Europe is accelerating textile circularity — a major opportunity for the industry to take !

A European revision targeting textiles

On July 5th, the European Commission proposed a revision of the Waste Framework Directive, specifically targeting the textile sector — one of the most polluting and linear industries today.

🎯 The goal? Effective separate collection by 2025, and above all, the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles in all Member States. These systems would include dedicated funding for reuse, preparation for recycling, and textile waste management.

What textile EPR will change

👉 What changes?
Producers would be responsible for the costs of collecting, sorting, and treating the textiles they put on the market.
Member States will need to establish harmonized EPR systems for textiles, with eco-modulated contributions (based on durability, repairability, recyclability, etc.).
This paves the way for a more transparent, traceable, and circular ecosystem.

Ecollant’s view: an opportunity to seize

🔍 At Ecollant, we see this proposal as a strong signal: the regulatory framework is finally catching up with the environmental urgency and the innovations already happening on the ground.

We believe in an ambitious, fair, and actionable textile EPR system — one that truly supports circular models like ours, built on reuse, source sorting, and traceability.

👉 This directive is a great opportunity to build a real circular textile sector in Europe.
But for it to become a true driver of transformation, it must be designed as a systemic shift — not just a transfer of responsibility. It’s about backing an innovative, traceable, and scalable industry.

🔬 At Ecollant, we’ve developed a closed-loop recycling technology for polyamide, based on traceability and material analysis. A solution built to fit perfectly within an efficient EPR model — from collection all the way to regeneration into recycled polyamide yarn.

👉 To read the full European proposal: https://lnkd.in/eDUJR9uh

🎙️ We believe industrial innovation can (and must) address today’s major environmental challenges.

Ecollant featured on the We Impact podcast

That’s exactly what Agathe Rouzaud shared in the latest episode of the We Impact podcast by G.A.C. Group — a deep dive into our startup’s world, our Deeptech solution, and how we’re tackling complex textile waste through closed-loop polyamide recycling. ♻️

Building a circular, local textile supply chain

🔁 From collection to transformation — with R&D at the core — we explain how we’re building a circular, local, and scalable supply chain in response to a textile sector that remains largely linear.

A huge thank you to the G.A.C. Group (France) team for their trust, their openness, and this incredible opportunity to share our vision and voice. 🙏

🎧 Tune into the episode here: https://lnkd.in/eSHfFBEE

Building a Regional Force for a More Sustainable Textile Future.

A gathering of textile industry players

Last week, we took part in a collaborative meeting of key textile industry players — a follow-up to our first gathering back in June.

Organized with the support of FDFR 89, Syndicat des Déchets Centre Yonne (SDCY), ADEME, ARAR BFC, CCI Yonne (😉 Patrick C. | Pauline JANNY), and the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region (hello Dominique Marie!), this session brought together the essential links of the textile value chain to address one pressing question:
👉 How can we optimize local textile waste management and turn it into a lever for a truly circular economy?

The challenges that remain

Despite promising initiatives, several key challenges remain:

🔍 Coordination between stakeholders – Each part of the chain (sorting, recycling, etc.) often works in silos, limiting overall efficiency — a gap we’re actively exploring ways to bridge.
♻️ Insufficient recycling of complex textiles – Blended fibers are everywhere in our clothes, but still extremely hard to recycle effectively (a challenge we know well!).
📦 Volume issues – The growing influx of low-quality textile waste limits reuse options and demands a better organizational model to avoid export, landfill, or incineration.
📊 Awareness & education – Raising awareness among both the public and businesses is crucial to reduce environmental impact from textile end-of-life.

This meeting was a pivotal step toward closer, coordinated collaboration between motivated local stakeholders — and we’re all in 💪

Building concrete, collective solutions

✅ Strengthening synergies between local initiatives to improve collection and sorting
✅ Promoting innovation to tackle the technical challenges of recycling complex textiles
✅ Developing shared tools to streamline logistics and optimize textile waste flows
✅ Raising awareness among businesses and the public about the importance of action at every stage of the value chain

By joining forces, we’re helping reshape the local textile waste system — not only improving current practices, but also aiming to inspire other regions to embrace sustainable models.

A huge thank you to all the dedicated players sharing their expertise and reinforcing a powerful idea:
Together, we can turn textiles into a true circular resource — starting at the local level.

The Crucial Role of Startups in Fashion’s Green Transition: Our Take!

Fashion: an industry in need of transformation

Fashion, often seen as a field of creativity and self-expression, is also one of the most polluting industries. Responsible for 20% of global wastewater and 10% of carbon emissions, the sector faces an urgent need for transformation. Startups are at the heart of this shift, bringing essential innovation, agility, and environmental commitment to an industry that can be rigid and slow to evolve.

The key role of startups

Unlike large corporations, often constrained by heavy structures and complex processes, startups have the flexibility to explore groundbreaking solutions. They pioneer new materials—sometimes bio-based—, technologies for full traceability, and truly circular models.

At ECOLLANT, we’ve chosen to tackle a specific challenge: textile waste management, particularly polyamide blended with other fibers. This material, omnipresent in our clothing, presents a complex recycling challenge, which we address with an innovative extraction process that enables closed-loop recycling.

From innovation to impact: the power of collaboration

🔹 But innovation alone is not enough.
Real impact comes from strong collaborations with industrial players. By combining the agility of startups with the execution power of large companies, we can move from promising prototypes to large-scale implementation. This synergy significantly accelerates fashion’s green transition. In addition, consumer engagement, public policies, and financial support are essential to sustain a more sustainable industry.

💡 At ECOLLANT, we believe that fashion’s transformation must be a collective priority, an entire industry effort.
Thinking in terms of a full supply chain might take longer than isolated efforts, but it creates deeper impact, from collecting end-of-life textiles to launching circular products on the market.

♻️ From recycled to recyclable!

Since our founding in 2019, we’ve worked tirelessly to build a winning model, supported by key institutional players who have been instrumental in our journey. These partners, including the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region, AER BFC, ADEME, Bpifrance, and CHEMTECH, have trusted us with dedicated support programs and continue to accompany us toward our industrial-scale deployment.

📊 Data source:

  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 2018 report: “Fashion and the Environment”, highlighting the massive environmental footprint of the textile industry.
  • The Good Goods article: “What is ‘Grand Export’?” – 2025.

Women in Industry & Tech: A Driver for Sustainable Innovation

Lady’J Tech: celebrating women in industry

At ECOLLANT, we firmly believe that industrial innovation thrives on diversity. That’s why we’re proud to see Agathe participate once again in Lady’J Tech, an event dedicated to showcasing the contributions of women in industry, technology, and innovation.

This inspiring day in Dijon was packed with insightful discussions and valuable exchanges:
🔬 Dij’ Innov Connect – Exploring the potential of public research and regional innovation
🏭 Lady’s Industry – Empowering women’s careers in industry and inspiring the next generation of talent
🌍 Women in Tech & Industry on an International Scale – Learning from three remarkable European women who are pushing the boundaries of innovation

The impact of deeptech innovation across industries was highlighted, particularly in healthcare, mobility and textiles.

Why diversity drives innovation

👉 Why does this matter?
Because bringing more women into industry means embracing fresh perspectives, innovative approaches, and more sustainable solutions. At ECOLLANT, we transform textile waste into valuable resources, and we know that building the industry of tomorrow requires diverse talents.

A huge thank you to the organizers and speakers who are driving real change! 🔥
Dijon Métropole & Ville de Dijon

➡️ What do you think are the key actions to accelerate women’s presence in tech and industry? 💬

#Flashback: When an Event Changes Everything, Nostalgia Kicks In 🌟

A look back at the European Circular Fashion Trophies

At the end of December, we had the honor of attending the 2024 edition of the European Circular Fashion Trophies, this time as 2022 laureates. 🏆♻️✂️

For us, this event was a direct time-travel back to 2022 in Lille, when we proudly stood as finalists, ready to pitch our project with impact. A bit nervous before stepping onto the stage, we spent time engaging with an inspiring and complementary ecosystem, meeting incredible projects like Blue&Pastel-Le Rêve Bleu, Juin fait le lin, MooM, Perpète, and Chandam.

Beyond the competition, this was the kind of event where we found ourselves aligned both with decision-makers—convinced we can help achieve the 2050 sustainability goals—and fellow greentech innovators.

🌱 Building Meaningful Collaborations

Building meaningful collaborations

One of the most exciting outcomes? Collaborating with forward-thinking individuals committed to textile waste collection within their companies.

A standout memory: Tristan Michel de la Morvonnais, CSR leader at SNCF Voyageurs Nord.
Inspired by our approach, he invited us to present ECOLLANT in his company’s monthly webinars, encouraging employees to collect and recycle their end-of-life polyamide textiles.

👉 The result?
A true success: SNCF employees embraced our vision, setting up internal collection points within their offices. 🚉 But the story didn’t stop there—ECOLLANT was invited to “Voyage en Nord,” a unique initiative where we boarded the Paris-Lille train to engage passengers in sustainability discussions… even taking the mic at the onboard café! 🎤

💼 What’s next?

The future: fashion brands and recyclers together

Beyond textile collection and the incredible exchanges we’ve had along the way, the future lies in collaborations between fashion brands and recyclers.
Our mission remains clear: help brands create truly sustainable collections using breakthrough textile recycling technologies.

A massive thank you to everyone who has crossed our path and contributed to growing this project. Every meeting matters, every opportunity opens new doors—and this is just the beginning! 🚀

🙏 Special thanks to Anthony Jaugeard and the entire team behind the European Circular Fashion Trophies—we’ll always be thrilled to attend this high-value European competition!

Global Recycling Day: A Collective Commitment

Global Recycling Day: why it matters

Today, we celebrate Global Recycling Day, a key moment to reflect on our impact on the planet and the actions we can take to preserve our natural resources.

At ECOLLANT, this day holds special significance.
As pioneers in textile and polyamide recycling, our mission is to reshape how we manage waste—particularly our old clothes. Our goal? To turn circularity into reality, drive material innovation, and develop new sustainable solutions.

🔄 Textile Recycling: A Key Driver for the Ecological Transition

Textile recycling: a driver for the ecological transition

The textile recycling sector plays a crucial role in reducing our environmental footprint. By reintegrating materials from used textiles, we reduce the demand for virgin resources and help build a more sustainable economic model.

However, the journey ahead remains long and requires strong collaboration across the entire ecosystem: collection and sorting centers, industries, fashion brands, and production chains. That’s why ECOLLANT prioritizes strengthening partnerships across the value chain, creating a true circular economy within the textile industry.

Today, more than ever, the transition to a circular economy is essential.

🤝 How are you contributing to this transition?
Share your initiatives and best practices with us—we’d love to exchange ideas and work together toward a more sustainable future!

Wrapping Up Global Industrie 2025… What an Experience!

Global Industrie 2025: what an experience

Four intense days filled with inspiring connections, strategic discussions, and game-changing confirmations: the industry of the future is already taking shape, and ECOLLANT is proud to be part of it 🚀.

💬 “In this world, who are the front-line fighters besides the soldiers?”

This powerful statement from François Bayrou, delivered during his speech on Thursday, resonated deeply. Industry is on the front line—driving both reindustrialization and the ecological transition.

🔹 Key Takeaways from This Edition

Key takeaways from this edition

✔️ Circular economy is no longer a side topic—it’s now central to industrial strategies, unlocking real business opportunities.
ECOLLANT demonstrated this alongside fellow industrial pioneers like Carbon Waters, BATCONNECT, ENTENT, MAPEA, and many more.
💡 We proved that circularity is not only feasible—it’s profitable.

✔️ Strategic partnerships are accelerating the shift towards sustainability.
Discussions with industrial leaders, local authorities, and key players like ADEME and Métropole de Lyon highlight a shared commitment to scaling sustainable models.

✔️ The Collectif Startups Industrielles France is playing a vital role in helping innovations scale from prototype to full industrial deployment—a challenge we know all too well!
Special thanks to Véronique GRICOURT 🧩 for giving us the stage at CSI’s booth on Thursday, and to Alphadio Olory-Togbe for the great discussion on industrial scale-up in textiles!

🔹 What’s Next for ECOLLANT?

What’s next for Ecollant?

This event has reinforced our ambitions:
💪 Scaling up our polyamide recycling technology
♻️ Pushing for a zero-waste, circular textile industry
🚀 Strengthening our industrial partnerships to accelerate deployment

An enormous thank you to Bpifrance, La French Fab, Start Industrie, and everyone who made this #JourBleu possible!

The industry of the future will be circular—or it won’t exist at all. 💪

📸 Photo Credits: Alexandre Badot & Start Industrie

The Filming Continues… This Time at AuxR_Lab!

A France 3 documentary filmed at Ecollant

After our participation in the Génération Slow Fashion conference, it’s now our turn to welcome Pauline Pelsy-Johann and the team from Dynamo Production as they film their documentary, soon to be broadcast on France 3 Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. 📺

💡 From Theory to Practice

From theory to practice at AuxR_Lab

During the conference, we discussed the future of responsible fashion, the challenges of fast fashion, and concrete solutions to make the industry more circular. Today, it’s all about action: moving from ideas to real-world impact. At Ecollant, we’re proving that another path is possible—one where complex textile waste isn’t a dead end but a valuable resource. From chemistry to industry, from lab to large-scale application, we’re demonstrating how textile recycling can truly work.

📍 Welcome to AuxR_Lab
This is where our innovations come to life, where textile recycling challenges meet tangible solutions, and where the industry of tomorrow is being shaped—more sustainable, more circular. We’re excited to open our doors to the Dynamo Production team and share the behind-the-scenes journey of our commitment to a more responsible fashion industry.

👀 More to come soon… Stay tuned!

A big thank you to Pauline Pelsy-Johann, Dynamo Production, and France 3 Bourgogne-Franche-Comté for shining a light on these crucial topics!

Industrial Pilot: A Key Milestone for Scaling Up

The industrial pilot: a key step to scaling up

Developing a technology in a laboratory is one thing. Making it work on a large scale is another challenge entirely. This is where the industrial pilot comes in—a crucial phase in the industrialization of any innovation, especially in a complex and underexplored field like textile recycling.

When it comes to recycling polyamide and complex textiles, the challenges are numerous.
An industrial pilot bridges the gap between scientific validation and large-scale implementation. It allows us to test the technology under near-real production and performance conditions, ensuring its economic and environmental viability. This is particularly critical in a project like ours 😉 Fanny Lhuilier, Florian Ribeiro, Louise Gilbert, Thomas Felpin, Faustine Berthy

Why is it such a strategic step?

✅ Stability & reliability: A demonstrator ensures the stability of the process at a larger scale, confirming its reproducibility in an industrial environment. By analyzing all industrial variables, we can validate the robustness of the system.

✅ Cost & investment control: Scaling up allows us to identify and optimize production costs, maintenance, and logistics, helping us refine our business model. Economic viability is crucial to ensuring the long-term success of an industrial-scale process.

✅ Scalability: A key question is whether the process can scale up efficiently. Only through an industrial pilot can we simulate the transition from a few hundred kilos to several tons of recycled material while maintaining performance.

The pilot at the heart of Ecollant’s strategy

At Ecollant, this industrial pilot is at the core of our strategy to revolutionize polyamide recycling from complex textiles. This project is preparing us to scale up our technology, ensuring optimized yields, viable production, and high-quality recycled material.

We know that a project like ours—at the crossroads of industry, chemistry, and the circular economy—requires a long-term vision. And we’re committed to making it a reality.

How is the French textile industry adapting to the challenges of the future? 🌍

A textile industry in constant adaptation

The textile sector has always been a model of resilience and adaptability in the face of upheavals. From offshoring and market liberalization to the digitalization of consumption, the industry has continuously reinvented itself over the decades. Yet the future promises even greater revolutions, whether it’s addressing climate challenges, artificial intelligence, geopolitics, or new technologies. 🌱💻🌍

Ecollant in Lyon to prepare textile’s new era

Off to the International City of Gastronomy in Lyon for Agathe, who represented Ecollant alongside numerous key players in the textile sector to collectively prepare for this new era.

A sector represented by recyclers of other materials such as Raouf Medimagh (PhD. Eng.), our collection partners Virginie Belle, Véronique Mouiller, and Jean-Nicolas CARRELET, the essential clusters with Juliette Jaupitre, Laurence ALLOIS, and Anne-Cécile Caschera, and the eco-organization represented by Anaïs BOURBON!

🎤 The day’s agenda:

  • A plenary conference on adapting to change with Mélusine Boon-Falleur from CRIS.
  • Roundtables discussing strategies for manufacturers facing export crises and international competition.
  • Networking and discussions between each highlight session and at the end of the day.

It was a unique opportunity to discover inspiring testimonials, exchange concrete solutions, and build lasting collaborations to anticipate the challenges ahead.

What strategies for French textile manufacturers?

We had the chance to attend impactful speeches and roundtables, including one that particularly impressed us, led by Solène Doubliez, Textile Sector Project Manager at Métropole de Lyon: “In the Storm, What Strategies for French Textile Manufacturers?”

Excellence or simplification, specialization or mass production, internalization or cooperation, hyper-localism or offshored production? Faced with current challenges, the French textile industry is constantly exploring and adjusting its strategies to adapt and thrive.

We also attended a workshop where we appreciated the insights of industry players such as Grégory POISAY, CEO of Boldoduc, and Anne Lambert, Project Manager at ORATEX, Massebeuf.

Thank you to all the organizers—we’ll see you very soon for more sector insights! 😉

2024 Recap in Line with What We Previously Wrote!

At Ecollant, the collection and specific sorting of textile waste containing polyamide is directly linked to research—the foundation upon which our entire ambition to revolutionize textile recycling is built. In 2024, we consolidated our leadership position by achieving new results, echoing the figures from 2023 that confirm the robustness and effectiveness of our collection model.

14 tons collected in 2024: a new record

Thanks to the commitment of our partners and an extremely energetic, close collaboration 💪, we continued our progress compared to previous years and recorded an unprecedented collection. These 14 tons are post-consumer waste and represent the result of a dedicated citizen initiative by our team, customers, and network partners. Every person who brought in an end-of-life garment was driven by personal reasons, social commitment, and a desire to support our startup in its industrial rollout.

👏 Merima MIRICANAC, thank you for the countless hours dedicated to following up on the collection project and for building strong relationships with our partners who carried this initiative throughout the year!

An optimized collection network

With an interactive map accessible to the widest audience, we have enhanced the visibility of our collection points, making it easy for every citizen or company to get involved. Today, we have more than 60 active collection points covering a strategic and diverse territory.

Visit our website to discover it: www.ecollant.fr

Awareness and events on the ground

Alongside our logistical work, we have multiplied our field awareness initiatives. Whether through events organized with our partners like Mokki or corporate initiatives with Urssaf Aquitaine, we have raised awareness and mobilized a wide audience. We use education as a key lever to firmly embed textile circularity in people’s minds.

This recap is proof that our approach works: a professional organization, a well-structured network, winning partnerships, and a unique ability to integrate stakeholders into a common dynamic. We don’t just envision a circular economy—we are building it with rigor and vision.

A huge thank you to all the companies, institutions, and citizens who are part of this collective journey.

2025 is already underway, and we are ready to aim even higher! 💼

ECOLLANT at Jour Bleu – Global Industrie 2025

🚀 See the world’s first recycled spool made from old polyamide garments—live on March 12 in Lyon!

Ecollant exhibits at Global Industrie 2025

For the first time, ECOLLANT will be exhibiting at Global Industrie 2025, the must-attend industrial trade show in France. This year, we’re honored to showcase our innovation during Jour Bleu, a special event organized by Bpifrance, La French Fab & Start Industrie, highlighting startups and industrial pioneers shaping the future.

📅 Join us on Wednesday, March 12—A day dedicated to industrial innovation

With workshops, keynotes from French Fab ambassadors, networking opportunities, and groundbreaking technologies, Jour Bleu is the place to connect with industrial startups and explore the solutions driving the future of industry.

Why this event matters for Ecollant

As an industrial deeptech startup, we are developing an innovative textile recycling technology, focusing on the valorization of polyamide from blended fiber textiles.

This event is a key opportunity to:
✅ Showcase our solution and vision for a circular textile industry
✅ Connect with strategic partners to accelerate our industrial development
✅ Engage in critical discussions on the future of industry and circular economy

We’re excited to share our expertise and contribute to shaping a more sustainable, more innovative industrial future.

📍 Attending Global Industrie?
Visit us on Wednesday at the Jour Bleu mezzanine (first floor), and let’s talk about the future of textile recycling and sustainable industry.

🔗 Don’t forget to register for the event: https://lnkd.in/eQ6TBCWW

Slow Fashion Generation: Rethinking the Future of Fashion 🌍

The Slow Fashion Generation conference in Dijon

Last week, we attended the “Slow Fashion Generation” conference at the Maison Régionale de l’Innovation in Dijon. This thematic event was organized as part of the filming of a documentary produced by Dynamo Production and broadcast by France 3 Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. 😉 Pauline Pelsy-Johann

Speakers committed to responsible fashion

With Maurane NAIT MAZI, founder of CMCM – The Second-Hand Media, and Catherine Dauriac ⏚, the discussions shed light on the challenges of fast fashion and the solutions for a more sustainable model:
🔹 The importance of transparency in the production chain
🔹 The key role of reuse and recycling in reducing environmental impact
🔹 New consumer trends and the rise of the second-hand market
🔹 Action levers for industries and local authorities

Key takeaways for our industry

This event brought together experts in collection and reuse, regional stakeholders, entrepreneurs, and engaged citizens around one central question: how can we transform the textile industry to make it truly circular?

Given the environmental urgency, these moments of discussion and awareness are essential to rethink current practices and identify concrete solutions. One thing is certain: innovation and collaboration across the textile industry will be the key to a more responsible fashion future.

There were some debates and insightful remarks, all united by a shared ambition to drive change.

We’ll remember key statements like:
🗨️ “70% of a garment’s environmental impact comes from production.”
🗨️ “Only 0.3% of textiles are currently part of a circular system.”

In the textile industry, second-hand, recycling, and business models raise many discussions. However, we remain convinced of the environmental benefits of innovative recycling methods.

🌿 What actions do you think should be prioritized to accelerate this industry transition?

Finally, coming back to Dijon also made us reflect on our incubation years at DECA-BFC

A Morning Full of Insights at AuxR_Green Lab Technopole 🌱

A morning dedicated to ICPE regulations

This morning, we participated in a crucial event for industrial stakeholders: a meeting dedicated to Installations Classées pour la Protection de l’Environnement (ICPE). Led by environmental regulation experts, the session allowed us to gain a better understanding of:
👉 The prescriptions and obligations for ICPE
👉 The control priorities for 2025
👉 The expectations of authorities, with participation from DREAL and DDETSPP

Compliance at the heart of our development

For us, these topics are essential in the context of our industrial development. As our project progresses, adhering to environmental regulations is a top priority. The discussions helped us better understand the expectations of authorities and the control priorities for the years ahead—critical elements to ensure the implementation of our goal: to industrialize our innovative polyamide recycling process from complex end-of-life textiles, while ensuring a positive environmental impact.

The morning concluded with fruitful discussions with experts on environmental issues, where we connected these topics to our activities. 👋 Quentin Chabernaud, @Christine Legrand Breton, Solenn Le Meur, Arnaud Charvet

🔧 What’s next for Ecollant?
We continue our #scaleup 🚀 with expert support 😉 Pauline JANNY

This meeting reassures us in our approach: combining innovative technology and compliance with environmental regulations to push the textile industry toward a more sustainable future.

A big thank you to Pauline Janny from the CCI Yonne for organizing this session at AuxR_Lab, featuring top-quality speakers!

📸 Photo credits – CCI Yonne