The Consortium created by L’Oréal, the global cosmetics giant, and Carbios, a company pioneering new, bio-industrial solutions to reinvent the lifecycle of plastic and textile polymers, has signed a a major partnership with Nestlé Waters, PepsiCo and Suntory Beverage & Food Europe.

Carbios recently achieved a world first using its enzymatic technology to create PET bottles from 100% recycled plastics.

The aim of the Consortium is to bring on an industrial scale the recycling technology designed and developed by Carbios to recycle PET plastics and polyester fibres on a much broader than other recycling technologies by using highly specific enzymes that can create recycled PET, equivalent to virgin PET, that can be used for applications like bottles and other forms of packaging.

The aim is to bring Carbios’ PET-enhanced recycling technology to the market and increase the availability of high-quality recycled plastics to fulfill their sustainability commitments. The collaboration includes technical milestones and support for the efficient supply of consumer-grade, 100% recycled PET plastics for global markets.

Carbios has developed an innovative process that breaks down PET plastic waste into its original building blocks, which can be used to produce high-quality PET plastic. This patented technology offers the potential to recycle PET plastics repeatedly and pave the way for 100% recycled PET content in new products.

Actually, Carbios recently achieved a world first using its enzymatic technology to create PET bottles from 100% recycled plastics. This biological approach can handle all forms of PET plastics (clear, colored, opaque and multilayer) and polyester fibers. The process requires limited heat and no pressure or solvents, which improves its environmental impact, and also provides a competitive solution to increase global plastic recycling rates. By creating a circular economy from used plastics and fibers, Carbios’ enhanced recycling technology brings forward a sustainable and responsible solution. 

We are convinced that Carbios’ technology is a new step forward, in addition to the mechanical and chemical recycling that contribute to reaching our 2025 goals: 50% of our products’ plastic components is recycled or bio-sourced. We know that by working together with our partners, we will succeed in creating a more sustainable world based on circular economy principles”, said Philippe Thuvien, Packaging & Development Vice-President at L’Oréal.