#Recycling / Circular Economy

2022-12-15

Carbios hosts world’s first PET Biorecycling Summit with Bertrand Piccard, initiator and chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation, as keynote speaker

Carbios hosted the world’s first PET Biorecycling Summit from 7 to 8 December 2022 in Paris. The event attracted over 100 international participants from the scientific, academic, and industrial worlds to exchange on the advances in the field of biological recycling, and how to bring these innovations for a circular economy to market.

Carbios brings together top researchers and leaders in the field of enzyme and polymer study to share advances in biological recycling

Circular economy key players from academics and industry gathered from around the world at the first-of-its-kind event

Solar Impulse Foundation recognizes Carbios’ breakthrough technology

The two-day conference gathered world-renowned scientists from various academic institutions to share their latest research on PET enzymatic depolymerization. Bertrand Piccard, Initiator and Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation[1], joined as the Keynote Speaker for the last session focused on PET circularity, and praised Carbios’ contribution to reducing plastic pollution. The Summit concludes with a visit of Carbios’ demonstration plant in Clermont-Ferrand today. The demonstration plant was inaugurated in September 2021 and brings Carbios’ technology one step closer to industrialization. Following the demonstration plant’s success, Carbios is on track to build and operate the world’s first industrial-scale enzymatic PET recycling plant (with a processing capacity of 50.000 tons of PET waste per year) in France (Longlaville) by 2025[2], and to start licensing its technology throughout the world.

View the full program and list of speakers and follow #biorecyclingsummit #carbiosPETsummit on Carbios’ social channels

https://www.carbios.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/invitees-world-pet-biorecycling-summit-7-8th-december-1.pdf

Scientific researchers from 10 countries, including North America, UK, Japan and Germany

Bertrand Piccard, Solar Impulse Foundation, as Keynote Speaker

Speakers from strategic partnerships: L’Oréal, Salomon, and McKinsey

Bertrand Piccard, Serial explorer, psychiatrist and clean technology pioneer, Initiator and Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation: “Reducing plastic waste is one of the major challenges of our times. Carbios’ technology for the biological recycling of plastics was one of the first innovations labeled “Efficient Solution” by the Solar Impulse Foundation back in 2019[3]. Carbios has my continued support and I commend today’s initiative to gather key stakeholders in the fight to protect the environment.”

Alain Marty, Chief Scientific Officer of Carbios: “At Carbios, our teams have developed a unique enzymatic process that makes it possible to biologically recycle the second most widely used plastic in the world: PET. Unlike mainstream recycling methods, our innovative process makes it possible to recycle all types of waste, even polyester textiles, to be reused in the production of new PET plastics with equivalent quality to virgin ones. This first PET Biorecycling Summit allowed us to explore the scientific advances in the field of enzymatic recycling and to challenge ourselves to go further, faster, with the support of an international network of experts.”

Emmanuel Ladent, Chief Executive Officer of Carbios: “The success of our industrialization model is based on our ability to forge strategic partnerships. Since Carbios’ inception, we have built partnerships in research, business, and finance, as well as consortiums with major brand owners in both the packaging and textile industries. I am honored that so many delegates were present for the first PET Biorecycling Summit, as I am convinced that we can reach a truly circular economy with biological recycling only if academics and industry work hand in hand.”

[1] To address sustainability challenges while enabling economic growth, Bertrand Piccard and the Solar Impulse Foundation have identified 1000+ clean and profitable solutions. More details available on the official website: https://solarimpulse.com/foundation

[2] Cf. Press release dated 23 February 2022

[3] Cf. Press release dated 3 June 2019

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Industrial scale meets verified governance: RE&UP is now B Corp™ certified

RE&UP, the circular-tech transforming global textile waste into high-volume Next-Gen materials, has officially become a Certified B Corporation™. The milestone establishes the industrial recycler among a select group of manufacturing infrastructure providers verified as meeting B Lab Standards for social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Recover™ and Ünteks Group partner to scale recycled cotton in knitwear

Recover(TM), a global producer of low‐impact, high‐quality recycled cotton fiber, announces a new partnership with Ünteks Group, a vertically integrated textile manufacturer based in Turkey. The collaboration focuses on the development of circular knit fabrics and garments, combining Recover’s recycled cotton fiber with Ünteks Group’s integrated capabilities across knitting, dyeing, printing, and garment production.

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.

Ence and ShareTex begin initial testing of the ATENEA innovation project to promote textile recycling in Spain

Ence and ShareTex are making progress on the Atenea R&D project, which aims to develop a complete value chain for textile recycling in Spain. Specifically, the goal of the ATENEA project—which is funded by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI)—is to connect all the necessary stages for the recovery of textile waste, from collection and management, through recycling and transformation into new raw materials, to their incorporation into new textile products.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.