UPWEARS implementation and exploitation will have many environmental, societal and economic impacts. It will contribute to EU policies like the EU Green Deal and digital transition since it combines electronic devices and natural fibres and works on circularity.

From a technical point of view, UPWEARS will bring to the market several innovations:

• Novel biomimetic and bioinspired design for clothing applications
• Biobased materials from EU suppliers (Flax fibres / hemp fibres/ cork / industrial lignin)
• Functionalisation process based on fibre/yarn coating to improve fibre performance.
• AI tools and topology optimisation for production process control and material quality monitoring.
• Design for disassembling of sustainable e-textile & cross-sectorial interaction towards additive manufacturing.
• New pathway technology to replace bleaching stimulating the market of eutectic green solvents.
• Imbedded electronic with sensing features answering to future consumer needs.

These innovations will enable UPWEARS to rethink textile manufacturing by following the safe and sustainable design framework. It will lead to an integrated e-textile solution towards a new generation of sustainable and intelligent technical textiles from locally sourced European materials. UPWEARS will also advance the development of modelling and simulation: usability, material modelling, integration into digital workflows. The ultimate goal is to produce zero-defect products by leveraging automation and AI-driven monitoring, while creating a digital twin of textile products.