Besides CITEVE, from Portugal, Hi-Tech-TEX partnership integrates AEI Tèxtils and ATEVAL from Spain; NTT from Italy; DCC TTC from Turkey; CLUTEX from Czech Republic. Therefore, Hi-Tech-TEX partnership brings together 4 EU countries and 1 Non-EU Participant in the COSME Programme and representing 6 regions: Norte in Portugal, Catalonia and Valencia in Spain, Tuscany in Italy, Severovýchod in Czech Republic, and Aegean in Turkey.
The Technological Centre for the Textile and Clothing Industry of Portugal, is a private non-profit organization active since 1989 being a reference organization within the national and European scene, regarding research, innovation and technology transfer promotion for the Textile & Clothing (T&C) Industry. CITEVE’s mission is to support the technical and technological development of the textile & clothing industry, promoting innovation and inducing new capacities and new competences as well as helping on the definition of industrial public policies. Since April 2017, CITEVE is the managing authority of the Portuguese Textile Cluster strengthening the engagement and cooperation with the T&C value chain. The Cluster mission is to enhance the endogenous capacity of the consolidated economic aggregate around the textile business by: promoting integrated and sustainable development of economic aggregate involving textiles, clothing and technical applications of textiles; contributing to the competitive strengthening of strategic support pillars: Human capital; Technological capacity and Creativity; Knowledge & Innovation; Sustainability and International Projection; stimulating a strong coordination between the different actors of the cluster; stimulating the approach of the cluster to complementary and strategic value chains.
AEI TÈXTILS is a cluster, with a non-profit association structure, formed by companies in the value chain of the advanced textile materials sector in Catalonia and other organizations supporting innovation. Its mission is to foster innovation to improve the competitiveness of our associated members in a closer and more personalized manner by promoting strategic collaborations. Its main goals are to promote innovation, especially in cooperation; to foster links in the Catalan advanced textile materials sector and to give visibility to the cluster and its members at an international level to boost the green and digital transition. The cluster has 49 members, 41 of them are SMEs and large companies, other members are research institutes, technological centers, and other organizations related to the sector.
ATEVAL is the Association of Textile Businesses of the Valencian Region , whose main purpose is to defend and represent the common interests of companies in the Valencian textile industry. Founded on 6 May 1977, it was the first association in Spain to be registered in the Statutes Deposit Office of the Ministry of Labour. Our work is based on observing, listening and acting, and this has allowed us to establish ourselves as the undisputed spokesperson for the industry vis-à-vis entities, institutions and administrations. Our main values are customer focus, professionalism, rigour, cooperation, commitment, illusion, innovation, efficiency and productivity. We currently have over 330 associated companies. Our main objective is to help our associates to be more efficient in their business models, save costs, receive professional advice and institutional and commercial support.
CLUTEX – cluster of technical textiles is the only one Czech cluster focused on textiles (mainly technical textiles). CLUTEX was founded on 2006 and represents 35 members. Most of them are SMEs. Members of CLUTEX are not only textile producers, but also 4 research and development institutions, university and national textile and clothing association. Production of CLUTEX´s members covers a wide range of textiles applications, mainly technical textiles, but also home textiles and some special textile machinery.
Next Technology Tecnotessile (NTT) is a national research company established in 1972; its capital is shared among circa 35 partners both public (Ministry of University and Research) and private (textile, textile machinery and industrial software Italian companies). NTT has a wide network of business with private industries, providing them technological and advanced services, and represents a reference point for research and technological innovation in the textile and textile machinery sectors, including, over the 35 industrial member and around 200 clients. Since 2011 NTT is the leading managing body of OTIR2020 – Tuscany Fashion Cluster, a cluster organisation, working in fashion key sectors of the Tuscan manufacturing economy. OTIR2020 – TFC principal aims are the operational support in the innovation process and technology transfer in favour of local companies, providing technical assistance and support for the development of new R&D based projects. Since January 2018, NTT is the owner of the CEQ Lab (Excellence and Quality Center) which is a branch specialised in testing and calibration services, able to offer accurate tests for manufacturing sectors like fashion, transportation, mechanics, furniture, metals, composites materials and others.
Denizli Technical Textile Cluster aims to bring together actors of the technical textile value chain and empower competitiveness of the province in technical textiles through increasing number of companies transforming their skills, technology, and businesses from conventional textiles to technical textiles. Cluster activities has been managed and coordinated by Denizli Chamber of Commerce and a dedicated Cluster Management Team. Cluster has competitive advantage of having innovative technical textile companies working closely with research institution, techno park as well as having research departments inhouse. Willingness to develop technical textile specific local funding schemes to foster technical textile competence in the region. Denizli Tecnical Textile Cluster's Mission is “Increasing level of skills, technology, and new business development through building partnerships between cluster actors and other specialised actors of the value chain in Turkey, EU and globe towards a more competitive, digital and sustainable and innovative position.”, and vision is “Being one of the main players in the world technical textile market with the production of high value added and innovative products in Denizli”.