Past research projects
ACT UK (Autosort for Circular Textiles Demonstrator) was a UKFT-led, £4 million innovation project funded through UK Research and Innovation that aims to create a scalable solution for textile waste recycling in the UK. The project developed a blueprint for an Advanced Textile Sorting and Pre-processing (ATSP) facility that uses technologies such as AI, optical scanning, robotics and automated pre-processing to sort non-rewearable textiles and convert them into high-quality feedstock for fibre-to-fibre recycling. By bringing together retailers, manufacturers, recyclers, charities, technology providers and academic institutions, ACT UK aimed to divert significant volumes of textile waste from landfill, strengthen domestic recycling infrastructure and support the transition to a circular textile economy.
CFIN (Circular Fashion Innovation Network) was a UKFT and British Fashion Council initiative, delivered in partnership with UK Research and Innovation, that aims to accelerate the UK fashion and textile sector’s transition to a circular economy. The programme convened industry, academia, innovators and policymakers around six strategic themes: circular business models, recycling infrastructure, sustainable manufacturing, novel technology, workforce development and green growth. UKFT led key workstreams on recycling infrastructure and sustainable manufacturing, supporting projects that reduce waste, improve resource efficiency, expand textile recycling capacity, promote reshoring and automation, and help achieve long-term net-zero and circularity goals across the sector.
