Focus on Second Open Call winners: Collaborative Machines for Textile Industry 5.0 – COMATEX 5.0

WHAT ABOUT THE EXPERIMENT?

The project aims to enhance the competitiveness, sustainability, and inclusivity of European textile manufacturing by introducing a collaborative collar attaching machine into the production process at NIL Textile’s facility in Czechia. The project applies Industry 5.0 principles—specifically human-machine collaboration, circular economy, and digital transformation—to address critical challenges faced by the textile industry, including lack of qualified workers, high defect rates due to recycled material instability, and limited automation.

NIL Textile is a technological textile SME producing sustainable apparel using innovative recycled materials, such as corn-based fibers, recycled cotton, and car tires. As part of its circular approach, it also operates a take-back and molecular recycling system. Despite these advancements, its sewing processes remain heavily dependent on skilled manual labor. One of the most complex operations is the collar attaching, currently performed manually by only 20% of sewing operators due to its precision demands. This results in production bottlenecks, high takt-times, and increased defect rates—especially when using unstable recycled materials.

The project introduces a collaborative collar attaching machine equipped with automatic seam detection sensors. This smart device significantly simplifies the operation, enabling unqualified, elderly, or even handicapped workers to participate in the process. The machine detects shoulder seams, aligns the collar tape, and performs automated stitching with minimal operator intervention. This not only increases worker inclusion but also reduces takt-time from 4 minutes to 1 minute per garment and decreases quality defects caused by material inconsistencies.

A key innovation lies in adapting the machine to work reliably with different recycled fabrics, each exhibiting unique behaviors like elongation, edge rolling, or sensitivity to needle penetration. The machine’s modular construction integrates several components—automatic feeding, stitching, and seam detection—which are individually at TRL 4. The project aims to bring the integrated solution to TRL 6–7 through industrial trials.

The experiment includes planning, consultation, and knowledge transfer in cooperation with EDIH Ostrava and its partners (MSIC, VSB–Technical University of Ostrava), contributing to regional digitalisation strategies. Juki, the solution provider, will support technical implementation and trials.

Expected results include:

• Increasing worker accessibility for collar attachment from 20% to 80%

• Reducing collar attaching time by 75%

• Lowering defect rates by 30% during the pilot and by 90% within one year

• Cutting sewing costs of a sustainable t-shirt by 1 EUR within 6 months post-project

The project contributes directly to AI REDGIO 5.0 objectives by fostering flexible, inclusive, and sustainable manufacturing in an SME context. It addresses social challenges (inclusion, aging workforce), technological barriers (manual bottlenecks, recycled material variability), and environmental goals (supporting circularity and local production). The outcomes will serve as a foundation for broader deployment of collaborative technologies in European textile manufacturing.

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WHAT IS THE EXPECTED IMPACT?

The project is expected to significantly strengthen the international competitiveness and sustainability of NIL Textile, s.r.o. by expanding its portfolio of circular textile products and services. Through the development and internationalization of innovative recycled and recyclable materials, NIL Textile will meet growing global demand for eco-friendly solutions, especially in Western Europe.

By establishing strategic partnerships in India and Bangladesh, the company will ensure scalable, traceable, and verifiable production, while maintaining environmental and social responsibility in line with certifications like GOTS, GRS, and BSCI. This will allow NIL Textile to supply demanding B2B customers—fashion brands, workwear manufacturers, and e-commerce players—with sustainable products that meet regulatory and market expectations (e.g., CSRD, EPR, Digital Product Passport).

The expansion will also enable localized offerings in Germany, the Netherlands, and France, increasing revenue stability and diversifying risk. In addition, by digitizing processes and enhancing transparency via QR traceability systems, NIL Textile will offer added value and compliance tools to its clients.

The project will have a positive environmental impact by reducing textile waste, replacing virgin fibers with recycled alternatives, and encouraging circular business models. It will also strengthen EU-India/Bangladesh cooperation in responsible production, creating long-term opportunities for innovation transfer and sustainable development.

Overall, the project supports the green transition of the European textile industry and contributes to the EU’s circular economy goals, while positioning NIL Textile as a leader in sustainable textile sourcing and innovation.