The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has recently issued a call for proposals, inviting registered non-profit organizations to support South Africa in establishing a national textile Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database and to conduct a feasibility study on extending Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations to the textile sector. The total funding ceiling for the project is US$120,000, which may be allocated to one or more implementing agencies, with implementation required to be completed by the end of April 2028.

The application deadline is September 4, 2026. Eligible lead applicants include non-profit organizations, non-governmental organizations, international non-profit associations, government agencies, intergovernmental organizations, and non-profit universities. Private enterprises cannot serve as lead implementing parties but may participate as partners.

The project comprises two core components: first, developing an open-access South African national textile LCI database covering priority materials such as cotton, polyester, and mohair, while considering interoperability with international LCA databases to support product eco-design and policy formulation; second, drafting a white paper assessing the legal, economic, and practical feasibility of extending the existing EPR system to the textile sector, reviewing international experience, and prioritizing reference to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition's 2023 Master Plan for the Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Leather Sectors.

Applicants must demonstrate LCI/LCA experience, textile industry knowledge, and relevant stakeholder networks in their technical proposals, and submit budgets that clearly correspond to activities and outputs. Non-South African institutions may also apply if they can demonstrate local networks, language capacity, and a foundation for cooperation. Although the policy issues supported by this project are relatively long-term, it will provide critical data and governance foundations for the sustainable transformation of South Africa's textile industry.

Source: Call for Proposals: The Development of a National Textile Life Cycle Inventory (South Africa) - fundsforNGOs · Originally published on 2026-08-31