Reju Chooses Chemelot Industrial Park for First Textile Regeneration Center
In a significant stride towards sustainability in the textile industry, Reju™, a pioneering company specializing in the regeneration of textiles, has officially announced the choice of Chemelot Industrial Park in Sittard-Geleen, Netherlands, as the location for its first large-scale textile recycling center—Regeneration Hub One. This groundbreaking decision follows the successful launch of the Regeneration Zero center in Frankfurt in October 2024, further solidifying Reju's commitment to transforming the textile industry through innovative solutions.
The establishment of Regeneration Hub One is designed to accelerate Reju's mission of creating a circular infrastructure for large-scale textile waste regeneration. Strategically located within Chemelot, a leading European industrial park known for its innovations, the facility will enable Reju to optimize existing infrastructure and foster beneficial collaborations within the industry, ensuring efficient scaling of their operations.
The proposed center aims to recycle an astounding equivalent of 300 million items annually. This translates into an impressive production capacity of 50,000 tons of recycled BHET (rBHET) each year, which will subsequently be polymerized into Reju’s PET. The product derived from textile waste will be transformed into Reju polyester fiber with carbon emissions 50% lower than those incurred during the production of virgin polyester fibers. The Reju polyester will then re-enter the supply chain to be manufactured into yarns and fabrics for consumers.
Europe has seen a marked increase in textile consumption, rising from 17 kg per person in 2019 to 19 kg in 2022. This surge results in a staggering 94 million tons of textile waste being discarded within EU member states, most of which ends up burned or sent to landfills. Through collaboration with suppliers, Reju aims to ensure traceability in textile recycling, solidifying their commitment to sustainability.
"This is a pivotal milestone for Reju," stated Patrick Frisk, CEO of Reju. "With the announcement of Regeneration Hub One's location, we reaffirm our commitment to transforming the textile industry through innovation and collaboration. Chemelot provides the ideal environment for scaling our technology and integrating within a broader network of industry leaders focused on circularity. Here, we aim to demonstrate that large-scale textile production can indeed achieve a circular economy."
Reju, a subsidiary of Technip Energies, is leveraging patented technology initially developed by IBM Research. By restoring, regenerating, and recirculating textile waste, starting with polyester fibers, Reju is establishing a scalable circular system that reduces the industry's dependence on virgin raw materials.
Koos van Haasteren, CEO of Chemelot, emphasized the park's commitment to supporting sustainable innovations and closed-loop solutions across various sectors. "Reju’s Regeneration Hub One aligns with our mission to transition toward a circular economy. By integrating their advanced textile recycling technology into our industrial ecosystem, we can help accelerate the reduction of textile waste and set new benchmarks for sustainable materials."
The establishment of the waste recycling center at Chemelot was made possible through collaborations with the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and the Ministry of Climate and Economic Affairs. Sophie Hermans, the Minister for Climate and Economic Affairs, remarked, "With Reju’s decision to place its innovative waste recycling facility at Chemelot, the Netherlands has secured its first large-scale recycling plant that will convert used textiles into raw materials for new, high-quality textile products. This new industry is critical to us—a sustainable, circular, and future-oriented one. It promotes green growth and strengthens our position in closed-loop chemistry. Despite challenges faced within this segment, the Netherlands remains an attractive investment destination for sustainable industries. The construction of this new plant is an active evolution of tomorrow’s industry, and I am proud to see Reju choose the Netherlands."
Collaboration with suppliers will be crucial for Reju in tracking waste utilized to produce secondary textiles, preventing materials from ending up in landfills, incinerators, or dumps.
Since its inception, Reju has achieved significant milestones, including:
For further information, visit reju.com.
The establishment of Regeneration Hub One is designed to accelerate Reju's mission of creating a circular infrastructure for large-scale textile waste regeneration. Strategically located within Chemelot, a leading European industrial park known for its innovations, the facility will enable Reju to optimize existing infrastructure and foster beneficial collaborations within the industry, ensuring efficient scaling of their operations.
The proposed center aims to recycle an astounding equivalent of 300 million items annually. This translates into an impressive production capacity of 50,000 tons of recycled BHET (rBHET) each year, which will subsequently be polymerized into Reju’s PET. The product derived from textile waste will be transformed into Reju polyester fiber with carbon emissions 50% lower than those incurred during the production of virgin polyester fibers. The Reju polyester will then re-enter the supply chain to be manufactured into yarns and fabrics for consumers.
Europe has seen a marked increase in textile consumption, rising from 17 kg per person in 2019 to 19 kg in 2022. This surge results in a staggering 94 million tons of textile waste being discarded within EU member states, most of which ends up burned or sent to landfills. Through collaboration with suppliers, Reju aims to ensure traceability in textile recycling, solidifying their commitment to sustainability.
"This is a pivotal milestone for Reju," stated Patrick Frisk, CEO of Reju. "With the announcement of Regeneration Hub One's location, we reaffirm our commitment to transforming the textile industry through innovation and collaboration. Chemelot provides the ideal environment for scaling our technology and integrating within a broader network of industry leaders focused on circularity. Here, we aim to demonstrate that large-scale textile production can indeed achieve a circular economy."
Reju, a subsidiary of Technip Energies, is leveraging patented technology initially developed by IBM Research. By restoring, regenerating, and recirculating textile waste, starting with polyester fibers, Reju is establishing a scalable circular system that reduces the industry's dependence on virgin raw materials.
Koos van Haasteren, CEO of Chemelot, emphasized the park's commitment to supporting sustainable innovations and closed-loop solutions across various sectors. "Reju’s Regeneration Hub One aligns with our mission to transition toward a circular economy. By integrating their advanced textile recycling technology into our industrial ecosystem, we can help accelerate the reduction of textile waste and set new benchmarks for sustainable materials."
The establishment of the waste recycling center at Chemelot was made possible through collaborations with the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and the Ministry of Climate and Economic Affairs. Sophie Hermans, the Minister for Climate and Economic Affairs, remarked, "With Reju’s decision to place its innovative waste recycling facility at Chemelot, the Netherlands has secured its first large-scale recycling plant that will convert used textiles into raw materials for new, high-quality textile products. This new industry is critical to us—a sustainable, circular, and future-oriented one. It promotes green growth and strengthens our position in closed-loop chemistry. Despite challenges faced within this segment, the Netherlands remains an attractive investment destination for sustainable industries. The construction of this new plant is an active evolution of tomorrow’s industry, and I am proud to see Reju choose the Netherlands."
Collaboration with suppliers will be crucial for Reju in tracking waste utilized to produce secondary textiles, preventing materials from ending up in landfills, incinerators, or dumps.
Since its inception, Reju has achieved significant milestones, including:
- - Launching its first regeneration center in Frankfurt
- - Partnering with Goodwill and Waste Management in the US to enhance textile recycling in North America
- - Engaging in a partnership with Nouvelles Fibres Textiles to automate the sorting of garments and sewing notions
- - Collaborating with Cibutex in Europe to develop an ecosystem of member companies
- - Partnering with Rematrix in Europe to ensure sustainable textile supplies.
For further information, visit reju.com.
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