CARBIOS and TOMRA Textiles Partner to Advance Circularity in Polyester Textiles
Image By Courtesy of SHUTTERSTOCK
Oslo/Clermont-Ferrand, June 2024 – CARBIOS (Euronext Growth Paris: ALCRB), a leader in the development and industrialization of biological technologies to reinvent the life cycle of plastic and textiles, and TOMRA Textiles, a tech venture set up by sorting technology leader TOMRA (Oslo Stock Exchange: TOM.OL), are pleased to announce a pioneering collaboration to enhance the circularity of polyester textiles.
This strategic partnership aims to close the gap between textile waste collection and innovative textile-to-textile recycling technologies.
The agreement will establish an efficient stream in Northern Europe, encompassing the collection, sorting, and preparation of textile waste, leading to recycling through CARBIOS’ enzymatic depolymerization technology at its first commercial plant currently under construction in Longlaville, France.
The monomers obtained from this process will be used to produce recycled polyester (r-PET) fiber, effectively closing the loop for polyester textile circularity.
Addressing Critical Gaps in Textile Recycling
The innovations from both TOMRA Textiles and CARBIOS are set to significantly increase the current textile-to-textile recycling rate of just 1%[1]. By accelerating a circular economy for polyester, this partnership offers a sustainable alternative to incineration or landfill.
Emmanuel Ladent, CEO of CARBIOS, stated, “CARBIOS is taking the lead in forming an efficient value chain for textile circularity and actively engages with global industry leaders such as TOMRA to shape the future of sustainable textiles.”
TOMRA Textiles is dedicated to closing the gap in textile circularity by designing and scaling textile sorting plants. Under this partnership, TOMRA Textiles will explore specific, tangible measures to prepare post-consumer polyester waste for biorecycling according to CARBIOS’ specifications.
Vibeke Krohn, Head of TOMRA Textiles, emphasized, “The textile industry has been optimized for cost and efficiency for centuries. Closing the gap means scaling all the elements of a circular value chain – from collection to sorting to recycling technologies. Future recycling solutions depend on reliable access to feedstock. Through the collaboration with CARBIOS, we hope to stimulate further investments needed to scale textile circularity.”
CARBIOS’ Revolutionary Biorecycling Technology
CARBIOS’ biorecycling technology utilizes enzymes to break down polyester fibers into their basic components, which are then used to produce high-quality recycled PET materials such as fibers for the textile industry. This breakthrough collaboration with TOMRA will redirect the challenging PET fraction of polyester textile waste towards biorecycling, showcasing a mutual dedication to pioneering recycling solutions for a circular economy.
About CARBIOS
CARBIOS is a biotech company focused on developing and industrializing biological solutions to reinvent the life cycle of plastic and textiles.
Drawing inspiration from nature, CARBIOS creates enzyme-based processes to break down plastic, aiming to prevent pollution and accelerate the transition to a circular economy.
The company’s two disruptive technologies for the biorecycling of PET and the biodegradation of PLA are reaching industrial and commercial scale. CARBIOS’ biorecycling demonstration plant has been operational since 2021, and a first industrial plant, in partnership with Indorama Ventures, is currently under construction.
