Australian enviro-tech group Samsara Eco has reached a major milestone in its bid to make "infinite recycling" of plastic a reality with the opening of its first plant in Queanbeyan.
Samsara Eco says the new plant will “exponentially increase” its ability to produce virgin-identical, low-carbon circular materials such as recycled nylon 6,6 and polyester with broad applications at scale across the apparel, packaging and automotives sectors.
The facility, located in the Queanbeyan suburb of Jerrabomberra, houses EosEco which is Samsara Eco’s breakthrough enzymatic recycling technology.
The technology uses AI-crafted enzymes to break down mixed plastics destined for landfill into recycled raw materials, ready for brands to incorporate into their next product line.
The facility also houses expanded enzyme production facilities, allowing Samsara Eco to further develop its proprietary AI-powered enzyme discovery and development platform to find recycling solutions for a broader range of plastics.
“The opening of Jerrabomberra is a proud milestone for us and the broader circular economy,” says Paul Riley, CEO and founder of Samsara Eco.
“In just four years, we’ve scaled from bench research through to pilot, demonstration, and now our first plant. This is a true tipping point for circularity, shifting circular materials from early-stage innovation to mainstream reality.
“Brand demand and supportive new regulations are helping to clear the path forward. Our new facility will help brands deliver circularity with the capacity to produce the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of garments annually.”
Samsara Eco is already working with leading brands such as lululemon to swap virgin materials for recycled materials.
Last year, the company debuted the world’s first enzymatically recycled nylon 6,6 product and it also launched the first product made from enzymatically recycled polyester, creating lululemon’s limited-edition Packable Anorak jacket.
The circular materials made at Jerrabomberra will feature in upcoming product lines for lululemon, as well as pilot programs and trials with brands across textiles, automotive and packaging.
The company recently announced it was combining forces with The LYCRA Company to find a world-first solution for recycling spandex which will be among the programs at the new facility.
Samsara Eco’s plant will also enhance its collaboration with Deakin University’s Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub, part of the Australian Government’s Trailblazer Universities Program.
Samsara Eco points out that only 10 per cent of plastics are currently recycled and less than 1 per cent of textiles are recycled into new textiles.
The company aims to rewrite those numbers by recycling the “unrecyclable” to keep high-value materials out of the landfill.
“This isn't just about building a plant,” says Riley. “It's about building a circular future where materials don’t have an end-of-life. Instead, they are infinitely recycled, reducing the world’s reliance on finite resources.”
Jerrabomberra will provide a runway for Samsara Eco’s first nylon 6,6 commercial plant, which is being designed with engineering partner, KBR and due to open in Asia in 2028.
The 20,000-tonne facility will be the first of a fleet of international commercial facilities, which will use Samsara Eco’s EosEco technology to turn waste into virgin-identical raw materials.
“Our Jerrabomberra plant marks a significant milestone in Australia’s advanced manufacturing and circular economy journey,” says Riley.
“Our technology supports Australia’s net-zero targets while driving economic growth, resilience, and productivity.
“We're creating an entirely new industry to unlock major export opportunities and bring new skills to market, while also helping to position Australia as a leader in circular technology and a global exporter of circular materials.”
Samsara Eco last year raised US$65 million ($100 million) via a Series A+ funding round led by Temasek and Main Sequence, which followed a $54 million Series A in 2022.
“Samsara Eco opening its first plant for infinite plastic recycling in regional Australia is an exemplar of Australian ingenuity leading the world to create industries for the next generation of growth,” says Phil Morle, partner at Main Sequence.
“In this case, the first step to eradicating the problem of plastic waste.”
Among other investors, Carley Phillips, principal at Greycroft says the new Jerrabomberra facility marks an important step towards scaling circular materials and showcasing the power of technology to transform industries.
“We are excited to continue supporting the team as they bring this innovation to market and drive the growth of the circular economy,” says Phillips.
Jan Marchewski, associate at Hitachi Ventures, says the VC firm is “deeply impressed” by Samsara Eco’s ability to deliver every milestone on time and on budget, describing it as “an extraordinary achievement for a deep-tech company”.
“The opening of the Jerrabomberra facility is a powerful testament to the team’s execution excellence,” says Marchewski.
“This hub will enable Samsara Eco to test AI-discovered enzymes at scale in collaboration with partners, further cementing its market leadership in enzymatic recycling.”Help us deliver quality journalism to you.
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