The MATRIX project (Mediterranean Pathway for Circular Textiles) will officially launch with its Kick-off Meeting on November 26–27, 2025, hosted at the Igualada Fashion Lab (Spain). Funded by the Interreg NEXT MED Programme, MATRIX brings together partners from Spain, Italy, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, and Türkiye to drive the transition of the Mediterranean textile and fashion industries toward circular and sustainable production models. The project is supported by a total budget of 1.9 million euros, of which 89% is financed by the European Union.

MATRIX aims to transform fashion design in the Mediterranean through the Circular Fashion Design Toolbox, a set of practical tools focused on three key areas: resources (water and energy), materials, and digitalization. The Toolbox will serve as the cornerstone of a comprehensive training programme, empowering 200 SMEs and stakeholders to adopt circular design and production methods. A total of 90 SMEs will pilot these tools to achieve measurable progress in circularity and sustainability. The project will also foster cross-border collaboration through study visits and peer-review missions in Spain and Tunisia, and a matchmaking event in Türkiye connecting 40 SMEs with 15 circular solution providers. Together, these actions will lay the foundation for the Mediterranean Pact for Circular Fashion, a regional alliance ensuring the project’s long-term impact.

The MATRIX project will benefit around 200 SMEs trained in circular design and production methods through its online platform. Among them, 90 will pilot new tools to improve circularity, and 40 will join matchmaking events connecting them with providers of sustainable solutions. At the policy level, 15 public authorities will help shape the Mediterranean Pact for Circular Fashion, a regional commitment engaging over 130 stakeholders, from SMEs to innovation centres,  to foster collaboration and policy alignment across the Mediterranean. In addition, more than 15 solution providers, including start-ups and technology centres, will gain market access through the Toolbox and networking activities, while consumers will benefit from a greater offer of eco-designed and sustainable fashion products.