FINANCIAL CHRONICLE – Syntetica, a French deeptech firm focused on innovative methods for recycling textile waste, has successfully secured $30 million in Series A funding. This round attracted prominent investors from the technology and apparel sectors, including Sri Lanka’s MAS Holdings.
The funding initiative was spearheaded by the Ecotechnologies 2 fund, which is managed by Bpifrance on behalf of the French government. Notable contributors included SWEN Capital Partners, lululemon, existing investor EQT Ventures, as well as family offices associated with Peugeot, Etam, and the largest shareholder of Indorama Ventures. Additionally, support came from public entities such as the French public investment bank Bpifrance and the European Innovation Council.
Syntetica has created a unique solution that can recycle both Nylon 6 and Nylon 6,6 from mixed textile waste through a single process. Marco Bertone, the co-founder and CEO of Syntetica, highlighted the historical challenges associated with recycling mixed nylon waste, stating, “For decades, mixed nylon waste has been seen as too complex and costly to recycle at scale. Our technology demonstrates that high-value materials can be extracted from waste streams previously deemed unusable. This investment enables us to transition from groundbreaking chemistry to industrial application, facilitating the shift towards more circular material usage.”
The challenge of identifying and segregating different nylon types has been a significant obstacle to large-scale recycling of post-consumer nylon. As reported by the Textile Exchange’s Materials Market Report, global nylon production reached approximately 7 million tonnes in 2024. Despite a rising demand for sustainable materials, recycled nylon comprises only about 2% of the total nylon market, primarily due to the difficulties associated with processing post-consumer textiles. Currently, over 80% of textiles discarded by households are either incinerated, sent to landfills, or left in the environment, emphasizing the urgent need for technologies that enhance the recovery of valuable materials from intricate textile waste.
Syntetica’s innovative technology addresses a primary barrier to increasing recycling rates, enabling the processing of a greater volume of nylon waste generated by the apparel sector. The company is already collaborating with brands such as Victoria’s Secret and Etam, along with a growing list of global apparel firms, as the demand for scalable circular materials continues to rise.
This funding round will facilitate the establishment of Syntetica’s inaugural commercial demonstration facility in France, transitioning their technology from a laboratory setting to industrial production, with an aim to handle several hundred tonnes of textile waste annually. This demonstration plant will be developed in partnership with Michelin’s Centre for Sustainable Materials in Clermont-Ferrand.
The investment aligns with the increasing interest among brands, manufacturers, and policymakers to minimize waste and enhance material supply chains. Unlike many existing recycling technologies that focus on clean production waste, Syntetica’s method specifically targets post-consumer textiles, which account for around 80% of textile waste and present a significant untapped recycling potential within the industry.
This approach positions Syntetica to create new industrial supply chains centered around materials already present in Europe, thereby reducing dependence on imported fossil-based resources and bolstering local manufacturing capabilities. While nylon is currently the primary focus, Syntetica intends to broaden its technology applications to include additional materials across textiles, automotive sectors, and specialty chemicals over time.
The company has garnered support from both French and European public funding initiatives, including Bpifrance and the European Innovation Council, as governments aim to enhance industrial capacities surrounding strategic materials and waste management.
Alexandre Wagner, Investment Director at Bpifrance Green Venture, remarked, “Syntetica has developed a unique technology that tackles one of the textile industry’s most intricate recycling challenges. We are excited to back the company’s growth as it scales its technology and manufacturing capabilities in France, which aligns perfectly with our investment strategy.”
Sid Amalean, Director of Group Innovation at MAS Holdings, added, “Successful recycling technology emerges when brand commitment, manufacturing collaboration, and industrial scaling expertise align—and Syntetica is among the few ventures that have managed to bring all these elements together. We are eager to support Syntetica in scaling their technology by utilizing MAS’s apparel manufacturing expertise. We view this investment as a strategic advancement for the industry overall.”
