EU

Tunisia

Over 90 per cent of Tunisia's total textile and garment export is destined for the European market. The proximity to the EU gives Tunisia a competitive advantage when it comes to producing fashion goods for global brands and in quickly responding to changing fashion trends.

Growing consumer awareness on the environmental impact of textile and garment production has created a rising demand for environmentally responsible produced products. This demand is not only a fashion trend, but much more a concept that addresses the unsustainable and wasteful practices of the textile and garment industry and has moved global brands to see over their supply chain for more sustainable alternatives, such as renewable fibers and less polluting processes.

Under the SwitchMed Programme, UNIDO will in Tunisia focus on actions that can develop the value chain of the textile and garment industry in becoming more circular and less polluting. Together with global brands, international key-experts, local stakeholders, and actors along the Tunisia textile value chain, UNIDO will work on developing an infrastructure that can valorize post-industrial and pre-consumer textile waste; and to build local capacities to help eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals in the textile production.

Developing circular value chains for valorizing textile waste

Global demand for sustainably sourced cotton and polyester fibers is growing and calls for alternative sourcing to meet this request. Cutting scraps, defective pieces of garments, unsold collections, and second quality graded products from the garment supply chain represent a significant amount of waste, but is also an untapped resource that could meet the industry demand for recycled fibers.

Developing a value chain that can appeal to all actors along it, and facilitating the valorization of textile waste into value-added products, requires a comprehensive mapping of waste and know-how of the local value chain. Together with leading international brands, local industry stakeholders and the government, UNIDO has demonstrated how circular business models can facilitate proper classification, efficient collection, sorting and recycling and the valorization of post-industrial and pre-consumer textiles in line with global market specifications.

For more information about the pilot project, please refer to the business cases below:

  • Business case: Developing a local specialized recycling value chain for valorizing higher and lower quality denim cutting waste

    English

    Download
  • Business case: Creating a network for textile waste valorization and recycling market opportunities in Tunisia

    English

    Download
  • Business case: Closed loop fashion-to-fashion recycling of second quality jeans in Tunisia

    English

    Download
  • National Roadmap for minimizing and valorizing pre-consumption textile waste

    Roadmap in English

    Download

Disclosure of safer chemicals protocols in textile manufacturing

Applying sustainable chemical management is crucial for reducing pollution and ensuring textile fibres that are safe and reusable in a circular economy.

Together with the ZDHC Foundation, UNIDO has demonstrated practices on how to replace hazardous chemicals in business from Morocco’s textile industry, ensuring systemic compliance with leading chemical protocols. The activities have included the training of local experts, industry demonstrations, and supporting businesses with certifications, which eventually will lead to increased compliance with international market standards, which better positions the companies in the global textile supply chain.

For more information about the pilot project, please refer to the business cases below:

  • Business case: Adopting safer chemical management in the fashion value chain, DEMCO Jeans - Tunisia

    English

    Download
  • Business case: Adopting safer chemical management in the fashion value chain, VTL - Tunisia

    English

    Download