18 Jun 2026
Representatives of the Municipality of Stara Zagora, together with representatives of the Institute for Sustainable Transition at Trakia University and the circular fashion company REMIX, took part in a working visit to Rzeszów, Poland. The visit provided valuable insights into textile circularity and biotechnology-based resource management under the TEXAD project, “Enhancing Circularity Solutions for Textile Waste in European Municipalities”, funded by the Interreg Europe programme.
During the visit, the team learned about leading European practices and successful models for applying circular economy principles and biotechnological innovations in the textile sector. These included a pioneering technology developed by the scientific start-up MicroRenew. The solution uses specialised fungal consortia (mycelium) as natural recyclers capable of breaking down complex semi-synthetic fabrics in just four weeks, neutralising highly toxic textile dyes in water in only seven days, and transforming textile waste into innovative “eco-bricks” that capture CO₂ from the air.
The visit also included a presentation of the local “Urban Lab” collaborative ecosystem, which demonstrates how coordination between public institutions, advanced research organisations and businesses accelerates the adoption of ecodesign and digital transformation.
The delegation visited several facilities and installations, including the municipal waste processing plant in Sokołów Małopolski, where a rigorous separate collection system using seven types of standardised bags is combined with automated sorting.
A particularly significant recognition for the Municipality of Stara Zagora came when the Polish municipal company Jesteśmy EKO stated that it had been deeply impressed by the municipality’s achievements and operational practices. The Polish representatives explained that, after learning in detail about Stara Zagora’s innovative separate waste collection site, they would begin implementing specific activities and operational practices based on the Stara Zagora model in their own municipality.
“The transition to a circular textile system requires technological solutions, bio-innovations and targeted communication with consumers. What we learned in Rzeszów will help us further develop our waste management programme by exploring opportunities to introduce innovative approaches and devise effective communication strategies for ‘recycling as a service’, tailored to Stara Zagora’s needs,” said Plamen Yordanov, Head of the Department of Ecology, Landscaping and Forests, and Veronika Petkova, Chief Expert in the Department of Investments, Energy Efficiency and Green Transition.
The Municipality of Stara Zagora will use the experience gained to develop concrete steps towards introducing modern systems for textile waste collection and reuse, alongside advanced technological approaches to processing textile waste. These efforts will reinforce its leading role in the green transition, in line with European Union requirements and the objectives of the TEXAD project.
