Carbios Consortium Produces Recycled Polyester T-Shirts from Complex Waste

Photo Credit: Carbios

According to company reports, French biotechnology company Carbios and its Fiber-to-Fiber Consortium partners have produced recycled polyester T-shirts from complex plastic and textile waste using industrial manufacturing lines in Europe. The project involved Patagonia, PUMA and Salomon and tested Carbios’ enzymatic recycling technology across the textile production chain. 

The process converts PET waste into monomers that can be used to produce new polyester. Selenis, based in Portugal, repolymerized the recovered monomers into more than one metric ton of recycled PET (r-PET), marketed as EnzyTex. The material was then spun into yarn by ANTEX in Spain, knitted into fabric by Henitex in France, dyed by TAD (Teintures et Apprêts Danjoux), and made into garments by ToptexCube, part of France’s Chamatex Group.

Carbios said the recycled polyester was compatible with conventional textile manufacturing processes and delivered mechanical strength, dyeability and color fastness comparable to virgin polyester. Each production stage was carried out under standard industrial conditions, according to the company.

The project focused on complex feedstocks, including blended and contaminated textiles that are difficult to recycle through conventional methods. Such waste can contain mixed fibers, including cotton and elastane, as well as dyes, finishes and silicones.

Carbios CEO Benoît Grenot said the results demonstrate the potential of enzymatic recycling to turn complex waste into high-purity raw materials for polyester production. Howard Williams, PUMA’s director of global innovation for apparel and accessories, said the project showed that complex PET waste could be processed into polyester fibers under existing industrial conditions. Salomon CEO Guillaume Meyzenq said the work could create opportunities to expand circular materials in outdoor sports apparel.

Initiated by Carbios, the consortium brings together partners covering polymerization, yarn production, knitting, dyeing and garment manufacturing. Carbios said the project validated its technology on complex textile waste and demonstrated the production of garments made from 100% recycled polyester under standard operating conditions.

The announcement did not disclose the number of T-shirts produced or a timeline for commercial-scale deployment.

Source: Carbios

SUNSHINE Spotlight: Carbios and its partners have demonstrated a European production chain that converts complex plastic and textile waste into recycled polyester garments using enzymatic recycling and existing industrial equipment.