Epoch Biodesign, a London-based biotechnology firm, has raised $12 million to scale its enzymatic process for recycling synthetic textiles into high-grade plastic monomers. The funding round included participation from apparel giant Lululemon, alongside venture firms Extantia, Happiness Capital, Kompas VC, and Leitmotif. The capital will fund a demonstration facility near Imperial College London, ahead of a planned commercial plant in 2028 capable of producing 20,000 metric tons annually.
The company’s technology uses a cascade of industrial enzymes to break down pre- and post-consumer waste—specifically focusing first on Nylon 6,6—into its original chemical building blocks. Unlike traditional mechanical recycling, which often degrades material quality, Epoch’s process recovers more than 90% of the desired monomers, leaving only dyes as a byproduct. This allows for a “circular” production model where waste fabric replaces petroleum as the primary feedstock.
By decoupling plastic production from fossil fuels, Epoch aims to provide price stability for manufacturers currently facing extreme market volatility. The company intends to expand its enzymatic platform to other complex plastics once its Nylon 6,6 operations reach maturity.
“For us, a bale of textile is the equivalent of a barrel of oil. When we’re detaching the production of materials from the extraction, refinement, and volatility that comes from fossil carbon, we can create much more consistency,” said Jacob Nathan, Founder and CEO of Epoch Biodesign.
He added, “Nylon 6,6 is the original synthetic fibre. The reason we still use it is it’s really good at what it does. We can’t really replace it in all these applications. [Our technology] can be repurposed for different types of materials and plastics.”
