#Recycling / Circular Economy

2025-05-01

KBR selected as key commercialization partner for Samsara Eco’s first-of-a-kind enzymatic recycling plant

KBR (NYSE: KBR) announced today it will support biotech innovator, Samsara Eco, to design its first-of-a-kind plastics and textile enzymatic recycling plant, due for completion in early 2028.

Samsara Eco’s enzymatic recycling technology aims to create a continuous recycling loop for some of the most common types of plastic and synthetic fiber – materials that have traditionally been difficult or impossible to recycle. Powered by Samsara Eco’s proprietary AI platform, the company’s patented enzymes break down plastic to its original building blocks (monomers) which aim to allow plastics to be continuously remanufactured into new products without degradation in quality and with a low carbon footprint. Unlike other recycling methods, Samsara Eco’s technology has demonstrated the recycling of notoriously difficult plastics, including nylon 6,6 and mixed fibers, as well as colored and dyed fabric blends. This breakthrough technology is expected to be critical towards achieving the goal of creating a circular loop for all plastics recycling, helping companies utilize resources and divert waste otherwise destined for landfills.

Under the terms of the agreement, KBR will perform a pre-FEED (front-end engineering design) of the project by the end of Q2 2025. KBR’s technical and commercial experts will then deliver a FEED engineering package for the process design to build a 20,000 metric tons per year commercial facility for nylon 6,6.

“KBR is uniquely equipped to deliver world-class solutions that help our customers bring sustainable technology to market, and we are thrilled to support Samsara Eco on this unique opportunity,” said Jay Ibrahim, President, KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions. “With this award, KBR continues to solidify our commitment to sustainability and technological innovation.”

Paul Riley, Founder and CEO of Samsara Eco commented, “We are charging full speed ahead to deliver our first-of-a-kind plant to fuel a circular economy and support our brand partners’ ambition to create more circular products from low-carbon recycled materials. KBR brings unmatched engineering expertise. This will ensure we can design and build our facility with speed and precision. We’re proud to have KBR in our corner, helping bring our technology to industrial scale.”

Samsara Eco is already working with leading brands including lululemon to swap virgin materials for recycled materials. Last year, it debuted the world’s first enzymatically recycled nylon 6,6 product. It also launched the first product made from enzymatically recycled polyester, creating lululemon’s limited edition Packable Anorak jacket.

Samsara Eco survey highlights link between garment durability and brand loyalty

Samsara Eco has published its 2026 Circular-Conscious Consumer Report, examining how garment quality, durability and material transparency influence purchasing decisions and brand loyalty. The survey, conducted among 5,208 predominantly young, circularity-conscious consumers across 120 countries, suggests that poor garment performance can have consequences for brands beyond direct product complaints and returns.

Samsara Eco and European Outdoor Group launch the Nylon Materials Collective

Australian biotech, Samsara Eco and the European Outdoor Group (EOG) today launched the Nylon Materials Collective, a collaboration designed to make high-performance, virgin-identical recycled nylon accessible to more outdoor brands and accelerate the industry’s shift toward a truly circular textiles future.

Samsara Eco opens first plant to scale circular plastics

Australian biotech innovator, Samsara Eco, has today opened its first plant, representing a significant milestone in the fight against plastic waste. The new plant will exponentially increase the company’s ability to produce virgin-identical, low-carbon circular materials like recycled nylon 6,6 and polyester with broad applications across apparel, packaging and automotives, at scale.

Reju expands textile-to-textile recycling network with six international fabric manufacturers

Reju, a textile-to-textile regeneration company, is expanding its industrial network through collaborations with six fabric manufacturers in Europe and the Americas. The initiative aims to accelerate the integration of regenerated polyester into textile manufacturing and support the development of finished fabrics for commercial applications.

Trützschler expands technical service capabilities for spinning mills in Pakistan

Faster support, shorter downtime and advanced repair capabilities: customers across Pakistan can now benefit from the Trützschler Service Station at its new location in Lahore. By combining Trützschler service expertise with state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, the new facility helps spinning mills resolve technical issues more quickly and maintain reliable production.

Itema brings textile versatility to ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026

Itema announces its participation in ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026, taking place November 20–24 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. In Hall 3 – Stand D06, the company will showcase two Galileo-RX rapier weaving machines weaving heavy denim and conveyor belt fabrics, demonstrating its ability to address different textile requirements with application-specific configurations. Five additional Itema machines at partner booths will extend the exhibition lineup to upper shoe fabric, label, Jacquard leno fabrics, and shirting, offering visitors a broader view of Itema rapier and air-jet weaving technologies.

Brückner showcases sustainable technologies for the future of textile finishing at ITMA ASIA 2026

With rising energy costs, increasing environmental requirements, and growing competitive pressure, textile manufacturers worldwide are facing the challenge of making their production processes both more sustainable and more cost-effective. As one of the world's leading specialists in textile finishing machinery, Brückner will present innovative solutions and advanced production technologies at ITMA ASIA 2026 in Shanghai. These technologies can play a key role in significantly reducing both energy consumption and emissions.

Stäubli to introduce new S3292 dobby for high-speed weaving at ITME India 2026

Stäubli will introduce its new S3292 dobby at ITME India 2026, taking place from December 4 to 9 at the India Expo Centre & Mart in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Designed for high-speed air-jet weaving, the new machine will be among the highlights of the company's presentation, which also includes warp preparation systems, cam motions, Jacquard technologies and digital services.