#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.

Selenis to double capacity in Portugal by Q3 2027 - Accelerating the Global transition to circular and low-carbon polyesters

Selenis, a global leader in high-performance specialty polyesters and part of the IMG Group, has announced a transformational expansion of its industrial headquarters in Portalegre, Portugal. This strategic investment is set to double the site’s production capacity by the third quarter of 2027, significantly accelerating the industrial scale-up of bio-based, medical-grade, and circular co-polyesters.

Fabolose: Fabricating vegan and circular leather alternatives from bio-tech-derived cellulose

Fabulose is an EU funded project coordinated by the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF). Its consortium consists of leading research institutes, biotech innovators, and industry stakeholders who aim to create high-performance, biobased and recyclable leather-like fabrics, using efficient biotech production routes for bacterial cellulose, cyanophycin and bacterial pigments

Measure and control the fiber – optimize yarn quality

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JEC World 2026 returns with an unprecedented content program

Recognized worldwide as the leading trade exhibition for composite materials and their applications, JEC World returns on March 10-12, 2026, at Paris Nord Villepinte as the most ambitious edition to date, in line with its motto “Pushing the limits”. As the must-attend event for the composites industry, JEC World will offer an unprecedented program, blending conferences, markets insights, technical sessions, awards, and above all, a unique experience and invaluable connections.

Beyond the wardrobe – innovative cotton takes the spotlight

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Keeping print inclusive: Empowering women in the print industry

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Texprocess 2026: market overview for strategic future investments

At Texprocess 2026, 200 exhibitors from 28 countries will be represented. In a challenging market environment, the leading trade fair is a constant and reflects progress in textile processing – driven by automation, digitalisation and AI. In addition, international start-ups present their ideas and meet partners from industry and research. Techtextil takes place in parallel with an optimised hall layout.