Periodic Reporting for period 1 - PYRATEX (Natural, health-benefiting fabrics to protect our skin from external agents)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2019-07-01 al 2019-10-31
Today, UV radiation generate 90k new cases of skin cancer annually in EU and 7m people die prematurely from exposure to air pollution. Current solutions to protect the body from environmental factors require the daily use of expensive cosmetic skin creams, which are time-consuming to apply for today´s busy society. Our clothing is also a potentially powerful tool to protect our bodies from external agents. However, current fibres from which textile fabrics are made are either synthetic or natural but treated with additives that are harmful for environment and our body. There is a necessity to find a natural and additive- free fabric that provides the body the protection needed against environmental agents. In response, our company Pyrates Smart Fabrics (Pyrates) has developed PYRATEX®: unrivalled additive -free fabrics made of natural fibres. They are manufactured via a sustainable and traditional process enabling the final textiles to take care of the skin and body by providing protection against external agents and pollutants. By the introduction of PYRATEX in the textile industry, we aim to use over 70% less water and 62% less energy in comparison to the conventional fibre production while improving the soil quality and having less impact on the air.
We have carried out a full market research study by revising target regions and commercialisation channels. Our plan is to reach activewear brands, designers and activewear shops to provide them our fabrics for the design and the manufacture of garments for its global commercialization. We have identified comparable business cases in the functional textile market that we have used as reference and we have already contacted some key players to present our fabrics with very promising results. In addition, we have revisited the competitor’s analysis, investment required for our strategy and economic viability. We have formulated the complete business plan including targeted market segments/countries, pricing, risk assessment, mitigation & contingency plan, communication plan, budgeting & economic forecasting.
Our key objective for this SME Instrument Phase-1 Feasibility Study was to verify the technical, commercial and financial viability of our fabrics. We wanted to prove that our solution is superior to current status quo on the market and provides a superior performance. These outcomes encouraged us to continue the work in an Accelerator project.