PN Ageing4Life

The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR, 30-03/2022) is one of the pillars of the new textile strategy put forward by the European Commission. The marketing of sustainable and circular products is becoming the norm. In addition to ecodesign requirements (repairability, fibre-to-fibre recyclability, mandatory recycled content, minimising and tracking the presence of substances of concern, reducing adverse impacts on climate and environment, microplastic shedding), the aim is also to enable consumers to make informed choices when purchasing textile products. There are many opinions on how this information should be made available, but very often reference is made to the way in which the energy consumption of household appliances (e.g. refrigerators) is indicated. The familiar grid A, B, C, ..., G (or a similar alternative) would then indicate the sustainability of a product. An important aspect here is the product's lifespan.

This prenormative study focuses on drawing up sustainability requirements with the aim of extending the lifespan of textiles. To this end, ageing processes such as the influence of light/UV, temperature, abrasion, washing, etc. will be investigated to determine how the initial technical (mainly strength (tensile, tear, ...), seam strength, burst pressure) and emotional criteria (appearance, colour, etc.) of a textile product are affected by these factors and thus provide an estimate of the product's lifespan.

1. Materials are selected from different product groups.
2. These materials are then subjected to ageing tests. Their properties are evaluated before and after ageing. Ageing is simulated by exposure to UV radiation, thermal stress, abrasion (wear) and washing.
3. Based on the test results, a classification system is drawn up that indicates the service life of the materials.
4. Finally, the additional cost of sustainable materials is analysed in the context of eco-modulation.