The monomers obtained will be used to produce recycled polyester (r-PET) fiber, closing the loop for polyester textile circularity.

The innovations from both TOMRA Textiles and CARBIOS contribute to addressing critical gaps in the value chain and significantly increase textile-to-textile recycling from its current rate of 1%[1]. By accelerating a circular economy for polyester, a sustainable alternative to incineration or landfill is made available.

TOMRA Textiles is on a mission to close the gap in textile circularity, by contributing to designing and scaling textile sorting plants. Under this partnership agreement, TOMRA Textiles will explore specific, tangible measures to enable the preparation of post-consumer polyester waste for biorecycling according to CARBIOS’ specifications.

CARBIOS' biorecycling technology involves breaking down polyester fibers into their basic components using enzymes, which are then used to produce high-quality recycled PET materials such as fibers for the textile industry. The 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.

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", says Emmanuel Ladent, CEO of CARBIOS. Vibeke Krohn, Head of TOMRA Textiles, comments: "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."

[1] Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017