget rules
Step 2: Build a Strong Consortium
Successful proposals are expected to involve:
- Cities and regional authorities
- Textile sector stakeholders
- Digital technology providers
- Social enterprises
- Academic and research partners
- Citizen engagement organisations
Consortium members should provide complementary expertise.
Step 3: Design an Innovative Circular Textile Solution
The proposal should clearly explain:
- The textile waste challenge being addressed
- Proposed reuse and repair systems
- AI or digital technology integration
- Citizen engagement strategy
- Environmental and economic impact
- Scalability and replication potential
Step 4: Integrate Sustainability and Social Impact
Projects should demonstrate:
- Environmental sustainability benefits
- Inclusive and gender-sensitive approaches
- Circular economy impact
- Green job creation potential
- Long-term operational viability
Step 5: Develop Impact Measurement Systems
Applicants should include:
- Lifecycle assessment methodologies
- Waste reduction metrics
- Behavioural change indicators
- Circularity measurement tools
- Socio-economic impact assessments
Step 6: Submit the Proposal
Applications must be submitted through Horizon Europe procedures before the official deadline.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on Horizon Europe Innovation Action criteria.
Key evaluation areas include:
- Innovation and technical excellence
- Environmental sustainability impact
- Circular economy contribution
- Citizen engagement quality
- Scalability and replication potential
- Economic and social impact
- Consortium capability
- Quality of implementation strategy
Projects with strong real-world deployment potential are likely to perform better.
Common Mistakes Applicants Should Avoid
Common weaknesses in applications include:
- Weak citizen engagement strategies
- Limited scalability planning
- Insufficient sustainability assessment
- Poor integration of digital technologies
- Weak repair and reuse business models
- Lack of measurable impact indicators
- Limited stakeholder collaboration
- Incomplete lifecycle analysis
Strong proposals should combine technical innovation with social, environmental, and economic impact.
Tips for Preparing a Strong Proposal
Useful recommendations for applicants:
- Align the project closely with circular economy priorities
- Demonstrate practical city-level implementation
- Include AI and digital innovation components
- Develop affordable and scalable repair systems
- Engage citizens throughout the project lifecycle
- Include social enterprises and NGOs
- Provide strong impact measurement methods
- Focus on replication across multiple regions
- Demonstrate long-term sustainability and economic viability
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the main goal of this Horizon Europe funding opportunity?
The programme aims to strengthen textile reuse, repair, and circular economy systems across European cities and regions.
What is the total funding available?
The total budget is €10 million, with approximately €5 million available per selected project.
What types of projects are supported?
Supported projects include:
- Textile collection systems
- AI-enabled sorting technologies
- Repair services
- Circular textile business models
- Second-hand market solutions
- Citizen engagement initiatives
- Textile traceability systems
Why is AI important in textile circularity?
AI can improve textile sorting accuracy, increase reuse efficiency, reduce waste, and support scalable circular systems.
Are social enterprises encouraged to participate?
Yes. Social enterprises are strongly encouraged to contribute to repair, reuse, community engagement, and inclusive circular economy activities.
What is the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI)?
The CCRI is a European Commission initiative supporting systemic circular economy transitions in cities and regions through innovation and collaboration.
Why are Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) important in this programme?
SSH expertise helps improve citizen engagement, behavioural change strategies, social inclusion, and public acceptance of circular textile solutions.
Conclusion
The Horizon Europe HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-04 funding opportunity represents a major step toward building sustainable and circular textile systems across Europe.
By supporting innovative textile collection, AI-enabled sorting, repair ecosystems, citizen engagement, and scalable circular business models, the programme aims to reduce textile waste, promote sustainable consumption, and strengthen local circular economies.
Applicants should focus on practical implementation, measurable environmental impact, digital innovation, inclusive stakeholder engagement, and scalable solutions capable of driving long-term circular transformation across European cities and regions.
For more information, visit European Commission.