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United Nations Environment Programme
  • The InTex Programme
  • Africa
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Key concepts
  • Resources
  • Sucess Stories, Events and Media coverage
  • Contacts

The InTex (Innovative Business Practices and Economic Models in the Textile Value Chain) Programme , part of the UNEP Textile Initiative, works with governments and SMEs in countries where textiles are a key economic driver, encouraging a shift from a linear take, make and dispose process to a more sustainable, circular model. The programme does this by supporting national-level policy changes that enable a shift towards circularity. It also helps companies understand the impact of the resources they are using, spurring them to optimize production processes, reduce environmental harms and change the way they do business. This gives businesses a competitive edge.  

Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), InTex works with key stakeholders to drive this transformation:

  • Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), including brands, retailers, and manufacturers, receive training and technical assistance to adopt circular business models. Using life cycle approaches and eco-innovation, these companies are supported in minimizing the environmental footprint of their textile products.
  • Governments are engaged to develop and implement effective policies that support the shift to a circular textile economy.

How SMEs benefit?

  • The SMEs that work with the InTex programme receive trainings and technical support to calculate their Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) and innovate their business strategy. Through this process, SMEs expand their understanding of chemicals and other environmental impacts, and learn which sound chemical management strategies to apply, usually with positive impacts also on their balance sheets.
  • Intex assists companies in shifting their mindset, helping to forge new strategic partnerships and enabling systemic change through concrete solutions for participating SMEs and, by extension, the sector overall. SMEs also benefit from exposure to international networking and expertise, learning from the latest developments in circularity and sustainability. The programme results show the real-world potential of low-cost sustainability measures in textiles — proving that environmental action and business profitability can go hand in hand. 

Initially launched in Africa (with activities in Kenya, Tunisia, and South Africa), InTex has since expanded to India and Indonesia, with growing interest from other countries.

 

Learn more

To find more information about the project, please read the brochure here. InTex

Implementation period: 

  • Phase 1: September 2020-January 2025
  • Phase 2: July 2025 – June 2028

Donor: the European Union 

Key results in Phase I: 

  • 32 SMEs applied UNEP’s eco-innovation methodology
  • 10 LCAs  conducted following the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) method
  • 230 company representatives trained in Life Cycle Assessment and circularity concepts

Focus:

  • Kenya, South Africa, Tunisia
  • Train textiles stakeholders, including SMEs and governments, on eco-innovation, circularity, and Product Environmental Footprint (PEF); assist companies in conducting hotspots analyses and developing action plans to reduce environmental impacts.
  • Enable data-driven decision-making: Improve access to environmental and lifecycle data and provide evidence on the environmental and socio-economic impacts of sustainable models to inform policies and bridge the science-policy gap.

Graphic

In Phase 1, the project was delivered with national partners: Moi University in Kenya, CARES and NCPC-SA in South Africa, and CITET in Tunisia. These institutions played a key role in training, research, and supporting SMEs to adopt sustainable and circular practices in the textile sector.

Brochure

Learn more

To find more information about the project, please read the brochure here. 

Logos

 

About the Project 

The InTex Programme in India is an initiative led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Textiles in India. With the financial contribution of the Government of Denmark, the project supports the transition of India's textile sector towards a more circular, resource efficient and circular future. Through the application of life cycle approaches and circular business models, InTex India helps businesses reduce environmental impacts while improving competitiveness and enhancing access to global markets and supports the Government of India with development and implementation of effective circular textile policies. UNEP has partnered in India with the Centre for Responsible Business (CRB), the Center for Environment Education (CEE) for the local roll-out of the activities.  

 

Key Areas of Work                                    

  1. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for SMEs in textile clusters: The project works with small and medium-sized enterprises in textile-producing clusters to support their sustainability and circularity. The initiative helps factories, particularly in Surat (Gujarat) and Karur (Tamil Nadu), and its adjoining clusters of Salem, Dindigul, and Perundurai, collect and analyze operational data to better understand where environmental impacts are occurring most and what practical interventions can create the most measurable improvements. The findings support informed decision-making and targeted interventions to improve environmental performance. Learn more about LCA application here.  

  2. Eco-innovation for Circular Business transformation: The project supports Indian SME brands in adopting circular business strategies to integrate sustainability into products, processes, markets, and organizational practices to improve competitiveness. Learn more about Eco - Innovation here.  

  3. National LCI Database: The project supports the development of a National Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) Database for the silk, cotton, and polyester value chains. The database aims to address critical data gaps by generating reliable, local, sector-specific life cycle information that can be used by policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers. 

  4. India Textiles Cluster Exchange Mechanism: The project brings together brands, manufacturers, industry associations, and other stakeholders through the India Textiles Cluster Exchange Mechanism (CEM). The platform facilitates knowledge sharing, collaboration, and the scaling of circular economy solutions across textile clusters. Learn more about the CEM here. 

 

Geographic Focus 

  • Cluster-Level Engagement: Surat (Gujarat), Karur and nearby clusters of Salem, Dindigul, and Perundurai (Tamil Nadu), and all textile clusters in India through the India Textiles Cluster Exchange Mechanism (CEM) 
  • National Engagement: Policy-makers, Textile brands, Manufacturers, Financial institutions, Industry associations and other key stakeholders across India

 

Project Duration 

   December 2023 to September 2027 

 

Learn more

To find more information about the InTex India project, please read the brochure here.

 

InTex Indonesia logoImplementation period: Q1 2025 - Q4 2027

Funded by: Government of Denmark

Focal Ministry: Ministry of Development and Planning, BAPPENAS in close engagement with relevant line ministries.

Geographic and Technical Focus

InTex Indonesia works with the Government of Indonesia and the textile industry to accelerate the circular transition of the sector. 

Key activities include:

  • Implementing Indonesia’s Circular Economy Roadmap and National Action Plan, specifically on textiles
  • Developing and implementing circular textile policies and instruments
  • Developing an Indonesian Textile National Life Cycle Database for evidence-based decision making
  • Promoting eco-design standards and circular business models that address the needs of SMEs and enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of Indonesia’s textile sector.
  • Engaging with selected textile SMEs in Indonesia who receive trainings to integrate life cycle approaches (LCA) and eco-design into business practices to:
    • Improve resource efficiency,
    • Reduce environmental impacts,
    • Inform sustainable production choices,
    • Enhance compliance with evolving environmental regulations, and
    • Strengthen access to domestic and international markets.

The SMEs are selected from 6-7 cities that represent major hubs for textile manufacturing, batik production, garment assembly, and wet processing activities in Indonesia.

Implementing and Coordinating Agency: 

The project is implemented by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in close collaboration with the Government of Indonesia, under the coordination of Bappenas and in partnership/consultation with the line ministries such as the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of MSMEs, National Standardization Agency (BSN), and other key stakeholders.

National Implementing Partners

The InTex Indonesia Project is nationally implemented by:

Resilience Development Initiative (RDI)
A leading Indonesian research and policy organization focused on sustainable development, climate resilience, green economy, and circular economy. RDI provides technical leadership on policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, and integration of circular economy approaches within national and subnational development frameworks.

In collaboration with:

National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN)
Indonesia’s national research authority, contributing scientific expertise on life cycle assessment, circular economy, eco-design, and environmental performance evaluation to support evidence-based policymaking.

James Cook University (JCU)
An international research partner contributing expertise in circular economy, industrial sustainability, sustainable value chains, ISO standardization, and decarbonisation of the textile sector.

 

Learn more

To find more information about the InTex Indonesia project, please read the brochure here. 

Logos of Bappenas, UNEP and Government of Denmark

  • Circularity in textiles is intended as the practice of keeping materials and products at their highest possible value and for as long as possible within the economy. This reduces the need for natural resources and disconnects environmental impacts from economic activities. Circularity goes beyond recycling and follows the principle of “Reduce by design’’. Applied from the earliest stages, when companies conceive and design their products and services, circularity reduces the amount of materials, particularly raw materials, consumed during production and/or during use. For more information: Understanding circularity - UNEP circularity platform

Circularity

 

  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a scientific method to quantify the environmental impacts of products throughout their life cycle. It highlights what’s driving the biggest impacts, and hence informs improvement actions. Increasingly, clothing manufacturers use LCA to make production choices, lower their footprint and communicate environmental performance to clients. The EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) is an example of an LCA-based approach, with detailed rules to calculate the environmental contribution of products to a fixed set of 16 environmental impacts. More information here.

     

  • Eco-innovation is a strategic tool for companies that guides them to assess the sustainability hotspots along the life cycle of their products and identify new strategies in addressing these hotspots to improve business operations, remain competitive and explore new, circular revenue streams. Through eco-innovation, companies can take a holistic view on their business model and opportunities to improve it through circularity. By implementing the eco-innovation approach companies are guided to analyse how they can reach their strategic goals and remain competitive under existing circumstances while improving their environmental and social sustainability performance.  As a result a participating company will have a coordinated set of modifications or novel solutions to products (goods/services), processes, market approach and organizational structure leading to a company’s enhanced performance and competitiveness. More information here.

InTex Programme resources

The InTex Programme developed a range of resources to support SMEs in the textile sector:

  • Eco-innovation Market Assessments
    Country-level assessments for Kenya, South Africa and Tunisia, providing insights into market conditions, opportunities, and barriers for eco-innovation in the textile sector.
  • SME Selection Criteria
    A methodological note outlining how SMEs were identified and engaged in the InTex project. Access it here.

General resources

Eco-Innovation Manual Textiles Supplement

This supplement provides textile sector-specific guidance for service providers helping apparel companies implement eco-innovation, using UNEP's Eco-innovation Manual. While targeting service providers, apparel company representatives may also find it useful. The focus is on business-to-consumer (B2C) aspects of the apparel industry, excluding industrial, technical, and household textiles. The content is tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially in developing countries. You can also find more information on how eco-innovation can make SMEs more sustainable on the document available at this page.  

PEF 101 factsheet

To learn more about the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology and how to apply it as a business, check out this factsheet. You will get an overview of the PEF method and its key benefits.


How to conduct a PEF study - Manual, Annex and Study

This manual will help technical experts conduct a Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) study for apparel and footwear products. It clarifies the steps to follow, the technical modelling rules and helps draft the final PEF report. The manual helps navigate the Apparel and Footwear PEF Category Rules (PEFCR) and it must be read in conjunction with the PEFCR and the PEF method. You can download the Annex here. 

The report Conducting a Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) Study introduces the PEF methodology developed by the European Commission to evaluate and improve the environmental performance of products throughout their life cycle. This study serves as a practical tool for industry stakeholders looking to implement credible and harmonized sustainability assessments. 

Success stories

Testimonials from the UNEP InTex in Africa project

Inger Andersen visit to South Africa, 9 June 2023

Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme visited Green Thread Manufacturing and K-WAY, two of the 15 SMEs participating in UNEP’s InTex project and are part of the South Africa textiles brand Cape Union Mart.

Media coverage

Innovative and Circular Textile SMEs: the InTex project in Tunisia, South Africa and Kenya.

In the context of the World Environment Day 2023, Capacity4dev interviewed the team behind the EU-funded InTex project implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The article is available in English,  French and Spanish. A video summarising the key highlights is also available below: 

Launch event, InTex in Africa - 15 June 2021

The United Nations Environment Programme has organised the launch event of the InTex project on 15 June 2021 at 11:00 a.m. CEST. More information about the full agenda can be found here and the recording below.

 

To learn more about the InTex Programme, please contact:

Last updated: 17 Jul 2026, 09:26
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