The fashion industry is a major polluter, contributing to 10% of global carbon emissions. Nylon, which constitutes approximately 7% of new textiles produced annually, is a significant part of this problem. Most nylon ends up in landfills or incineration plants due to its blend with other fibres such as cotton, elastane, and polyester, which enhances its utility in activewear, outdoor gear, hosiery, and high-performance textiles but complicates recycling.

Syntetica’s innovative depolymerisation technique offers a groundbreaking solution to nylon recycling, potentially driving a shift towards a circular economy for nylon garments. Unlike existing methods, which are energy-intensive and costly due to high temperatures and pressure, Syntetica’s process operates at low temperatures and without pressure. This technique breaks the chemical bonds between nylon and other fibres in blended textiles, separating them for reuse in manufacturing in a cost-effective, low-carbon process. The method is feedstock agnostic, utilising off-the-shelf chemicals and existing laboratory infrastructure, making it highly scalable.

Several major fashion brands are already in contract discussions with Syntetica, recognising the potential to revolutionise their supply chains. Etam, a lingerie brand in France, is collaborating with Syntetica on a capsule collection made from recycled materials using this innovative process.

The newly raised capital will enable Syntetica to expand its team with additional technical expertise and start producing fully recycled nylon materials for fashion and automotive clients, with the goal of reaching a pre-industrial production stage by mid-2026.

Marco Bertone, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Syntetica, commented: “We founded Syntetica to deliver a practical solution to permanently close the loop in nylon recycling, meaningfully reducing retailers’ carbon emissions and preventing millions of tonnes of garments being consigned to landfill.

“To have the backing of EQT Ventures, a leading climate tech investor, and a number of tier one fashion retailers so early on in our journey is a huge endorsement of our technology. We are excited to build on this momentum, grow the team, and kickstart production.”

Laurent Milchior, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Etam Group, commented: “Decarbonisation and sustainability are at the top of our agenda and in the fashion industry this starts with textile manufacturing. Etam Group is working hard to reduce its supply chain's environmental impact and to this end we are delighted to be partnering with Syntetica, whose novel solution to nylon recycling is unique in the market and pioneering the shift towards widespread circularity technology. We look forward to launching a fully recycled textile prototype with Syntetica in 2025 which will be the basis of a first-of-its-kind capsule collection arriving in 2026.”

Thomas Poitrineau, Director at EQT Ventures, added: “From the early days of our partnership, Marco’s and Louis’ technical expertise and entrepreneurial flare immediately impressed me. So too did their ambition to solve one of the most pressing and complex challenges facing clothing retailers today - it was clear we had a similar methodology for approaching climate issues and the founder-investor fit was effortless from day one.”

Sandra Malmberg, Partner at EQT Ventures, added: “I’m thrilled to welcome Syntetica to the portfolio and look forward to working alongside Thomas with the team there to help scale their offering and pave the way for a low-cost, low-carbon recycling solution the industry is in desperate need of.”