The U.S. Department of Energy is backing a biotech effort led by Protein Evolution that could help turn worn-out polyester into fresh fabric instead of sending it to the trash, WWD reported.
At stake is a $3 million push to see whether enzymes that digest polyester can become a part of a manufacturing process that works at industrial scale and at a competitive price.
Here's what to know
According to WWD, the DOE tapped New Haven, Connecticut-based Protein Evolution to head an effort to scale a biological process that converts polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, textile waste into the chemical inputs for new polyester.
Xytel, which specializes in pilot plants, and the National Laboratory of the Rockies, formerly known as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, are partnering on the work.
Among 56 projects splitting $117 million from the DOE's Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, this one is expected to receive $3 million. The figure could change during negotiations.
The DOE said the aim is to create a recycling method that can compete on cost with conventional polyester raw materials.
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In 2024, polyester made up 59% of global fiber production. WWD, citing Textile Exchange, reported that 88% of that polyester still came from virgin resources. Manufacturers made most recycled polyester from plastic bottles, and less than 1% of the market came from discarded textiles.
More background
At the molecular level, enzymes can be used to break PET apart into terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol.
After purification, those substances can go back into standard polyester production. WWD stated that it offers a way to make material comparable to virgin polyester rather than the lower-quality output that repeated mechanical recycling can produce.
Used textiles vary widely and are often dyed or coated with chemical finishes. And polyester fibers also tend to be highly crystalline, which makes it harder for enzymes to access them. If the material has to be softened first with extra heat or processing, much of the environmental and financial upside begins to disappear.
A 2022 study from the National Laboratory of the Rockies said researchers reviewed more than 250 million protein sequences before identifying enzymes that could attack crystalline PET. In bioreactor tests, they reported converting nearly 98% of the PET into terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol after 48 hours.
That analysis also found that avoiding some energy-intensive actions could reduce supply-chain energy use by 45% and lower planet-heating pollution by 38% compared with enzymatic systems that soften the material first.
The researchers further estimated that recovering terephthalic acid from discarded clothing and carpeting could cost less than about $0.45 per pound. That could lead to savings down the line for manufacturers and eventually consumers.
Still, those results were not tied specifically to Protein Evolution's process, and the DOE has not shared the cost or technical benchmarks for the newly funded project.
What's being done?
For Protein Evolution, the award builds on several years of work.
After operating privately, the company went public in 2022 with more than $20 million in initial funding and an enzyme-design platform that combines artificial intelligence with synthetic biology. Its first product, Biopure, was created to break down plastic and textile waste into ingredients for new materials.
At COP28 in 2023, Stella McCartney presented a parka made with recycled polyester that Protein Evolution supplied. That demonstration, however, relied on rigid packaging and industrial polyester straps rather than used clothing.
Then, in November 2024, Protein Evolution announced a partnership with Slovenian biotech firm Acies Bio to expand enzyme production, along with plans for a Biopure demonstration facility in 2025.
While one person won't solve the world's overconsumption problem, it's still important to create circular economies whenever possible. Buying durable clothes, reusing what you already own, shopping secondhand, and exploring lower-plastic purchases can all help.
Where can I learn more?
Protein Evolution's DOE-backed effort is part of a much larger push to cut fashion and plastic waste through new materials and better recycling.
• Across the fashion industry, brands are testing biodegradable clothing designed to leave less waste behind.
• In Australia, scientists launched a groundbreaking technological innovation initiative to develop compostable plastics.
• Genecis is turning food scraps into biodegradable plastic using bacteria, broadening biotech's materials playbook.
There's no single fix for plastic waste, which is why so many approaches are moving forward at once.
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