Outdoor apparel makers back recycling initiative
- Megan Hernbroth, author of Axios Pro: Climate Deals
Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios
Carbios, a French end-of-life plastics recycling company, is partnering with outdoor apparel makers On, Patagonia, Puma and Salomon to develop recyclable polyester materials, the company tells Axios.
Why it matters: All plastic-based textiles, and polyester in particular, are not recyclable and contribute to plastic pollution worldwide, so recyclable polyester holds promise.
State of play: The two-year partnership is a big get for Carbios, which is still developing a large-scale factory for its recycling technology.
- Carbios can also attach itself to the cultural cachet of its new partners, which are publicly well regarded for their stances on environmental issues.
- Carbios CEO Emmanuel Ladent declined to disclose the valuation or terms of the agreement.
How it works: Carbios will use the companies' product waste to create new textiles that are then used to create new products for each company, Ladent says.
- Carbios uses enzymes to break down plastic-based fibers and reassembles them in a process Ladent says is "infinitely circular."
The intrigue: The partnership is part of Carbios' long-term R&D phase, with production slated to begin in 2025, Ladent says.