#Recycled Fibers

2025-10-23

matterr at K – Where innovation meets industry

At this year’s K trade fair, matterr took the stage to showcase its technology and demonstrate how it drives circular polyester at an industrial scale. Insightful conversations, strong new connections, and great energy — all together reminds how powerful it is when innovation meets industry. The momentum from Düsseldorf shows: circular transformation is no longer a vision — it’s happening.

The cleantech company matterr was part of this year’s K — The World’s No. 1 Trade Fair for Plastics and Rubber, introducing its patented depolymerization technology to a global audience. At the booth and during its sessions the company shared insights into its first small-scale industrial plant, to be built at Chemiepark Knapsack, which will serve as a blueprint for future large-scale facilities.

On day two, matterr hosted a press briefing together with Ralf Müller and Christoph Kappenhagen from the management board of YNCORIS, and Monika Beck, Head of Business Unit D-A-CH / Spain / Portugal at NRW.Global Business. The message was clear: industrial innovation can start in Germany — and scale across borders.

“With the EU funding and BESTSELLER’s investment, we have reached two important milestones toward building a small-scale industrial depolymerization plant at Chemiepark Knapsack. Our decision to scale in Germany is intentional: the technology was developed here, and we will keep the value creation here. This ensures strategic independence in a key technology driving the global circular transformation in the textile and packaging industries", states Melanie Hackler, CEO of matterr

Project and regional impact

The planned facility, with an annual capacity of around 10,000 tons, will convert hard-to-recycle polyester streams — from textiles to multilayer packaging — into virgin-quality, drop-in feedstock. The technology is specifically designed to handle complex material streams that mechanical recycling cannot handle.

By recovering polyester captured in mixed waste streams currently sent to landfill or incineration, matterr advances decarbonization across the polyester value chain, and contributes to EU circular economy and climate targets – while reinforcing Germany’s role as a hub for industrial innovation.

Scaling up, matterr aims to prove that fossil-free circular solutions work at industrial scale and to set a new benchmark for regenerative supply chains across industries.

“Chemiepark Knapsack offers ideal conditions: infrastructure, energy networks, skilled workforce, and proximity to strong partners across the value chain. For us as a team, it is also about establishing standards and processes that enable fast replication and international roll-out, says Benjamin Rump, COO of matterr.

Recycling pioneer matterr to build plant at Chemiepark Knapsack

matterr is establishing operations at Chemiepark Knapsack. The planned small-scale industrial depolymerisation plant will be located in the Hürth section of the site and will have an annual capacity of 10,000 tonnes. The facility marks an important step toward a fossil-free, circular PET industry. Groundbreaking is scheduled for 2026.

matterr welcomes BESTSELLER as new investor to scale polyester recycling

matterr, the German cleantech company pioneering polyester recycling, announces a strategic partnership with family-owned international fashion group BESTSELLER. The investment, made through BESTSELLER’s innovation and investment platform Invest FWD, follows a major EU commitment of 30 million euros in public support through the EFRE/JTF program in North Rhine-Westphalia. Together, these milestones lay the foundation for matterr’s first small-scale industrial plant and the subsequent international scale-up of its technology.

Expansive innovations converge in Shanghai as Yarn Expo Autumn 2026 opens doors next week

With just days to go, industry enthusiasm is building for the opening of Yarn Expo Autumn, Asia’s premier yarn and fibre trade fair, running from 25 – 27 August at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). Across 27,000 sqm in Hall 8.2, buyers will find nearly 600 exhibitors from 14 countries and regions, spread across seven specialised zones that range from cutting-edge man-made and regenerated fibres to time-honoured cashmere and silk. Beyond the extensive sourcing options, a fringe programme of trend showcases, presentations and product launches rounds out the three¬day event with design, innovation and market intelligence.

Naia™ from Eastman strengthens western hemisphere textile connections at Apparel Sourcing Show Guatemala

As brands and retailers explore more diversified and responsive sourcing networks, the Naia™ brand from Eastman is strengthening its engagement with the textile and apparel value chain across the western hemisphere. From August 18–20, the company will participate for the first time in Apparel Sourcing Show Guatemala, a regional meeting point for apparel sourcing, manufacturing and nearshoring.

Usha Yarns secures growth equity investment from Fullerton Carbon Action Fund

Usha Yarns Limited (“Usha Yarns”), a producer of high-quality recycled yarns with advanced, well established production processes, announced a growth equity investment from the Fullerton Carbon Action Fund (“Fullerton”), a private equity strategy managed by Fullerton Fund Management that backs established mid-market companies across Emerging Asia to accelerate decarbonisation.

DOMOTEX Southeast Asia 2026 - Building the Gateway to ASEAN's fast-growing flooring market

From 11–13 November 2026, the inaugural DOMOTEX Southeast Asia will take place at BITEC (Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre) in Bangkok, Thailand. Jointly organized by GLOBUS Events Limited and Hannover Milano Fairs Shanghai Ltd., with Worldex G.E.C. Co., Ltd. as the local partner, the exhibition marks the expansion of the internationally recognized DOMOTEX brand into Southeast Asia. As the newest addition to the global DOMOTEX portfolio, the exhibition has been developed specifically to serve the rapidly evolving ASEAN market, creating a dedicated business event for the flooring and interior finishing industry.

Execs help steer Cascale’s consumer goods agenda in Athens

The 2026 Cascale Annual Meeting, taking place September 15–17 in Athens, Greece, will convene leaders from across the global consumer goods value chain to tackle one of the industry’s defining questions: how to accelerate meaningful, system-wide transformation. Guiding those conversations as this year’s co-chairs are Sean Cady, vice president, global sustainability, responsibility, trade, and government affairs at VF Corporation, and Dr. Delman Lee, vice chair at TAL Apparel Limited.

YKK launches no. 3 size of QuickFree® click-TRAK® magnetic zipper globally

YKK Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Koichi Matsushima; hereafter, YKK) has begun the global rollout of the No. 3 size of its QuickFree® click-TRAK® Magnetic zipper, expanding availability beyond China for the first time. While maintaining the same functionality and ease of operation, the No. 3 size is approximately 60% the size of the No. 5 size *1. This enables applications in lightweight garments, sportswear, hooded apparel, and other similar uses.