TexMaTer aims at producing novel cellulosic fibres and bioformulations for textiles’ finishing using under-utilised biomass resources and wastes from agricultural practices and micro- and macroalgal production (typically rich in cellulose and other bioactive compounds) and post-consumer home textiles (as an extra source of cellulose). These functional and sustainable solutions will be further used in prototypes for fashion and home textiles’ markets. The project covers all steps required to produce novel cellulosic fibres and functional textiles for the envisaged markets: from the obtention and transformation of raw materials for application in textile production processes, to fibres/yarns production and bioformulations development (at laboratory, pilot and industrial scales), ending with eco-design and prototypes manufacture. To ensure recyclability and circularity of the developed solutions, and an efficient uptake of the products by the consumer, the development of TexMaTer products will be designed considering promising End-of-Life (EoL) alternatives and also functionality, safety, environmental sustainability and social and economic benefits for consumers. Consumer behaviour studies and raising-awareness actions are also planned, thus contributing to increase consumers’ acceptance for the developed products. By incorporating bio-based resources and promoting the upcycling of post-consumer textiles, TexMaTer will increase the competitiveness of the textile & clothing industry (T&CI), significantly reducing the negative environmental impacts commonly associated to this sector: 1) the intensive use of synthetic fibres, virgin cotton and wood-based cellulose (whose production is responsible for high CO2 emissions, water consumption and contamination, and inappropriate forest management, respectively); and 2) the overutilisation of synthetic dyes and chemicals in textile finishing processes (which are typically rejected in textile wastewaters and recalcitrant).

In line with the current guidelines for Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) chemicals and materials, INTEGRANO proposes a general assessment approach based on quantitative evidence to be applied in practice for specific Nano Materials (NMs) design cases referred to inorganic, organic and carbon NMs. The development NMs dedicated novel impact categories (ICs) for nano-toxicity and eco-nano-toxicity assessment will enable the integrated application of standardised assessment methodologies. The following four NMs Life Cycle Stages (LCS) are addressed: synthesis, incorporation, use phase and end-of-life. The application of the stage-gate SSbD process through the LCS addresses performance in the five dimensions (5D s): Safety, Environmental, Economic, Social and Functional. Generation of dedicated response functions will allow associating Key Decision Factors (KDFs, such as: concentrations, processing parameters, etc.) to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs, such as: occupational safety, CO2 emissions, job creation potential, NM cost, antibacterial functionality, etc.). SSbD NMs solutions will be obtained by Multi Objective Optimisation Design (MOOD) dedicated algorithm. A dedicated digital Decision Support Toolbox (DST) will elaborate design case specific data and run MOOD algorithm to sort the set of multi-optimal SSbD options, which are simultaneously complying with all the targeted KPIs referred to the 5Ds. The digital supported decision process will help scientists, material engineers, Nano-Enabled Products (NEPs) designers, policymakers and decision-makers to takle the SSbD challenge, allowing for dramatic reduction of Research & Development (RTD) and approval lead-time as well as minimising costs and increasing the transparency of the data, by making the industrial uptake of nanotechnologies more sustainable and viable. INTEGRANO allows the integration with other existing SSbD frameworks by transposing results into other scoring metrics and enabling data exchange.

The main objective of the VINNY is the development of sustainable, low-cost nanoformulated biopesticides (nanoBPs) and biofertilizers (nanoBFs) for contributing to more resilient vineyard systems. The application of VINNY nanoformulations will allow contributing to the ultimate switch from intensive to sustainable agriculture in viticulture, on a global scale. This will be achieved using natural-based green circular economy concepts: i) grapevine to grapevine plant full cycle approach where microbiome-based metabolites and bioactives from different vineyards in Europe (Portugal, Spain, Austria and Denmark) will be investigated to form potent cocktails with antifungal and plant protection properties and ii) industrial by-products, namely carbon and nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) NPK-rich actives from sludges, originated from local waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) in Austria and Denmark from meat industry (MI), to be used as biofertilizers. The project is focused on stabilization and boosting the efficacy of these actives by using 2 different bioplatforms: the nanoformulation/encapsulation of BPs and the impregnation on agrotextiles with BFs. The platforms will be based on biodegradable, renewable and abundant bioresources from plants or, in the case of biopesticides, on dynamically active nanoformulations, i.e., based on stimuli responsive biopolymers with capacity of releasing the active and improving their efficacy upon external stimuli (wind) and/or internal clues (enzymes in fungi). VINNY will then validate these platforms according to their efficacy using in vitro, ex vivo and in plant testing against vine prevalent pathogens and evaluate their biocompatibility, confirm the absence of nanotoxicity, and in field tests with the best performing candidates in 4 EU vineyards. Such end-to-end development approach will allow for the optimization and adaptation of viticultural practices towards higher grape quality and productivity.

In view of moving towards a post-petroleum society, the communication of the European Commission on 13 February 2012 entitled "Innovating for Sustainable Growth: A Bioeconomy for Europe", and in particular its Action Plan, aims to integrate better biomass producing and processing sectors in order to reconcile food security, natural resource scarcity and environmental objectives with the use of biomass for industrial and energy purposes. Among others, construction and automotive industries have high potential for effective implementation of the strategy of European Bioeconomy in terms of more efficient use of biomass and industrial by products for development of bio-based value added products. Reinvent project will answer these needs by developing and combining bio based materials and fibres for replacing the petroleum based polyurethane (PUR) insulation products used in buildings and soft foams for vehicles interior products. Polyols, natural cellulose fibres and nanocrystals, and biomass derived nanoparticles (NPs) will be derived by advanced technologies from sustainable wood-based and agro-based sources to develop and validate: i) Novel bio based rigid moulded and spraying insulation foam systems for the construction industry, e.g. composite bridge decks, spraying building insulations and insulating sandwich structures, and ii) Novel bio based soft and semi-rigid foams for the automotive industry, e.g. sub-layers for car ceilings, dashboards and seat covers. These customer products will be validated for their enhanced properties, sustainability and low cost, and compared to currently available petroleum- and bio-based counterparts used in the construction and automotive industries, respectively. To enhance the sustainability of these products and materials, new energy and cost-efficient recycling technologies for the bio-based products will be developed.