In a significant move towards enhancing the circular economy, Reju, a pioneering French textile regeneration company, has announced the location of its new industrial-scale regeneration center in Lacq, situated in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department. This new facility, known as the Regeneration Hub, will leverage Reju's innovative technology to convert post-consumer textiles into high-quality recycled polyester. The decision to establish the Regeneration Hub reflects Reju's commitment to addressing the enormous ecological challenges posed by textile waste, which sees an alarming 121 million tons discarded annually, with a mere 1% being recycled for new clothing. The majority ends up in landfills or incinerated, contributing to significant environmental issues. By creating this facility, Reju aims to not only mitigate these problems but also to position France as a leader in circular and low-carbon industrial innovation.
The Regeneration Hub will employ patented depolymerization technology to transform used textiles sourced from national waste streams into rBHET, a regenerated raw material essential for producing new polyester. This polyester will be repolymerized back into Reju PET, allowing for a sustainable lifecycle of textile materials. The project not only reinforces France's role as a forerunner in this strategic sector but is anticipated to generate around 80 direct jobs and more than 300 indirect positions.
‘This French regeneration center is part of our strategy to industrialize the circular model of textile production from used material,’ stated Patrik Frisk, CEO of Reju. ‘By leveraging France's ambitious circular economy program and developing our technology in new markets, we are enhancing our mission to turn textile waste into valuable circular resources.’ Through this facility, Reju plans to build a scalable circular infrastructure in France and Europe that enables traceability in textile regeneration and final fiber usage closure. This initiative aligns with Reju's existing endeavors, including the Regeneration Hub Zero in Frankfurt and a recently announced facility in the United States, set to open in Eastman Business Park, New York.
The center will be located on the Induslacq platform, owned by TotalEnergies. Chemparc, a development agency supported by the state and local governments, has expressed excitement over Lacq's selection as the site for Reju's first French Regeneration Hub, highlighting the appeal of the region and its role in advancing a low-carbon circular economy. Audrey Le-Bars, the agency's CEO, reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the success of this industrial project.
Reju operates under the umbrella of Technip Energies and utilizes patented technology developed in collaboration with IBM Research to process, regenerate, and recirculate textile waste, starting from polyester. The company is also engaged with various entities and organizations, including ReHubs, Petcore, and Evolen, to foster a circular ecosystem for developing the textile regeneration sector in compliance with European requirements.
As a company focused on material regeneration, Reju aims to unveil the infinite possibilities within limited resources, actively pursuing the creation of a global recycling system for textiles. They strive to regenerate and reintroduce polyester materials back into circulation through innovative solutions for recycling polyester textiles and PET waste.
For more information on Reju and its initiatives, visit
www.reju.com.