A French company, Carbios has become the world’s first to unveil a plain white T-shirt made entirely from recycled polyester fabric offcuts. This breakthrough ‘fiber-to-fiber’ system uses enzymes to break down and regenerate polyester fibers, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional oil-based polyester production.

This innovation addresses the massive problem of polyester waste, which is currently mostly incinerated, says Emmanuel Ladent, CEO, Carbios.  This development could revolutionize the textile industry, where only 1 per cent of recycled fibers come from textiles, he adds,

The T-shirt's fibers were derived from factory offcuts and waste materials from partners like Patagonia, Puma, and Salomon. These offcuts included colored, treated polyester, as well as blends with cotton and elastane. Unlike ‘fleece’ made from recycled plastic bottles, Carbios' process can handle complex textile waste.

Carbios' enzymatic process breaks down polyester into fibers that can be spun and woven into new fabric. The company has a research unit in Clermont-Ferrand and is building a larger factory in Longlaville, with plans to recycle PET trays and bottles starting in 2026.

The success of the T-shirt project could accelerate the recycling of polyester fabrics, which are easier to source than plastic bottles. Garments require minimal preparation, such as removing buttons and zips.

Beyond textiles, Carbios is exploring applications for its technology in recycling fiberglass boats and aircraft, materials that are currently difficult to recycle. The company's innovative enzyme-based approach offers a promising solution for reducing textile waste and expanding the recycling of other challenging materials.