Directa Plus, a leading producer and supplier of graphene-based products for use in consumer and industrial markets, has been awarded a grant by the European Regional Development Fund via the Lombardy regional government in respect of a EUR 1 million project for technological innovation in smart fabrics.
Directa Plus has been allocated a grant for a research project into Graphene for Advanced Textiles and Fashion (GRATA), which has been awarded under a competitive public tender by the regional Italian government of Lombardy.
“Over the last six months we have made tremendous progress in the textiles segment, which has seen the launch of several customers’ end-products, as well as an increasing pipeline of near- and medium-term commercial opportunities. With the award of this grant, we have a great opportunity to further develop our range of textile products to meet the demands of the textile industry for technological innovation in smart fabrics,” said Giulio Cesareo, CEO of Directa Plus.
Development of G+ membranes
The project is a collaboration between Directa Plus, Novaresin and Soliani companies and the Politecnico of Milan university, with Directa Plus as project leader. The project will focus on the development of G+ membranes to enhance the thermal and electrical performance of textiles for fashion applications.
The total value of the project is expected to be approximately EUR 1 million, of which 40% will be funded by the European Regional Development Fund via the Lombardy regional government. The company expects to invest EUR 308,000 and receive a grant of EUR 126,000 following the completion of the project in December 2018.
This grant is aligned with Directa Plus’ textile market development strategy and will serve to reduce the cost to the company of developing its range of textile products, the manufacturer reports. In addition, management has already identified several potential customers to which the company will be able to market the results of the GRATA project.
Directa Plus
Directa Plus is one of the largest producers and suppliers of graphene-based products for use in consumer and industrial markets. Directa Plus graphene-based products are natural, chemical-free, sustainably produced and tailored to specific customer requirements for commercial applications such as smart textiles, tyres, composite materials and environmental solutions.
Established in 2005, the company has a patented technology process and a scalable and exportable manufacturing model. It produces graphene-based products at its own factory in Lomazzo, Italy, and can set up additional production at customer locations to reduce transport costs, waste and time-to-utilisation.
