On the 30 March, at the inauguration of “Maroc in Mode”, UNIDO will present details on this project to the Ministry of Industry, the President of the Moroccan Association of Textile and Clothing Industries (AMITH), the President of the Investment and Export Agency (AMDIE) and the President of the Confederation of enterprises of Morocco (CGEM).

Following the presentation, UNIDO will hold a seminar on the 31 of March on “Business opportunities for the circular textile sectors in Morocco”. The seminar is open to businesses from Morroco’s textile and clothing industry and will also present two pilot projects that, until 2023, will demonstrate the business case for local manufacturing of quality yarns with recycled content and the investment opportunities in textile waste recycling technology to produce fibres for non-woven applications.

“Reusing textile waste is a strategy that makes a lot of business sense. Prioritizing a recycling strategy could help businesses secure their resource supply, improve their strategic position in the global supply chain, and retain the value of a resource in Morocco,” says Roberta De Palma, Chief Technical Advisor at UNIDO.

According to a recently conducted study from the SwitchMed programme, Morocco’s textile and clothing industry generates 82,000 tons of pre-consumer textile waste annually. The study also indicates the potential for recycling pre-consumer textile waste in Morocco, especially in high-value waste such as 100% cotton or cotton-rich waste.

Global demand for cotton and polyester, two of the most relevant fibres for the textile and garment industry, is expected to grow by 40% by 2023. This development, combined with an increasing consumer awareness of the environmental impact of textile production, has inspired global textile and fashion brands to analyze their supply chains for better alternatives, including renewable and recycled fibres and stimulated the demand for sustainably produced textiles.

The SwitchMed/MED TEST III project will examine the potential of developing an infrastructure that can valorize post-industrial and pre-consumer textile waste to produce recycled fibres and yarns in Morocco. UNIDO will engage national stakeholders in developing a modern and efficient collection, sorting and recycling value chain aligned to circular economy strategies of international brands.

Actors and suppliers from the Moroccan textile and clothing industry are encouraged to participate in the AMITH event on 31 March at the Maroc in Mode in El Jadida.

For more information on the SwitchMed/MED TEST III projects in Morocco, please contact Mr. Antonio Trimarchi, UNIDO National Coordinator of MED TEST III in Morocco.

For more information on MED TEST III Morocco, click here.