From the sea to our closet

Have you ever thought about turning unused fishing nets into eco-friendly clothes and shoes? What if you could wear a swimsuit dyed with algae extracts that also protects your skin?

The Fibrenamics Institute's research is part of the Blue Bioeconomy Pact, a national agenda that aims to stimulate the incorporation of blue bioeconomy goods into new products, processes and services. The idea is that the textile structures developed will be incorporated into a new generation of clothing and footwear for men and women, linked to the sea and sports.

This innovative solution reduces the use of fossil or non-renewable materials in the production of textile fibers, and contributes to the depollution of the oceans and the sea coast. According to the researchers, discarded fishing nets "are the main source of plastic contamination in the oceans, threatening 66% of marine animals". 

Another innovation is the use of marine biomass and algae extracts in the dyeing and finishing processes of fabrics and knitwear, which makes it possible to replace dyes and synthetic products and take advantage of the functional properties existing in these resources.

The potential of microalgae is also being explored in the treatment of effluents from textile processes, to make them more efficient and sustainable. In addition, this research aims to accelerate the transition of the Textile and Clothing Industry (ITV) towards a circular and more sustainable economy.

Blue Bioeconomy Pact - Textile Vertical 

The Fibrenamics Institute's research is part of the Textile Vertical - led by TMG Textiles, one of the seven areas covered by the Blue Bioeconomy Pact. 

The Textile Vertical consortium (WP3 - Work Package) is made up of 16 entities linked to the business, technological and scientific systems, namely: A4F, CeNTI, CITEVE, DOCAPESCA, Fibrenamics, FITEXAR, GPSA Textiles, HATA, LUSÁGUA, MGC - Textile Finishing, PIEP, SIRPLASTE, SKIZO, Tintex Textiles, TMG Textiles, University of Algarve and University of Minho (2C2T - Center for Textile Science and Technology and CEB - Center for Biological Engineering).

The Blue Bioeconomy Pact brings together 83 national organizations and seeks solutions at sea to tackle the global scarcity of land resources. Among many other challenges, it aims to boost innovation and growth in the maritime industry and position Portugal globally. It was developed in the context of the Blue Bioeconomy Hub platform, promoted by the Oceano Azul Foundation and Sociedade Francisco Manuel dos Santos with the support of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

The project, which began in October 2022 and is scheduled to end in December 2025, is led by Inovamar, S.A. and supported by the Recovery and Resilience Plan under the European Union's NextGenerationEU (PRR), involving a global investment of €133,084,957.80. 

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