La Conselleria de Innovación, Industria, Comercio y Turismo supports a new R&D+i initiative led by the Aitex research and innovation center in Alcoy, backed with 270,000 euros. The project, named Protesco, aims to validate and transfer new, more sustainable industrial processes to the textile and cosmetics sectors. It seeks to cut water and energy use, boost material reuse, and minimize environmental impact in two sectors critical to the Valencian Community’s economy.
To achieve this, Aitex will team up with multiple firms from both industries, enabling the research to align with practical needs and accelerate knowledge transfer and results to the broader industrial network, according to Jerónimo Mora, the regional Secretary of Innovation. The collaboration is designed to bridge research and industry, ensuring findings are applicable and quickly usable across local businesses.
Officials have visited Aitex to review progress alongside the center’s leadership. The Director General of Innovation noted that the Aitex-led effort will help both textiles and cosmetics move toward a circular, competitive economy in step with Brussels’ objectives. This aligns with broader European environmental policies pushing for sustainable products and responsible practices in production.
From this vantage, it was underscored that the regional government is promoting solutions that respond to the European Union’s environmental policies, which demand products that are more sustainable and nature-friendly. The aim is to translate these policies into tangible advances for local industries.
Improvements in Industrial Processes
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The textile sector features a team exploring a micronebulization dyeing technology that can reduce water consumption by up to 98 percent and electricity use by about 47 percent. The system delivers precise amounts of dyeing agents matched to the fabric’s absorption capacity, significantly lowering pollutant discharges by using only the exact quantity needed.
The project also investigates the development of cosmetics through sustainable methods such as cold emulsification, the use of upcycled ingredients sourced from natural material residues, and formulations that require little or no water, including bar formats known as waterless cosmetics in English terminology.
In parallel, researchers are examining new sustainable and effective detergents derived from natural-origin ingredients. These efforts are conducted in pilot-scale reactors and processes with the goal of reducing the environmental footprint of the cosmetics and textiles industries.
The overarching objective is to create synergies between the two sectors to produce textiles that are sustainably finished or dyed with cosmetic actives derived from natural sources for skin care.
Water Savings Impact
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The traditional dyeing method in textiles consumes about 150 liters of water per kilogram of fabric, a challenge shared by cosmetics. A global assessment from Water Footprint Network highlights that the industry’s water footprint is comparable to the annual drinking water consumption of several large populations, underscoring the scale of the issue.
Consequently, the Aitex initiative, supported by the Directorate General of Innovation, is designed to reduce the environmental impact and strengthen the competitiveness of Valencian companies in the global market. This effort mirrors a broader push to preserve water resources while maintaining industrial productivity and growth.