CARBIOS unveils enzymatically recycled polyester t-shirt

CARBIOS, an innovator in biological recycling technologies, has collaborated with leading brands On, Patagonia, PUMA, Salomon, and PVH Corp. to create a groundbreaking polyester garment made entirely from textile waste.

This development advances textile circularity by moving beyond PET bottle recycling, as only 1% of current fibers are recycled into new fibers. This achievement is a significant milestone towards a closed-loop fiber-to-fiber recycling system using CARBIOS’ biorecycling technology, pushing the textile industry closer to a circular economy.

A simple white T-shirt was chosen to highlight the innovative recycling technology behind its production from mixed and colored textile waste. CARBIOS’ biorecycling process uses enzymes to break down polyester into its core components, which are then reformed to create biorecycled polyester matching the quality of virgin, oil-based polyester.

“This T-shirt may look ordinary, but the technology behind it is extraordinary,” stated Emmanuel Ladent, CEO of CARBIOS. “Achieving fiber-to-fiber recycling is a true technological feat. Our collaboration with consortium partners was crucial, allowing us to overcome technical challenges to create the first enzymatically recycled T-shirt entirely from biorecycled fibers.”