#Recycling / Circular Economy

2025-08-20

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.

Breaking down polyester, integrating it seamlessly into existing supply chains

matterr has developed an innovative technology for the chemical recycling of polyester from hard-to-recycle textiles and packaging waste. The process delivers drop-in ready raw materials, identical to virgin quality, and is now set to scale.

(c) 2025 - matterr and BESTSELLER collaborate to scale polyester recycling. matterr has developed an innovative technology for the chemical recycling of polyester from hard-to-recycle textiles and packaging waste, delivering drop-in ready raw materials, identical to virgin quality.

By replacing virgin PET production from fossil feedstocks, it substantially reduces greenhouse gas emissions – making a direct contribution to industrial decarbonisation.

Industrial deployment in Germany

With combined financial support from the EU and BESTSELLER, matterr will start building its small-scale industrial plant in Germany in 2026. Once completed, the facility is designed to process 10,000 tonnes of polyesterrich waste annually, creating a reliable source of drop-in ready feedstock for the textile and packaging industries. “Scaling breakthrough technologies requires strong and pragmatic partners,” says Melanie Hackler, CEO of matterr. “With BESTSELLER, we share not only mindset and values, but also the belief that drop-in ready, scalable and economically viable solutions are the business models of the future. This partnership accelerates our mission to make polyester a resource that can be recycled repeatedly.”

A shared ambition to transform the industry

For BESTSELLER, the investment aligns with its broader ambition to decouple from fossil resources and increase the use of recycled materials in fashion. Through Invest FWD, BESTSELLER has invested more than DKK 200 million in innovative companies aiming to create the materials of the future and drive systemic change. “matterr is a young company with an interesting solution that aims to be implemented on a large scale to benefit the entire fashion industry. We believe in the scalability of their technology as well as the commercial potential of the company. This can ensure the right impact in the long run. BESTSELLER has clear ambitions to reduce dependency from fossil sources, and utilisation of recycled polyester is a crucial component in achieving this,” says Dorte Rye Olsen, Head of Sustainability,

BESTSELLER. “Moreover, our investments in innovative recycling technologies align with the fashion industry’s vision of transforming consumers' worn-out garments into raw materials for new clothing. Given the vast number of garments used globally today, it is essential that we take on our responsibility and utilise discarded materials repeatedly.”

By joining forces, matterr and BESTSELLER demonstrate how collaboration between technology innovators and global brands can unlock the needed transition.

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.

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.

The textile industry in transition

Recycling, traceability, eco-design and digitalisation are among the key future challenges facing the European textile industry. The Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity, involving 21 partners from twelve countries, is investigating the skills required to address these challenges. As the German industry partner, the Industry Association for Finishing – Yarns – Fabrics – Technical Textiles (IVGT) is bringing the industry’s perspective to the project.

"We will become a recycling powerhouse"

The textile industry is now in its fourth consecutive year of crisis, while automation, artificial intelligence and recycling are reshaping the rules of the game. In this interview, Rieter CEO Thomas Oetterli discusses the first signs of a market recovery, reflects on his first three years at the helm of the company, explains the integration of Barmag, outlines Rieter’s vision of the fully automated spinning mill and highlights the strategic importance of recycling. In doing so, he explains why the new Rieter Group aims to play a leading role in transforming the textile value chain into a circular economy.

Countdown to Textiles Recycling Expo 2026: Brussels prepares for Europe’s textile recycling gathering

With only two weeks remaining until the start of the second edition of the Textiles Recycling Expo 2026, preparations are entering the final phase. The exhibition and conference, dedicated exclusively to textile recycling and circularity, will take place on 24–25 June 2026 at Brussels Expo and is expected to attract stakeholders from across the textile recycling value chain.

Indorama Ventures enables brands to scale circular textiles through proven, traceable supply chains

Indorama Ventures, a global leader in recycled polyester staple fibers and filament yarns, will exhibit at Textiles Recycling Expo in Brussels on June 24–25. At the event, the company will show how brands and textile manufacturers can build traceable, circular textile supply chains by working with proven partners who deliver recycled materials on an industrial scale.

New spinning package with two-step filtration for recycled yarns and more

At the ITM in Istanbul, BB Engineering unveiled its new, patented ValuePack spinning package for the first time, which features a two-stage filtration system. This is particularly beneficial for re-cycling processes. Until now, spinning packs have used either metal powder (“sand”) or filter candles as filter media. Both options are suitable for differ-ent applications, and each has its own specific advantages and dis-advantages.

ITMA 2027 gains strong momentum

In line with the theme "Co-creating the future of textiles", ITMA continues to strengthen its support for start-ups, recognising their role in driving innovation and shaping the future of textile and garment manufacturing. Through the Start-Up Valley, emerging companies gain access to a global marketplace where they can connect with industry leaders, potential partners, investors and customers.

Mongolia: Workshop on Italian textile technologies kicks off in Ulaanbaatar

The workshop dedicated to Italian textile technologies will kick off in Ulaanbaatar from 21 to 23 June 2026. Focused on the most advanced innovative solutions for the textile industry, the initiative will bring together 13 Italian textile machinery manufacturers, confirming the growing interest in strengthening industrial cooperation between the two countries and highlighting Mongolia’s strategic importance for Italian textile machinery producers.