The initiative European Light Industries Innovation and Technology (ELIIT) is a project funded by the COSME Programme of the European Union for the competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs).

ELIIT seeks to support textile, clothing, leather and footwear (TCLF) SMEs in enhancing their competitiveness while helping them integrate new technologies in innovative or high added-value products, processes or services. SMEs could benefit this way of incorporating in their business disruptive technologies such as KETs (Key enable technologies), digital technologies, artificial intelligence, internet of things, etc.

To this end, ELIIT project has opened different calls for proposals where 25 partnerships have been selected. These partnerships have entered an incubation programme with the following benefits:

• Financial support of 70.000 EUR to develop products or prototypes with high-added value and profitability
• A tailor-made coaching and advice programme on technical and/or soft skills to elevate the relevance of projects and increase their capabilities
• Facilitating market-positioning and professional links between members of partnerships and other key players by organising networking activities and attendance at relevant workshops, conferences and exhibitions
• SME tailored support to strengthen intellectual property rights protection

The 25 awarded partnerships by innovation priority are presented below:

SMART, HIGH-PERFORMANCE MATERIALS

• NANOCORK20 – Nanonebulisation cork & cork suede
• FUNCTEX – Functional coatings for fire protection textiles: heat storage and heat dissipation capacity
• IHMDILT – Iroony hemp materials development by Ionic Liquid Technology
• TEXDECON – Layered textile device for plague control
• PLASMA NANOTEX – In-line plasma technology for a large throughput manufacturing of advanced nanofiber-based filter fabrics
• 3DFlax – Deploying additive manufacturing with textile based natural fibre composites
• OLAF – Low-cost environmentally friendly APGD treatment of carbon fibre woven fabrics to improve their performance in continuous carbon fibre reinforced polyamide composites,
• Dynabric – Upscaling production of Dynaback Garment
• EMYCLOTH – Develop a MYcelium based Exclusive Capsule collection exploiting digital technologies and sustainable bio-design
• VEGANMAT – Bacterial cellulose-based vegan material.

HIGH-VALUE ADDED SOLUTIONS FOR ATTRACTIVE GROWTH MARKETS

• SMART ICE-SKATING BOOTS – Sensor-based smart heated technology for ice-skating boots

ADVANCED DIGITISED MANUFACTURING, VALUE CHAINS AND BUSINESS MODELS 

• FAN-MODE – Quality step-up in FANcy yarns manufacturing by predictive MODEIs
• PRIMULA – print me unique labels
• FMK – Feel More Knitwear
• STYLE 2 GARMENT – Platform for European Fashion Microfactories
• EMBROIDER-POWER – Embroidered electrodes for high-performance redox flow batteries
• WEARLUMB + – Tech Transfer of non-invasive monitoring WEARLUMB prototype to detect early risks and postural problems to market.
• 3In-TEX – Integration of sensors for development of Interactive Intelligent textiles..

CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND RESOURCE EFFICIENCY 

• DIGICIRCLE – Speeding up the transition towards sustainable and circular fashion
• LEATHER SMART LCA – Sustainability Metrics & Automation for the Reduction of Impacts of the Tanning industry, through Life cycle assessment
• NEW WHITE LEATHER – New white and easier to clean leather
• BInc – Biogenic Inc
• CW – Circular Wool
• L3R – Leath3R Sustainable Leather Program
• DFN – Dyeing from Nature

ELIIT Project is funded by the COSME Programme of the European Union for the competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs).