Report

ITA /ENG

Tondo has produced two reports on the Italian textile industry, published in 2021 and 2025, to analyse its level of sustainability and circularity. Through a comparative approach, the reports offer an up-to-date view of the sector, highlighting progress, critical issues and opportunities to foster the transition towards more circular models.

The Circular Threads project was created with the aim of transforming the textile sector through concrete solutions, applying the principles of the circular economy.

CIRCULAR THREADS

2.0

2025

With Circular Threads 2.0, the results of the first study were updated and expanded, focusing again on Northern Italy and then extending the analysis to a national level. The project took a more practical and operational approach, focusing on the implementation of concrete initiatives to accelerate the circular transition.

Desk research to identify and assess the level of sustainable and circular practices both at company and sector level; as well as analysing existing collaborations and partnerships that promote sustainable and circular virtuous behaviour.
Questionnaire of closed and open questions to understand companies’ perceptions of the circular economy and the implementation of sustainable and circular practices.
Case studies to measure the level of circularity at company or individual product level.
Pilot projects to disseminate small-scale experimental initiatives to test and validate sustainable and circular practices within a company or sector.

CIRCULAR THREADS 1.0

2021

The first edition of the study aimed to provide an overview of the current state of sustainability in the textile sector and to accelerate its transition towards a circular economy. Best practices already adopted by companies and the main challenges facing the sector were analyzed through three levels of research:

Desk Research: a set of circular practices was identified and their implementation was verified in a sample of 300 companies in Northern Italy.
Survey: nearly 70 companies participated in a questionnaire to assess the level of adoption of sustainable and circular practices across various key areas.
Circularity Assessment: an in-depth analysis of material flows was carried out for three companies, calculating a product-level circularity index based on the methodology of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

With Circular Threads 2.0, the results of the initial study were updated and expanded, once again focusing on Northern Italy before extending the analysis at a national level. The project adopted a more practical and operational approach, aiming to implement concrete initiatives to accelerate the circular transition. The work was developed in three phases:

The first phase focused on analyzing the barriers hindering the adoption of circularity, with particular attention to the Biella district and the Lombardy region, while also considering national and international best practices, such as those from the Prato district.
Next, the design of a digital tool was initiated to measure the circularity of textile companies, along with a dedicated website to share best practices. The tool, based on specific indicators and international regulations, supports companies in monitoring their sustainability and circularity.
Finally, the project includes the publication of a final report that compiles the results achieved, along with operational recommendations for adopting circular business models and eco-design.

CIRCULAR THREADS 1.0

2021

Desk Research: a set of circular practices was identified and their implementation was verified in a sample of 300 companies in Northern Italy.
Survey: nearly 70 companies participated in a questionnaire to assess the level of adoption of sustainable and circular practices across various key areas.
Circularity Assessment: an in-depth analysis of material flows was carried out for three companies, calculating a product-level circularity index based on the methodology of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.