MacroCycle Technologies Secures $6.5M Seed Funding to Expand Upcycling of PET and Polyester Waste

Upcycling PET – MacroCycle Technologies, a leader in the upcycling of PET and polyester textile waste, has recently secured $6.5 million in seed funding. This funding round was spearheaded by Clean Energy Ventures and Volta Circle, with additional contributions from KDT Ventures and Neotribe Ventures. The investment is set to expand MacroCycle’s operations by 50% and enhance its pilot plant facilities to focus on developing upcycled PET and polyester resin for initial customers.

Traditional recycling methods generally break down plastic into monomers or revert it to fossil fuels, a process that consumes substantial energy. In contrast, MacroCycle’s innovative technology upgrades plastic waste back to a high-quality “virgin-grade” state. By utilizing advanced chemistry and selective non-toxic reagents, the process consumes 80% less energy than conventional PET production and requires 50-75% lower capital investment compared to other chemical or biological recycling techniques. CEO Stwart Peña Feliz highlighted the significant potential within the $700 billion linear plastics market, noting that existing advanced recycling methods are often too expensive and yield low-value products. The foundational technology was developed through academic research by co-founder and CTO Dr. Jan-Georg Rosenboom and his colleagues at MIT, ETH Zurich, and Politecnico di Milano. Initially supported by the Breakthrough Energy Fellows program, MacroCycle has progressed from laboratory experiments to a pilot reactor, with plans for large-scale production, including the creation of bottles and garments made entirely from its recycled PET resin for various industries, such as cosmetics, textiles, food, and fashion.

Additionally, UNIFI®, the makers of REPREVE®, a global leader in recycled and synthetic yarns, has launched Integr8™, a high-performance, sustainable filament yarn. This traceable, spandex-free stretch yarn incorporates REPREVE® recycled polyester, providing exceptional softness, moisture management, and enhanced functionality for a variety of applications. It is particularly suited for apparel, footwear, and home furnishings, improving woven, knit, and seamless products. Eddie Ingle, CEO of Unifi, Inc., stated, “Integr8 is a game-changer for brands seeking spandex-like stretch without environmental drawbacks. With an unmatched suite of performance technologies, UNIFI meets the growing demand for sustainable, functional yarns.”

Key features of Integr8™ include:
– Continuous filament yarn made from post-consumer recycled plastic, combining softness and durability.
– Innovative performance attributes such as ultra-soft feel, spandex-free comfort stretch, moisture-wicking, evaporative cooling, UPF protection, and low-wrinkle properties (performance may vary based on fabric construction).
– Full integration with REPREVE®’s sustainability initiatives and complete traceability through FiberPrint® technology.
– Certifications from U-TRUST®, Oeko-Tex®, GRS, and SCS for recycled content.

Integr8™ will be showcased at Hall 6, booth #6L40 during Première Vision Paris from February 11-13 at Paris Nord Villepinte. For further information, visit UNIFI®, the makers of REPREVE®.

In another development, Nexam Chemical’s recent study published by Politecnico di Torino in the journal Polymers demonstrates how its Reactive Recycling™ technology enhances recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) performance. By improving melt strength, this innovation broadens the applications of recycled HDPE in film blowing, fiber production, and extrusion blow molding, benefiting sectors such as packaging, textiles, and automotive. The research highlights the effectiveness of Nexamite® R305, Nexam Chemical’s proprietary additive, in mitigating thermomechanical degradation during mechanical recycling, significantly improving processability by introducing long-chain branching in the polymer microstructure.

Moreover, fibers treated with Nexamite® R305 exhibited an impressive 350% elongation at break, a considerable enhancement over untreated recycled HDPE. “This study underscores how our additive technology enhances the performance of recycled HDPE in critical applications,” stated Christer Svanberg, CTO at Nexam Chemical. Given that HDPE accounts for approximately 13% of all virgin plastics, enhancing its recyclability is crucial for reducing waste and promoting circularity. The findings confirm Nexam Chemical’s role in reconciling the need for recyclability with high-performance demands, ensuring that recycled plastics remain competitive with virgin materials.

In the realm of battery recycling, BMW is constructing a $10 million Cell Recycling Competence Centre (CRCC) in Kirchroth, Lower Bavaria. This facility will implement a “direct recycling” process, allowing for the mechanical dismantling of residual materials from battery cell production and entire battery cells into their valuable components. The recovered raw materials will be reused directly in the pilot production of battery cells at the company’s Battery Cell Competence Centres. Markus Fallböhmer, SVP of Battery Production at BMW AG, remarked, “The new Cell Recycling Competence Centre adds another dimension to our in-house expertise: from development and pilot production to recycling, we are creating a closed loop for battery cells.”

Lastly, BASF is making strides in sustainability with the launch of HySorb® B 6610 ZeroPCF, the first polyacrylate-based superabsorbent polymer (SAP) with a zero product carbon footprint (PCF), specifically for the hygiene industry. This achievement is made possible through the integration of renewable energy and a biomass balance (BMB) approach at the Antwerp Verbund site. HySorb® B 6610 ZeroPCF is certified by ISCC Plus, supporting the sustainability goals of customers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa without requiring modifications to their production lines or compromising on quality and performance.

Klöckner Pentaplast (kp) is also leading innovation with its 100% Tray2Tray® pilot program in collaboration with Tesco and Hilton Foods. This initiative introduces food trays manufactured entirely from recycled tray material, marking a significant advancement in circular food packaging. Tesco’s Finest minced beef is now packaged in kp’s fully recycled rPET trays, sealed with kp FlexiLid®, a high-performance barrier film containing 30% recycled PCR content. Rebecca Harris, Global Account Director at kp, stated, “While a pilot, this represents a major leap for the packaging circular economy,” emphasizing the need for increased demand to improve collection, sorting, and recycling efforts.