Background The implementation of BATs (Best Available Techniques) is needed by companies operating IPPC (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control) systems in order to secure sustainable development approaches to environmental management. BAT details are explained in BREFs (BAT REFerence Documents), which are technical documents that set out the standards required for environmental factors, such as emissions. BREF information about emission requirements for the textile sector is currently not indicated. This can create difficulties for stakeholders during assessment of textile companies' environmental performance and in identifying methods that can be considered as BAT. The Portuguese textile sector is a major employer and has a key role to play in environmental management. The industry is made up of about 2 500 companies (95% are SMEs), of which 36 companies are directly involved in IPPC systems for the pre-treatment or dyeing of fibres or textiles (exceeding 10 tonnes/day). Objectives The main objective of the BATinLOKO LIFE project was to define best environmental performance indicators, with targets, for the textile and clothing sector in Portugal. The methodology would provide a common working tool for obtaining comparable results. The aim was to demonstrate an effective approach that can be flexible and applicable to other sectors across Europe. Economic factors would be examined to assess the commercial impacts of BAT implementation and an IT tool would be created to illustrate positive and negative impacts in different operational circumstances. A Decision Support Manual was also planned to provide textile companies with appropriate information about environmental performance indicators, economic factors and BAT implementation. Special attention would be paid to preparing advice about reducing carbon footprints and CO2 emissions. Results The project developed innovative tools and proposals for textile companies and stakeholders: An economic model for the analysis of economic constraints related to BAT implementation; The BATinLoko webtool to simulate the environmental and economic benefits when implementing BAT; The BATinLoko manual for decision support in BAT implementation that presents the environmental performance indicators that are generally more suited to BAT performance study and the economic analysis of BAT. An environmental performance indicators field study was carried out at nine Portuguese textile companies. From the data obtained, general environmental performance indicators related to the production process were calculated. Specific environmental performance indicators for the 12 BATs studied were also determined: From the data obtained general and specific environmental performance indicators were calculated for the 12 BATs studied: Heat-insulation of pipes and stenters; Segregation of hot and cold waste water streams and recovery of heat from the hot stream; Installation of automated dosing and dispensing systems which measure out the exact amount of chemicals and auxiliary required and deliver them directly to various machines through pipework without human contact; Installation of automated dosing and dispensing systems which meter the exact amount of dyes required(only foreseen for manual operations for dyes that are used infrequently); Recovery and reuse of sizing agents by ultrafiltration; Enzyme treatment; Recovery and reuse of alkali from mercerising rinsing water; Minimising volume capacity of the dip when using pad dyeing techniques, in continuous dyeing processes; Reusing rinse water; Reducing water consumption in printing cleaning operations; Minimising energy consumption in stenter frames by installing heat recovery systems; Elimination of bleaching in dark colours dyeing.These data served as a basis for the definition of the economic model, as well as for the development of the webtool and the manual. The tools allow different scenarios to be simulated to test a wide range of process variables and quantify the benefits of implementing a given BAT using the company's data processes and/or reference values. A BAT implementation study allowed participating companies to check, in loco, whether their application is resulting in economic and environmental benefits, namely reductions in water consumption costs, the production and concentration of wastewater, chemical consumption, and operating time, among others. The decision support methodology proposed by the project is, therefore, an added value for companies, since it produces immediate results by calculating the environmental and economic benefits of BAT implementation. A conduct code was also implemented by the beneficiaries to reduce CO2 emissions associated with the project, based on a set of procedures and good practices. During the entire project, the partnership was able to offset 10 tonnes of CO2. The methodologies and tools developed in the scope of the project can easily be transferred to other companies of the textile sector all around the world. In addition, project results can also be an important contribution to the revision of BREF for the textile industry. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan (see "Read more" section).