About Trace

A new broad partnership of 90 partners consisting of universities, knowledge institutions and public and private companies have joined forces to kick-start a number of projects with focus on circular economy to ensure plastic and textiles are developed across the entire value chain. Projects that have great environmental and climate impact reduction potential.

The goal for TRACE is to contribute to Denmark achieving the national climate targets in the areas of plastics and textiles by 2050. We want to create a Research & Development partnership, where companies and knowledge institutions in interaction with the rest of society and the most talented national and international researchers develop tools and processes to convert traditional linear production/economy/consumption into more circular solutions.

Save The Date

Join us at the Trace Pool 4 Conference on March 25th 2025 at Design School Kolding, as we create new projects within the framework of the Trace partnership.

06 Nov 2024

A strong responsibilty to change the textile industry

- We are participating in Trace to try and move the needle together with other companies, research institutions, and various actors," says Dorte Rye Olsen, Head of Sustainability at Bestseller.

22 Jul 2024

Pioneering Circular Solutions for Textiles and Plastics

Professor, Head of Department, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering Claus-Helix Nielsen on DTU's role in Trace

15 Jul 2024

Coming call from the four Innomissions

Total budget of 60 million DKK

In 2025 the Danish Innomissions will announce a call to foster collaborative innovation between the four Innomissions. The project application must be related to at least two Innomissions. The total budget of 60 million DKK divided into four themes.
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05 Jul 2024

Partnerships

Our ambitious partnership must go across the entire value chain from companies to knowledge institutions, authorities and the market in order to facilitate the transition.

See our List of Partners

Our DNA

Innovation and technology are part of the DNA of Danish companies, and we have experience that knowledge sharing, collaboration and development belong naturally together and can create great results. This means that at the same time as we can strengthen the climate effort and at the same time as a society achieve a large job and export potential.

TRACE, Vision 2050

In the TRACE roadmap we have described a REGENERATIVE circular society where resources are regrown from sustainable resources at zero or low impact.

See our Roadmap See our Revised Roadmap

Members of the board

Mikkel Stenbæk Hansen, (Chairman of the Board) Direcor Circular Economy, Novo Nordisk

Claus Hélix-Nielsen, Head of Department, Professor DTU, Sustain & President Danish Natural Sciences Academy

Dorte Rye Olsen, Head of Sustainability, Bestseller

Jens Mortensen, Chief Innovation Officer at Marius Pedersen A/S

Martin Kjær, Marketing Director, Kentaur,

Søren Hvidkjær, Dean of Research, Copenhagen Business School

Søren Kristiansen, Senior Director Of Technology at LEGO Group.

Brian Vinter, Vice-dean for research, Aarhus University

Lene Tanggard, Rector, Design School Kolding

Trine Erdal, Project Director, Research & Development, FORCE Technology

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Anette Juhl, Director Trace

Advisory Group

Members as of September 2023

Jacqueline Cramer - Professor in Sustainable and Innovation, Utrecht University
Dr. Ashley Holding - Founder and CEO of Circuvate
Mikkel Stenbæk Hansen, (Chairman of the Board) Direcor Circular Economy, Novo Nordisk
Michael Carus - Founder and CEO of nova-institute
Christina Busk - Director of Sustainability, Plastindustry
Marie Busck - Head of Sustainability – Danish Fashion and Textile
Marie Josephine Mustelin - Political Consultant – Danish Chamber of Commerce
Karin Klitgaard - VP – Confederation of Danish Industries
Connie Hedegaard - Former Danish Minister of Environment and member of EU parliament. Current chairman of Concito and OECD’s Round Table for Sustainable Development