Are you a textile SME ready to accelerate your #green and #digital transformation?

Join our webinar and discover how the #FutureProofTextiles #OpenCall can support your #innovation project with:

✅ €50,000 direct grant funding (lump sum)
✅ 40 hours of specialised training in Circular Economy & Industry 4.0
✅ Personalised mentoring to strengthen your business model and market strategy

📅 Application deadline: 18 September 2026

🎯 Open to innovative #SMEs in the #textile value chain and related technology providers.

🔗 Register for the webinar:
https://lnkd.in/eCd77uPS

#FutureProofTextiles #TextileInnovation #SMEFunding #GreenTransition #DigitalTransformation #CircularEconomy #Industry40 #EUFunding #Textiles #InnovationEurope European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)

BUTEKOM is excited to participate in the launch of the first FutureProofTextiles Open Call, a landmark initiative co-funded by the European Union’s Single Market Programme (SMP).

The textile industry is at a crossroads, facing high investment costs and a pressing need for digital and green skills. This project provides the financial “lump sum” support and technical guidance necessary for SMEs to modernize their operations without the usual financial risks.

 

What We Offer

Selected SMEs will enter a 9-month implementation period supported by:

💶 Direct Funding: A €50,000 grant to cover staff costs, equipment, software, and networking.

🎓 Capacity Building: Tailored training programs and one-on-one mentoring for market entry strategies.

🔒 Exclusive Ownership: Any intellectual property (IPR) developed during the project remains the exclusive property of the SME.

 

Who Should Apply?

The call is open to single SMEs (not consortia) operating within the textile value chain, including apparel, technical textiles, and recycling. We also welcome tech and machinery providers whose innovations directly benefit textile production.

 

Basic Eligibility Checklist:

1. SME Status: Must meet the EU definition of an SME.
2. Location: Established in an SMP-participating country.
3. Technical Readiness: The proposed innovation must be at TRL 5 or higher.
4. Financial Commitment: Ability to secure €10,000 in self-funding (cash or debt).

 

 

How to Prepare Your Proposal

The application process is designed to be straightforward but requires careful preparation of mandatory documents:

• Step 1: Review the Needs Assessment Report to align your innovation with industry gaps.
• Step 2: Download and fill the Tables with Activities, Budget, and Risks template.
• Step 3: Sign the mandatory SME and Eligibility Declarations.
• Step 4: Submit everything via the EU Survey Platform before the deadline.

 

Key Dates

📅 Call Opens: June 22, 2026 (11:00 CET).

📅 Submission Deadline: September 18, 2026 (23:59 CET).

 

Ready to submit?

🔗 Official Application Portal: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/FutureProofTextiles-1st-OpenCall

If you still have doubts, please contact us at fpt.eu.helpdesk@gmail.com

BUTEKOM continues to support the digital and green transformation of Bursa’s industrial sector through international projects.

The kick-off meeting for the Future Proof Textiles project—which is funded under the Joint Cluster Initiatives (EUROCLUSTERS) call and in which we are a stakeholder—was held at the University of West Attica in Egelao, Greece.

Our General Manager, Murat Kurtlar, also attended the project’s first meeting, which will be carried out in collaboration with partners from Greece, Ukraine, Italy, Bulgaria, and Spain.

The project, which will last 36 months, aims to accelerate the digital transformation of SMEs in the textile sector, strengthen their capacity for green innovation, and enhance the sector’s sustainable competitiveness.

FutureProofTextiles

Digital and Green Transformation Programme for Textile SMEs

FutureProofTextiles is an international support programme designed to strengthen the digitalisation, sustainability, and innovation capacities of SMEs in the textile sector.

Project Duration: 36 months (1 October 2025 – 30 September 2028)
Target Group: 40 textile SMEs
Financial Support: Up to €50,000 grant
Total Budget: €2,695,182.20

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About the Project

FutureProofTextiles aims to enhance the competitiveness of SMEs operating in the European textile sector by facilitating the adoption of digital technologies and supporting their transition to sustainable production practices.

Within the scope of the project, SMEs will receive financial support, training, mentoring, technical consultancy, and access to international collaboration opportunities.

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Who Can Benefit?

• SMEs operating in the textile sector
• Companies aiming to improve their digital transformation capabilities
• Businesses seeking to adopt sustainable production and circular economy practices
• Companies interested in international collaboration and growth

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Support Provided

Financial Support
Selected SMEs will receive grants of up to €50,000.

Training Programmes
Trainings focused on digital transformation, sustainability, and innovation will be provided.

Mentoring and Consultancy
Participants will receive one-on-one support from experienced experts and mentors.

International Collaboration
Access to European networks and partnership opportunities will be facilitated.

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Key Objectives

• Promote the adoption of digital technologies in the textile sector
• Support circular economy principles and resource efficiency
• Strengthen SME capacities through training and consultancy
• Foster an innovation ecosystem based on international collaboration

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Expected Outcomes

• Implementation of digital and green transformation projects in 40 textile SMEs
• Increased competitiveness and sustainability capacity in the sector
• Development of replicable best practice models

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Project Partners

• UNIWA – University of West Attica (Greece) – Project Coordinator
• BTSO – Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Türkiye)
• BUTEKOM – Türkiye
• AECIM – Spain
• CS-POINTEX – Italy
• GREMI Textiles – Spain
• GW LLC – Ukraine
• CCE – Ukraine
• BDC – Bulgaria

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Frequently Asked Questions

When will applications open?
Details will be announced when the call for applications is published.

Is the support repayable?
No, the support is provided as a grant.

What areas does the programme focus on?
Digital transformation, sustainable production, circular economy, and green innovation.

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Contact

To stay updated about the programme:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/future-proof-textiles/
ECCP: https://profile.clustercollaboration.eu/profile/cluster-partnership-initiative/c9fcd533-bf23-4b23-bd18-adb2e57b37a4

The kick-off meeting of Bursa Technical Textile and Composite Materials Cluster was held on 28.03.2024 at BUTEKOM with our cluster stakeholders.

At the Clustering Process and Governance Model Evaluation Meeting, we shared the current governance structure of the cluster and future predictions by evaluating the early gains, strategic priorities and cooperation with cluster stakeholders in the implementation of the five-year action plan and project areas.

We would like to thank all our stakeholders who participated.

Bursa Technical Textile and Composite Materials Cluster kick-off meeting was held on 27.03.2024 at BUTEKOM with our cluster member companies.

As the cluster coordination team, we met with our cluster member companies to work on the implementation steps of the cluster strategy and action plan. In our meeting, where information about the gains achieved by the BUTEXCOMP Cluster Coordination Unit was also shared, we focused on the one-year business plan of the cluster after the presentations of the cluster member companies about their company products and targets.

We would like to thank all our participating companies

Dr. Eren Er, Project Manager of Butexcomp Cluster Coordination Team, and Murat Kurtlar, General Manager of BUTEKOM, paid a visit to Mehmet Latif Deniz, Bursa Provincial Director of Industry and Technology, on 20.03.2024 within the scope of cluster cooperation development activities. In the meeting attended by Mr. Ahmet Yıldız, Technology Branch Manager of Bursa Provincial Directorate of Industry and Technology, the support and incentives offered by the Ministry of Industry and Technology to companies, Butexcomp cluster structure and prototyping activities carried out in BUTEKOM were exchanged.

We would like to thank Mr. Mehmet Latif Deniz and Mr. Ahmet Yıldız for hosting us.

Our application to the European Cluster Cooperation Platform-ECCP within the scope of our cluster internationalization, international promotion and representation activities was accepted on 13.03.2024 and our cluster profile was published in ECCP.

Our ECCP Cluster profile can be accessed from the link below: https://profile.clustercollaboration.eu/profile/cluster-organisation/f0f52c57-849c-432c-b974-5c374bf1e593

The European Cluster Cooperation Platform -ECCP is a vibrant online community that helps cluster organizations in Europe and beyond to connect, communicate and collaborate.

We participated as Bursa Technical Textile and Composite Materials Cluster within the scope of State Incentives Promotion Days organized by the Presidency of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey Presidency of Communication at Merinos Atatürk Congress and Culture Center between 7-8 March.

Many public institutions and organizations opened stands in the fair area and information was provided by experts about the incentives, scholarships and grant systems provided in our country and in our region. On behalf of the BUTEXCOMP cluster, Project Manager Dr. Eren Er gave information about the cluster to institutions and organizations and received information from experts about the incentives that can be used.

Dr. Eren Er, Project Manager and Mazyar Ahrari, Business Development Manager from BUTEXCOMP cluster coordination unit participated in the Bursa Textile Show organized by Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry and held at Bursa International Fair Center between 5-7 March.

Our cluster coordination team had the opportunity to introduce the cluster and explain our cluster activities to the participants at the Bursa Textile Show fair, where local manufacturers operating in the field of fabric, yarn, textile and technical textiles took place. The companies evaluated opportunities such as finding new markets, creating business opportunities and establishing business partnerships.