€30 Million EU grant powers matterr’s industrial-scale breakthrough in polyester recycling
matterr, an emerging leader in advanced polyester recycling technologies, has secured a €30 million grant through the “Produktives.NRW” funding program under the EFRE/JTF Program NRW 2021–2027. The funding will accelerate the construction of the company’s first small-scale industrial chemical recycling plant in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, with operations slated to begin in 2027. The facility will have an annual capacity of 10,000 tonnes of recycled polyester feedstock, targeting both the packaging and textile markets.
Redefining polyester recycling at industrial scale
matterr’s proprietary depolymerization technology operates under atmospheric pressure to break down mixed polyester waste – including textiles and multilayer packaging – into its primary monomers, terephthalic acid (TPA) and ethylene glycol (EG). After purification, these monomers can be processed in existing polyester production assets to produce virgin-quality polymer, fully substituting petrochemical-based feedstocks.
The technology is designed to process complex material streams that are incompatible with mechanical recycling methods. By unlocking these feedstocks, matterr enables closed-loop material cycles, reducing CO₂ emissions and decreasing dependency on fossil resources.
Strategic investment in german Circular Economy leadership
The total project investment amounts to approximately €63 million. In addition to public funding, the project will be supported by private capital. “This funding commitment is a key milestone for matterr – it enables us to deliver on our ambition to provide recycled polyester that is economically viable, scalable, and of primary raw material quality,” said Melanie Hackler, CEO of matterr. “Our decision to scale in Germany is intentional: the technology was developed here, and we will keep the value creation here. This ensures strategic independence in a key technology for the global circular transformation of textile and packaging markets.”
Driving market transformation
The NRW plant will serve as a demonstration of industrial readiness and will create a blueprint for future large-scale plants exceeding 100,000 tonnes of annual capacity. matterr’s roadmap includes licensing its technology to global partners, enabling rapid market adoption and expansion into multiple regions. By capturing and upgrading waste streams currently sent to landfill or incineration, matterr is advancing the decarbonization of the polyester value chain, securing raw material supply, and contributing to EU circular economy and climate targets – while reinforcing Germany’s role as a hub for industrial innovation.
Background on the EFRE/JTF Program NRW 2021–2027:
The EFRE/JTF Program NRW 2021–2027 provides €1.9 billion from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Just Transition Fund (JTF) for forward-looking, sustainable, and innovative projects in North Rhine-Westphalia. Additional co-financing is provided by the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and project owners. The program supports initiatives in innovation, sustainability, SME development, quality of life, mobility, structural change in coal phase-out regions, and strategic technology development.
About matterr GmbH: matterr is a technology company pioneering chemical recycling solutions for polyester. Its proprietary depolymerization process transforms mixed PET waste streams – including polyester textiles and multilayer packaging – into high-purity terephthalic acid (TPA) and ethylene glycol (EG). These monomers are repolymerized into virgin-quality polyester using existing production infrastructure.
Caption F.l.t.r: Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Neubaur presented the grant notification to Melanie Hackler, CEO of matterr. (Picture ©MWIKE NRW, Bowinkelmann)