Four EU-funded Horizon Europe projects have joined forces to form the Circular, Sustainable and Biobased Coating Cluster – a new collaborative platform dedicated to advancing sustainable, circular, and high-performance bio-based coating solutions across Europe.
BIO4COAT is pleased to announce its participation in the Circular, Sustainable and Biobased Coating Cluster, a newly established collaborative initiative that brings together four EU-funded Horizon Europe projects united by a common goal: accelerating the transition towards high-performance, sustainable, and circular bio-based coating solutions.
The cluster – which also includes BLUECOAT, SUPREME and BIO-SUSHY – was formed under a Memorandum of Understanding and is facilitated by European Bioplastics, one of Europe leading’s voices in the bio-based materials sector. Together, the four projects represent a broad and complementary research effort, covering a wide range of coating technologies, applications, and sectors – from marine and construction to textiles, packaging and beyond.
The cluster was created to do more than simply connect projects with shared interests. Its primary purpose is to provide a structured platform where members can exchange technical knowledge, coordinate dissemination activities, and jointly contribute to policy discussions at the European level. By working together, the clustered projects aim to maximise the impact of their individual research efforts and present a unified European perspective on the future of bio-based coatings.
Activities within the cluster include regular technical meetings and webinars, the formation of ad hoc working groups on specific topics, joint scientific publications, and contributions to policy initiatives such as European Commission consultations. A joint policy briefing synthesising outcomes and recommendations from all member projects is also planned.
What united the four projects beyond their focus on bio-based coatings. All members share a commitment to the Safe and Sustainable by Design(SSbD) framework, ensuring that innovation in this field is guided not only by performance and market potential, but also by rigorous attention to human health, environmental impact, and end-of-life considerations. This shared approach strengthens the scientific and ethical foundation of the cluster as a whole.
The cluster is designed to grow. Other EU-funded and international initiatives actively contributing to the development of circular, biobased, and sustainable coating materials are welcome to join by submitting an expression of interest to the Cluster Facilitator, European Bioplastics.
BIO4COAT looks forward to the collaboration ahead and to contributing, alongside its cluster partners, to a more sustainable and competitive European coatings industry.