Carbios and the Fiber-to-Fiber Consortium successfully validate the industrial-scale production of recycled polyester T-shirts made from complex plastic and textile waste.
PRESS RELEASE - This English translation is provided for convenience only. The French version is the sole official version of this press release and shall prevail in the event of any discrepancy.
Carbios and the Fiber-to-Fiber Consortium successfully validate the industrial-scale production of recycled polyester T-shirts made from complex plastic and textile waste.
- Production of high-performance recycled polyester T-shirts enabled by Carbios’ technology
- Full validation across the textile value chain, from pre-industrial recycling to industrial-scale manufacturing
- Identical performance between EnzyTex1 recycled polyester and virgin polyester
- Three years of collaboration demonstrating the performance of fiber-to-fiber enzymatic recycling at scale
Clermont-Ferrand (France), 29 September 2026 (7:45 am CEST). Carbios (Euronext Growth Paris: ALCRB) announces the successful production of high-quality recycled polyester T-shirts made from complex textile and plastic waste2 on European industrial manufacturing lines, in collaboration with the Fiber-to-Fiber Consortium members: Patagonia, PUMA and Salomon.
This achievement demonstrates the ability of Carbios’ biorecycling technology to transform complex waste streams into high-performance textile products meeting the requirements of every stage of industrial processing.
A EUROPEAN ACHIEVEMENT TO SERVE A GLOBAL TEXTILE INDUSTRY
This achievement is the result of close collaboration between Carbios, the members of the Fiber-to-Fiber Consortium, and European industrial partners spanning the entire textile value chain, from polymerization and spinning to knitting, dyeing, and garment manufacturing.
From complex feedstock to finished garment:
Starting from textile waste3 and complex plastic waste, the Carbios process enabled the production of monomers that meet stringent quality and performance standards, comparable to those of petrochemical-derived materials.
These monomers were then repolymerized by Selenis in Portugal to produce more than one ton of high-quality r-PET, marketed under the name EnzyTex, and designed for seamless integration into existing industrial production lines.
The resulting r-PET was converted into yarn on ANTEX’s industrial production lines in Spain, then knitted into Interlock fabric on Henitex’s industrial equipment in France, dyed in an industrial bath by TAD (Teintures et Apprêts Danjoux) in France, and finally turned into garments by ToptexCube (Chamatex Group) in France, with each step carried out under standard industrial conditions.
The resulting fibers demonstrated full compatibility with conventional textile manufacturing processes, while delivering performance characteristics, including mechanical strength, dyeability, and color fastness, equivalent to those of virgin polyester.
Manufactured entirely in Europe, this garment demonstrates the scalability of circular textile manufacturing without compromising on quality.
Benoît Grenot, CEO of Carbios: “This achievement demonstrates that enzymatic recycling meets the highest standards of the textile industry. By converting complex waste streams into high‑purity building blocks for the production of recycled polyester, we are proving that circularity is already an operational reality ready for deployment at industrial scale.”
Howard Williams, Director Global Innovation Apparel & Accessories at PUMA: “Carbios has demonstrated that complex PET waste can be recycled into high-quality polyester fibers under existing industrial conditions and repurposed into high-quality products.”
Guillaume Meyzenq, CEO of Salomon: “The success of this Consortium highlights the power of collective intelligence to tackle one of our industry's most complex challenges. By combining our expertise across the entire value chain, we have demonstrated that circularity for high‑performance textiles is becoming an industrial reality. Together, we have proven that innovative recycling technologies can transform complex waste into high-quality materials without ever compromising on technical performance. For Salomon, this milestone opens significant opportunities to scale circular solutions and shape a more responsible future for outdoor sports apparel.”
A CONSORTIUM PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF TEXTILE CIRCULARITY
Initiated by Carbios, the Fiber-to-Fiber Consortium has enabled major progress:
- Validation of enzymatic recycling on complex textile waste streams, including blended and contaminated materials;
- Demonstration that EnzyTex recycled polyester matches the performance of its fossil‑based counterpart;
- Confirmation of the industrial scalability of the Carbios process through the production of 100% recycled polyester products under standard operating conditions;
- European value chain integration.
Beyond the technical performance, Carbios and its partners have demonstrated that high-quality garments can be produced from complex waste streams and that circularity can be achieved without compromising performance.
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About Carbios
Carbios is a biotechnology company that develops and industrializes biological solutions to reinvent the lifecycle of plastics and textiles. Inspired by nature, Carbios designs enzyme-based biological processes to break down plastics, with the mission of preventing plastic and textile pollution and accelerating the transition to a circular economy. Its two innovative technologies—dedicated to PET biorecycling and PLA biodegradation—are currently scaling up to industrial and commercial levels. Carbios is supported by prestigious brands in the cosmetics, food, and apparel industries, aiming to improve the recyclability and circularity of their products. Nestlé Waters, PepsiCo, and Suntory Beverage & Food Europe took part in a packaging consortium founded by Carbios and L’Oréal. On, Patagonia, PUMA, PVH Corp., and Salomon collaborate with Carbios in a textile consortium. Carbios is part of the global community of B Corp™ certified companies that are transforming their business models to serve the common good.
Visit www.carbios.com to learn more about biotechnology for circular plastics and textiles.
LinkedIn : carbios / Instagram : carbios
Information on Carbios shares:
ISIN Code FR0011648716
Ticker Code Euronext Growth: ALCRB
LEI 969500M2RCIWO4NO5F08
Carbios is eligible for the PEA-PME, a government program allowing French residents investing in SMEs to benefit from income tax rebates.
About Patagonia
We’re in business to save our home planet. Founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973, Patagonia is an outdoor apparel company based in Ventura, California. As a certified B Corporation and a founding member of 1% for the Planet, the company is recognized internationally for its product quality and environmental activism, as well as its contributions of more than $230 million to environmental organizations. Its unique ownership structure reflects that Earth is its only shareholder: Profits not reinvested back into the business are paid as dividends to protect the planet.
About PUMA
PUMA is one of the world’s leading sports brands, designing, developing, selling and marketing footwear, apparel and accessories. For more than 70 years, PUMA has relentlessly pushed sport and culture forward by creating fast products for the world’s fastest athletes. PUMA offers performance and sport-inspired lifestyle products in categories such as Football, Running and Training, Basketball, Golf, and Motorsports. It collaborates with renowned designers and brands to bring sport influences into street culture and fashion. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf and stichd. The company distributes its products in more than 120 countries, employs about 16,000 people worldwide, and is headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany.
About Salomon
Salomon is the modern mountain sport lifestyle brand creating innovative, premium and authentic footwear, apparel and winter sports equipment in the French Alps. We’re more than innovators, we’re futurists. We don’t predict trends, we shape the future. At the Annecy Design Center, designers, engineers and athletes intersect to explore the white space of tomorrow and create the future of sports and culture.
Disclaimer on forward-looking statements and risk factors:
This press release contains forward-looking statements, not historical data, and should not be construed as a guarantee that the facts and data stated will occur. These forward-looking statements are based on data, assumptions and estimates considered reasonable by Carbios. Carbios operates in a competitive and rapidly evolving environment. It is therefore not in a position to anticipate all risks, uncertainties or other factors that may affect its business, their potential impact on its business or the extent to which the materialization of a risk or combination of risks could lead to results that differ significantly from those mentioned in any forward‑looking statement. Carbios draws your attention to the fact that forward-looking statements are in no way a guarantee of its future performance and that its actual financial position, results, cash flows, its partnerships and corporate agreements, and the development of the sector in which Carbios operates may differ significantly from those proposed or suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in this document. In addition, even if Carbios’ financial position, results, cash flows, its partnerships and corporate agreements, and developments in the industry in which it operates are consistent with the forward-looking information contained in this document, such results or developments may not be a reliable indication of Carbios’ future results or developments. Readers are also advised to carefully consider the risk factors described in the Universal registration document filed with the French Market Authority (“AMF”) and available free of charge on the Company’s website. Should all or any part of these risk factors occur or others, in no case whatsoever will Carbios be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction with the information and/or statements in this press release or for any related damages. This information is given only as of the date of this press release. Carbios makes no commitment to publish updates to this information or on the assumptions on which it is based, except in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligation applicable to it.
For additional information, please contact:
Carbios
Laura Perrin
Communications
contact@carbios.com
+33 (0)4 73 86 51 76
Carbios
Benjamin Audebert
Investor Relations
contact@carbios.com
+33 (0)4 73 86 51 76
Maarc - Relations Presse
Bruno Arabian
bruno.arabian@maarc.fr
+33 (0)6 87 88 47 26
Simon Dulucq
Simon.dulucq@maarc.fr
+33 (0) 6 10 98 55 64
Notes
- Available as textile-grade r-PET pellets or yarn, EnzyTex is a high-purity recycled material produced using Carbios’ biorecycling technology and designed for seamless integration into existing textile production lines.
- These materials are considered difficult to recycle due to fiber blends (cotton, elastane) and contaminants (dyes, finishes, silicones).
- Pre-industrial and post-consumer textiles.