The goal of Hradec Králové RIS3 Strategy is to strengthen the region's competitiveness by identifying and developing key sectors, known as areas of specialization, based on local strengths and specific capacities. The strategy emphasizes cooperation between research institutions, the business sector, and public administration, promoting effective technology and knowledge transfer.

The main aspects of the strategy could be summarized in the following points:
1. Achieving the Sustainability Mission
2. Support for the Circular Economy
3. Synergy with Hradec Králové Region Grant Programs
4. Increasing the Innovation Capacity of Companies
5. New Business Opportunities for Companies in Hradec Králové Region
6. International Cooperation and Knowledge Transfer
7. Compliance with EU Legislative Requirements
8. Involvement of Research Institutions


One of the identified areas of specialization is "New Textile Materials for New Multidisciplinary Applications". This builds on the region's long tradition of the textile industry and focuses on the development and application of advanced textile materials used in various fields, including biomedicine. The region is home to both traditional small businesses and large textile companies, as well as progressive companies focused on R&D. The goal is to support innovation in the textile sector and expand the possibilities of using new materials in biomedicine, while supporting circular economy and sustainability goals.

Through quadruple-helix collaborations, partners work towards a strong and circular economy. Programme ERDF 2021-2027 East Netherlands is divided into two main priorities and within those priorities two main action lines. The two priorities are: 1. a smarter East-Netherlands; and 2. a greener East-Netherlands. The two lines of action are: ‘1. ‘cooperation with and amongst SMEs, large corporations and research institutes; and 2. ‘(shared) test- and pilot facilities’. For the CEMTex project, priority one and action line two are central. Action lines one and two are closely linked, yet action line two is more in depth related to the aimed improvements of this policy instrument.

Priority one is aimed at strengthening policy, innovation and research, and development capacities, with the main topics of: Prevention & MedTech; Sustainability & FoodTech; and Manufacturing & MaterialTech. And action line two is aimed at quadruple-helix cooperation and supporting innovations to become market-ready.

This priority and action line are about setting preconditions and guidelines for participation in the Programme. Programme ERDF 2021-2027 East Netherlands is a good fit for CEMTex and its objectives as we want to achieve and stimulate policy development for innovations in the circular medical textile chain, relating to design, use and waste phase. Key here is multi-helix cooperation for Gelderland and that is central to the Programme ERDF 2021-2027 East Netherlands instrument.

In the Strategi for bæredygtighed 2030 (sustainability strategy), the Region Midtjylland sustainability targets for circular economy 2030 are:
• 70% CO2 reduction
• 30 % Reduction in consumption in purchase and operation.
• 30 % Reduction in waste
• 70 % Recycling of waste

This regional strategy has to be in line with the national sustainability strategy on hospitals, Grønne hospitaler, which aims for a 50% CO2e reduction on scope 3 from all Danish Hospitals before 2035. Several lead areas are already indication to support the strategy and Central Denmark Regions is for the next two years (2024-2026) responsible for the Reduction of CO2 emissions and waste from the operating area from a system perspective area.

The surgical area produces 50-70% of the total amount of hospital waste. According to international review, sterile disposable textiles account for an average of 25% of CO2 emissions from operations. There is thus great sustainability potential in looking at a change of the textiles. A transition to multiple use medical textiles could also increase security of supply. The Central Denmark Region will work with the lead area from a systemic perspective and with the involvement of both internal and external parties. The main focus areas will be to transition from single-use to reusable medical textiles, and reduction in volume items and medical waste.

The PCC strategy is implemented as a Living Lab, involving the entire quadruple helix of local government, industry, academia, civil society, to overcome the barriers that slow down the transition to the circular economy. Prato Circular City explores four vertical themes and one horizontal theme that reflect the most important aspects of circular economy for the city. Its objectives, resulting from the Urban Agenda for the Circular Economy, are to achieve: better regulation; better funding and better knowledge;

The actions of the PCC initiative aim to support several SDGs in a transversal way, by including as the more targeted ones for CEMTex project: SDG3 "Good Health and Well-Being”; SDG9 "Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure"; SDG11 "Sustainable cities and communities"; SDG12 Responsible consuption and Production" and SDG13 "Climate Action". The PCC policy tools are designed to encourage the adoption of technologies and practices aimed at reducing (medical textile) waste or reintegrating it into circular economy (CE) processes.

The versatility and expanding applications of technical textiles, particularly in the medical sector, highlight significant growth potential in the coming years, driven by increasing demand, fueled by regulatory pressures, economic incentives, and sustainability objectives, which collectively stimulate research and development for specialized functionalities.

In CEMTex, we will address specific objective 1.3: Enhancing sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, including by productive investments.
Priority 1- North-East a more competitive and more innovative region.
Intervention: Investments for the sustainable growth of SMEs.

The upcoming call offers 30mil.Euro as grants (ERDF and national funding), to invest to implement a circular solution, to SMEs. The selected projects have to envisage investments:
- to develop and/or diversify production capacity through recovery, reuse and revalorisation of certain raw materials, materials and products
- to develop new economic activities, necessary for integration in circular value chains
- to promote industrial symbiosis
- to improve product design for durability, reparability, reuse, upgrading and recycling.

The call will be opened at the end of 2024. We are expecting to finance under this call min. 39 projects. This call will be our testing ground to improve the application process in later calls targeted to further boost circularity in our region.

The purpose of the SERGAS circular economy strategy is to define the main lines of action that will enable this Health Service to be at forefront of the policies that will be developed between now and 2030 to promote a new model based on the Circular Economy. The circular economy strategy is the primary tool with which the SERGAS drives the change from a linear model to a circular one by promoting sustainable development with a clear focus on environmental sustainability, but also taking into account the social determinants of health and the impact that climate change has on health. For this reason, the SERGAS Circular economy strategy is an open strategy with the following axes of action and lines: Resources and raw materials, Waste and environmental footprint, Eco-design of processes, Research innovation and responsible investments and Social behaviour. Actions in all of these lines help to transitions from the linear to the circular approach. This includes actions regarding the development and uptake of circular medical textiles to phase out all single use textiles in health care as soon as possible and have them replaced by CMT to a large extend by 2030.

Making reference to the governmental objectives related to sustainable development this Charter of the CHEM is part of the environmental policy being pursued by the public authorities responsible for the hospital.
It formulates guidelines (lignes directrices) for employees and suppliers regarding different topics. The most relevant topics in relation to this project are: avoidance of waste, increase of the recycling rate and improvement of processes towards more sustainability.

To implement the charter the CHEM has established an environmental committee in the hospital that discusses and implements all environmental and energy-related aspects on a regular basis with all departments in a multidisciplinary team. Activities, progress and results from this committee are made available on a regular basis by interim and annual reports. There is also a separate unit in the hospital that deals with energy and environmental issues.

The Charta came into force on 12th July 2021 and a revision is foreseen for July 2026 which constitutes a good opportunity to integrate good practices and lessons learnt from CEMTex.