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Project cooperationUpdated on 12 June 2025

Releasing the potential of feathers to foster circularity in agriculture (UNLOCK BBI JU)

Katarzyna Kowalska

President at UNIMOS

Warsaw, Poland

About

Funded by the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU), the UNLOCK project involves 14 partners from seven EU countries and aims to create a feather-based bioeconomy. It focuses on producing functional bio-based materials for agricultural applications such as forest/seed trays, nonwoven geotextiles, mulch films, and hydroponic foams. These materials offer environmental benefits like biodegradation, nitrogen enrichment for soils, and zero waste at end-of-life. The project utilizes different processes - mechanical treatment, steam explosion, microbial fermentation - to valorise feathers based on the end products desired. Annually, Europe generates 3.6 million tonnes of poultry waste, which UNLOCK seeks to transform into high-value, sustainable agricultural products.

As part of its replication process, UNLOCK will launch three new feather-based bioeconomy clusters that will be set up using the bottom-up, participatory and synergistic methodology for cluster development in France, Spain and Poland. It will be done via cross-sectorial collaborative workshops, regional roadshows and dissemination events and Thematic Smart Specialisation Partnership to disseminate UNLOCK results at wider, PanEuropean level.

We are inviting innovation actors, such as high-tech enterprises, R&D organizations, clusters, regional agencies, regional governments and/or other relevant actors involved in the development of feather-based economy to join the UNLOCK community and jointly explore and seize feather valorisation business, innovation and cooperation opportunities.

Contact person:

Katarzyna Rull (Kowalska)

kkowalska@unimosalliance.com

UNIMOS Alliance

www.unimosalliance.com

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