CARBIOS and TOMRA Textiles Partner to Enhance Polyester Textile Circularity

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 TOMRA Textiles, a tech venture set up by sorting technology leader TOMRA (Oslo Stock Exchange: TOM.OL), announce the signing of an agreement to collaborate on establishing an efficient stream in Northern Europe from textile waste collection, sorting and preparation to recycling using CARBIOS’ enzymatic depolymerization technology at its first commercial plant currently under construction in Longlaville, France. 

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

Innovations from TOMRA Textiles and CARBIOS address key value chain gaps and significantly boost textile-to-textile recycling from its current 1% rate. These advancements accelerate a circular economy for polyester, providing a sustainable alternative to incineration or landfill.

TOMRA Textiles aims to bridge the gap in textile circularity by designing and scaling textile sorting plants. Through this partnership, TOMRA Textiles will investigate specific, practical steps to prepare post-consumer polyester waste for biorecycling in line with 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.

Emmanuel Ladent, CEO of CARBIOS: “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.”

Vibeke Krohn, Head of TOMRA Textiles: “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.”

For more information, please visit: https://www.tomra.com/en/news-and-media