#Recycling / Circular Economy

2024-07-25

CARBIOS and Nouvelles Fibres Textiles cooperate to develop the French polyester textile recycling industry

CARBIOS, (Euronext Growth Paris : ALCRB), a pioneer in the development and industrialization of biological technologies to reinvent the life cycle of plastic and textiles, and Nouvelles Fibres Textiles, a French company specializing in the recovery of end-of-life textiles, today announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a contract for the supply of polyester textiles to the world's first PET biorecycling plant currently under construction in Longlaville, France.

The polyester textiles supplied will come from used or end-of-life textiles prepared in France by Nouvelles Fibres Textiles for recycling using CARBIOS' enzymatic depolymerization technology. This contract will enable 5,000 tons a year of these textiles to be redirected towards biorecycling from 2026 onwards, over an initial 5-year period, demonstrating the commitment of industrial players all along the value chain to achieving textile circularity for a more sustainable textile sector.

Nouvelles Fibres Textiles and its various partners opened a unique semi-industrial site with an annual capacity of 1,000 tons in November 2023, the first step towards building a 20,000-to-30,000-ton unit in 2026. This first site, a research center for textile recycling, combines the know-how of Andritz Laroche (world leader in textile recycling), Pellenc ST (French leader in intelligent sorting solutions), Synergie TLC (major French player in collection and first sorting for solidarity) and the Tissages de Charlieu group (major French player in weaving, garment manufacturing and textile recycling). This unit transforms used textiles into high-quality raw materials, supplying the various industries that use textile fibers (non-wovens, insulation, plastic, textiles, etc.) by automatically sorting them by composition, while eliminating hard points (buttons, zips, patches, etc.).

CARBIOS' biorecycling technology uses enzymes to break down polyester fibers into their basic components. These components are then used to produce high-quality recycled PET materials, such as fibers for the textile industry. This “fiber-to-fiber” solution will enable polyester to become a truly circular fiber on a large scale.

CARBIOS X Nouvelles Fibres Textiles<br />
(L-R) Emmanuel Ladent (CEO, CARBIOS), Eric Boël (Co-director of Nouvelles Fibres Textiles) and Mathieu Berthoud (Strategic Sourcing Director, CARBIOS) © 2024 CARBIOS — CARBIOS X Nouvelles Fibres Textiles (L-R) Emmanuel Ladent (CEO, CARBIOS), Eric Boël (Co-director of Nouvelles Fibres Textiles) and Mathieu Berthoud (Strategic Sourcing Director, CARBIOS) © 2024 CARBIOS

"CARBIOS is known as a biotech company, but we're also a player in the textile industry. We actively collaborate with innovative companies like Nouvelles Fibres Textiles to create a truly circular economy for textiles. As demonstrated in the packaging sector, the introduction of large-scale polyester recycling solutions will catalyze the structuring of collection and preparation infrastructures. Together, Nouvelles Fibres Textiles and CARBIOS demonstrate that the French industry continues to develop, thanks to the complementarity between the various links in the value chain, from collection and preparation to recycling", states Emmanuel Ladent, CEO of CARBIOS.

Eric Boël and Etienne Wiroth, Co-directors of Nouvelles Fibres Textiles, say: "The textile industry represents all the excesses of our over-consumption. One of the most ecologically, economically and socially effective responses is the circular economy, because it preserves resources and boosts industrial sovereignty and local employment. But the extraordinary variety of textiles is holding back large-scale deployment. New technologies, such as CARBIOS' enzymatic depolymerization and automated sorting by composition, are overcoming this obstacle. Above all, the links forged between the companies involved in this new circular value chain are helping to make this sector emblematic of an industry that does good for people and the planet, from producer to consumer."

France, a pioneer and European leader in the quest for textile circularity

Thanks to legislative initiatives such as the AGEC[1] (Anti-Waste for a Circular Economy) and “Climat et Résilience[2]” (Climate and Resilience) laws, support from ADEME[3], the Refashion eco-organization, and committed companies contributing to industrial sovereignty by combining innovation, ecological transition, “Made in France” and growth, France is today at the forefront of accelerating a circular economy for textiles.

At European Union level, separate collection of textile waste will be mandatory in member states from 1 January 2025. The European Union's strategy for sustainable and circular textiles aims to ensure that, by 2030, textile products are largely made from recycled fibers, and that incineration and landfill are reduced to a minimum[4].

[1] https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/loi-anti-gaspillage-economie-circulaire

[2] https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/actualites/loi-climat-resilience-bilan-2-ans

[3] The French Environment and Energy Management Agency (Agence de l'environnement et de la maîtrise de l'énergie)

[4] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/fr/qanda_22_2015

Carbios and Wankai postpone startup of China’s first PET biorecycling plant to 2028

The industrial deployment of enzymatic PET recycling in Asia is progressing, but at a slower pace than initially planned. French recycling technology company Carbios and its Chinese partner Wankai New Materials have announced that the commissioning of their planned PET biorecycling facility in Haining, Zhejiang Province, has been postponed and is now expected in the first half of 2028.

Carbios confirms Longlaville plant in France following financing progress

Carbios has reaffirmed its plans to build its Longlaville plant in France within a project financing framework, targeting the start of production in the first half of 2028. The company also reports a solid cash position of around €60 million at the end of 2025 and has appointed Benoît Grenot as Deputy Chief Executive Officer to support the execution of its strategic projects.

CARBIOS and Wankai sign strategic PET biorecycling pact

CARBIOS (Euronext Growth Paris: ALCRB) and Wankai New Materials (“Wankai”), a listed subsidiary of Zhink Group, the 3rd largest PET producer in China and 4th worldwide, announce the signing of the definitive agreement establishing a strategic partnership for the industrial rollout of CARBIOS’s PET biorecycling technology in Asia. The first milestone will be the construction of a PET biorecycling plant in China.

Managed workwear services are providing a blueprint for the circular textile economy

Managed workwear service providers are demonstrating how commercial success and circularity can go hand in hand by extending garment lifespans through repair, laundering, reuse and recycling, according to “Managed workwear services—a circular textile economy ahead of the game”, a new 14‑page report from the global business information company Textiles Intelligence.

Eco-design as the foundation of circular textiles

Based on the results of an extensive European analysis, the Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity is currently developing three practice-based training modules covering recycling technologies, eco-design for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. This was preceded by a comprehensive company survey and a joint analysis conducted by the project partners under the leadership of IVGT. The results show that the greatest challenges lie not so much in a lack of technology as in skills gaps.

Usha Yarns secures growth equity investment from Fullerton Carbon Action Fund

Usha Yarns Limited (“Usha Yarns”), a producer of high-quality recycled yarns with advanced, well established production processes, announced a growth equity investment from the Fullerton Carbon Action Fund (“Fullerton”), a private equity strategy managed by Fullerton Fund Management that backs established mid-market companies across Emerging Asia to accelerate decarbonisation.

PERFORMANCE DAYS announces new focus topic & forums for October 2026

With its upcoming October 13–14, 2026 edition, PERFORMANCE DAYS is placing the spotlight on one of the textile industry’s most important transformations: “Bio-Based Materials – From Fiber to Fabric”, a two-part Focus Topic exploring the future of bio-based innovation across the textile value chain. Part 1, presented in October 2026, will focus on fibers and next-generation material developments, while Part 2 at the March 2027 edition will shift the perspective toward dyeing, finishing, additives, and processing technologies.

Febratex 2026 to be the largest edition of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas with 10 exhibition halls

Febratex 2026 will be the largest edition in the history of the leading textile trade fair in the Americas. Dedicated to the textile and apparel manufacturing industries, the event will take place from August 18–21, 2026, in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil, with a strong focus on technology, sustainability, and business generation.

Cotton Brazil Dialogues field trip brings international stakeholders closer to Brazil’s cotton production chain

How do you build trust across the global textile value chain? By opening the farm gates. This is the principle behind the Cotton Brazil Dialogues. At the end of July, the programme welcomed its first group of international participants for a five-day immersion into Brazilian cotton production, combining field visits with technical workshops to showcase the quality, sustainability, innovation and traceability behind one of the world’s leading cotton origins.