RIGA, LATVIA: How can promising textile circularity solutions move beyond individual projects and pilots and become part of a functioning circular textile system? This question will be at the centre of the Nordic-Baltic Textile Circularity Forum 2026, taking place in Riga on 7–8 October 2026.
The two-day Forum brings together two major initiatives: tExtended, a Horizon Europe-funded project (GA no. 101091575) working towards systemic transformation in textile circularity across the EU, and the Nordic-Baltic Textile Circularity project, a regional collaboration funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Offices in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
The event comes at an important moment for textile circularity in Europe. Globally, less than 1% of textiles are currently recycled back into new textiles, while increasing collection and recycling alone will not be enough to address the scale of textile waste. Progress requires coordinated changes across the whole system, from product design, consumption and reuse to collection, sorting, recycling, markets and policy.
The Forum will bring together policymakers, businesses, waste-management and reuse organisations, innovators, researchers, investors and civil society representatives to examine what is already working, what barriers remain and what is needed to bring circular textile solutions to scale.
On 7 October, tExtended will present key results from its four-year work, including practical solutions and digital tools developed across different parts of the textile value chain. The programme will also highlight findings on the systemic changes and conditions needed to substantially reduce textile waste in Europe, including pathways towards the project’s ambition of an 80% reduction.
On 8 October, the focus will shift to the Nordic-Baltic region, with discussions on the current state of textile circularity, emerging circular businesses and technologies, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and priorities for stronger regional cooperation.
Outlining the significance of the event, Pirjo Heikkilä, Principal Scientist at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, said: “We already have many promising technologies, business models and practical examples for making textiles more circular. The challenge now is connecting them and creating the conditions in which they can work at scale. By bringing European research and innovation together with Nordic-Baltic experience, this Forum gives us an opportunity to look at what has been achieved, where the remaining gaps are, and what needs to happen next.”
Alongside the conference programme, the Forum will host an exhibition of practical circular textile solutions, including results developed through tExtended and innovations from the Nordic and Baltic countries. A dedicated Speakers’ Corner will also give projects, start-ups and other innovators an opportunity to present technologies, services and circular approaches directly to Forum participants.
Participation in the Nordic-Baltic Textile Circularity Forum 2026 is free of charge, but places are limited and registration is required at: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=-DGMAHEISU-j0E…
The Forum is organised also with the support of the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency (RITA) and Lindström.
