Imagine taking the pollution coming out of factory chimneys and turning it into a thread for clothes. Instead of using oil to make polyester, this process uses captured carbon dioxide and renewable energy. It's like recycling air into fabric, making the clothes we wear much kinder to the planet.
The textile industry relies on petrochemicals for 52% of its fiber market (PET), contributing to 10% of global GHG emissions. There is a critical lack of industrial-scale alternatives to virgin PET that do not rely on fossil fuels.
A pilot production line in Antwerp including a scaled-up electrolyzer (200 cm²), specialized catalysts for carbonylation, and detailed process flow and piping diagrams.
If you are a clothing brand dealing with high carbon footprints from synthetic fabrics — this project developed a way to produce PET textiles from CO2 waste that reduces GHG emissions by 70%. This allows you to offer high-quality garments with identical characteristics to conventional polyester.
If you are a car interior manufacturer dealing with strict sustainability mandates for cabin plastics — this project developed a CO2-based PET production method. It provides a sustainable alternative to petrochemical sources for automotive textiles.
If you are a performance gear producer dealing with the environmental impact of virgin PET — this project developed a first-of-its-kind technology to valorise CO2 waste streams. You can produce sports textiles that maintain the same quality as fuel-based PET while cutting emissions by 70%.
The project aims to demonstrate the technology at an industrial scale (TRL 7). Currently, work is focused on a pilot line in Antwerp to move from TRL 5 to 6 by the end of 2024.
Based on available project data, the project has conducted technical-economic studies to ensure the resulting textiles are commercially viable, though specific price points are not disclosed.
The project is developing a first-of-its-kind technology for CO2 valorisation. Specific licensing terms are not mentioned, but the goal is to create a EU-based value chain.
The resulting CO2-based textiles are designed to have identical characteristics as conventional fuel-based PET, meaning they can be integrated into existing clothing, automotive, and sports industry lines.
The project period runs from 2023-01-01 to 2027-06-30, with the pilot line scale-up expected to reach TRL 6 by the end of 2024.
The consortium is heavily industry-driven with a 54% industry ratio, comprising 13 partners across 7 European countries. With 7 industrial partners and 5 SMEs, the project is well-positioned for commercial transition, balancing academic research (2 universities, 3 research centers) with practical manufacturing expertise.
Contact FAIRBRICS SAS in France for partnership and licensing inquiries.
Contact us to explore how to integrate CO2-based PET into your supply chain.
