Evoralis develops enzymes to recycle blended fibers

Evoralis, a company at the forefront of enzyme innovation, is working on developing enzymes that can break down even the most difficult mixed and blended fibers. Evoralis, known for its work in creating plastic-degrading enzymes, has successfully raised £2.5M in seed funding. This funding is a major step forward in their mission to revolutionize textile and plastic recycling.

The funding round was led by LIFTT S.p.A, with additional investments from Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, Parkwalk Advisors, and Backbone Ventures. Other contributors included Circular Plastics Accelerator, Archipelago Ventures, and several individual investors. CPI also converted its loan into equity, gaining shares in the company.

A spin-off from the University of Cambridge’s Hollfelder Lab, Evoralis uses a cutting-edge microfluidic screening platform to discover enzymes capable of breaking down complex plastics. This technology speeds up the enzyme discovery process by 1,000 times compared to traditional methods, bringing us closer to a sustainable, circular economy for textiles and plastics.

Evoralis aims to solve the problem of textile blends recycling with its groundbreaking enzyme technology, which could allow the recycling of over 80% of textiles, including those made from blended fibers containing plastic. This new approach could unlock a massive USD 560 billion opportunity in the industry.