Epoch Biodesign, a UK-based enzymatic recycling technology company, has confirmed plans for a commercial-scale nylon 6,6 biorecycling demonstration plant in London. Last month, the company said the facility would process "hundreds of tonnes of post-consumer nylon 6,6 waste from apparel, automotive and industrial applications each year". The new plant, which is scheduled to open in the third quarter, is located at Grapht Works, a hub for pilot and demonstration manufacturing being developed by Imperial College London.
The demonstration facility is to be based on Epoch’s molecular recycling process using AI-engineered enzymes to break down end-of-life nylon 6,6, including challenging feedstocks such as silicon-coated airbag fabric, elastane-blended textiles, and post-consumer clothing, at room temperature. In a March feature published on its website, Epoch said its enzyme technology can recover more than 90 per cent of the target monomers from post-consumer nylon 6,6 material.
The construction of the new plant forms part of Epoch's broader commercialisation strategy, which is being supported through a recently completed $12m (ca. €10m) finance round, announced in late March. The participating investors included the athleisure brand Lululemon, as well as the institutional investors Kompas VC, Extantia, and Leitmotif. The company has put the total capital raised to date at over $50m.
In February, the company announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with nylon manufacturer Invista, through which the companies aim to combine Epoch Biodesign's technology with Invista's polymerisation expertise and global footprint to produce virgin-quality nylon for use in new products at scale. Technical assessment and polymer qualification were already underway and would be followed by application performance testing, Invista said.
