Protein Evolution

Forbes features Protein Evolution’s Biopure technology, highlighting how we use AI to develop powerful enzymes that can break down plastic waste and turn that waste into new, high-quality plastic material. Thank you to Amy Feldman for your in-depth reporting. Thank you to our partners at Stella McCartney, board member Sophie Bakalar and the Collaborative Fund, research partners at ESPCI Paris - PSL, scientific advisor Paul Anastas, CTO Jay Konieczka, and co-founders Jonathan Rothberg and Connor Lynn, for bringing this story to life. 

When we think of plastic waste, most of us picture bottles and bags — but did you know that textiles are an even bigger issue? Most polyester, an oil-derived plastic, is actually used to produce fibers for textiles. These garments are discarded at an alarming rate — equivalent to one garbage truck per second — and can take over 200 years to decompose. Despite this, less than 1% of textiles are recycled into new garments due to insufficient mechanical and chemical solutions. With fast fashion on the rise, the problem is only growing. By 2050, the fashion industry is expected to consume up to 25% of the world’s carbon budget — a staggering environmental cost. At Protein Evolution, we’re committed to changing this. Our mission is simple: make plastic from waste, not oil. We've engineered enzymes that break down hard-to-recycle polyester fibers at the molecular level, enabling true circularity and significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It’s time to rethink the way we view waste. Textile waste is plastic waste—and together, we can take action to make a lasting impact. https://lnkd.in/e4pFd7BB #Sustainability #TextileRecycling #PlasticWaste #PolyesterWaste #CircularEconomy #FastFashion #EnzymaticRecycling

"many Americans value sustainability — but there's a gap between perception and reality, particularly as it relates to plastic production and the fashion industry." Thank you to The Cool Down and Susan Elizabeth Turek for their recent story highlighting the findings from our study with Wakefield. We found that nearly 70% of Americans don't know plastic is made from crude oil. And while most agreed that plastic waste was a major point of concern, they also greatly overestimated how much of the material was repurposed or recycled, with a whopping 98% of respondents off the mark when it came to textiles. At Protein Evolution, we see the opportunity to improve these recycling numbers. And our Biopure technology has the capability to address hard-to-recycle textiles at the end-of-life. We're providing a way forward for the fashion industry and beyond. https://lnkd.in/e9hgDeGq

AI holds the potential for the future of recycling. Not only does it have the power to improve the efficiency and accuracy of recycling sorting methods, as discussed at last month's 2024 Plastics Recycling Conference, it also can help in the research and development of new technologies. At Protein Evolution, we're leveraging AI to design enzymes to break down polyester waste into the raw materials of new polyester. This is the core of our Biopure process. We're creating a way forward for global decarbonization of the plastics industry, and paving the way for new recycling technologies. https://lnkd.in/gbQ8nwrq 

In many ways, circularity is a buzz word – but for us, it’s a technical term. Our Biopure process has proven to achieve true circularity with plastic production and end-of-life waste. We transform used plastic materials, such as textiles, into the raw ingredients that make up virgin-quality plastic.   We are innovating more each day to tackle all types of difficult-to-recycle plastic waste with the ambitious goal to decarbonize plastics and help achieve global circularity. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/g39mvBwk #circularity #plasticproduction

Last week, U.S. Representative and Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) highlighted Protein Evolution during the FY2025 Budget Hearing with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm. Rep. DeLauro said, “A new way of recycling called 'biological recycling' breaks down all types of plastic waste, including textiles, and turns it back into new plastic material. The technology seems promising. It has potential to cut back on plastic waste. Even the most contaminated, complicated plastic. All without relying on fossil fuels. I’m proud to say that there is only one company in the U.S. doing this and it’s called Protein Evolution, based in New Haven, Connecticut.” (https://lnkd.in/gbf9zwV7) We are honored to have hosted Rep. DeLauro at Protein Evolution last year. We look forward to working together to support Protein Evolution’s efforts to scale our biological recycling technology to create a circular system for plastic waste and production.

We are on a mission to decarbonize plastic, starting with polyester. Why polyester? As Harvard Business Review highlights, there are significant environmental problems associated with polyester’s production, disposal and method of recycling, especially in the #fastfashion industry. Ken Pucker writes, “Fashion waste manifests at three stages in the value chain: during the production process where surplus raw materials accumulate; in warehouses where excess buffer stocks settle; and in landfills where post-consumer waste mounts. While the instant fashion model does likely reduce buffer stocks (although the companies don’t share these data to validate their claims), its hyper-dependence on fossil fuel-based polyester summed with the short half-life of its cheap clothing causes consequential environmental damage at the other stages of the process.” Addressing these problems through Protein Evolution's Biopure technology will allow us to pave the way for a truly circular plastic economy and reduce the industry’s reliance on fossil fuels. Biopure not only addresses the pressing issue of plastic pollution, but also marks a significant step towards reimagining how plastic is produced. #circularity #recycling #sustainablefashion

In 2022, the world produced an estimated 460 million tons of plastic – and only 9% was recycled. Protein Evolution wants to change this by making new plastic from waste – creating the first truly circular system without compromising quality. Here we explore the different types of plastic recycling methods and how they have evolved over the past 40 years. By understanding the shortcomings of traditional recycling, you will see why we are so excited about Protein Evolution’s Biopure™ technology.

On this #WorldRecyclingDay, we are proud to be playing an important role in improving plastic recycling technologies and environmental outcomes. As a material, plastic is incredibly useful. Plastic keeps our food safe, allows for the transport of medicines, and – in the form of polyester – is the most common ingredient in the majority of our clothing. But, there are profound problems with how plastic is traditionally made and how it’s dealt with at the end of life. Our Biopure process holds the potential to unlock true circularity for plastics, contributing to an environmentally stable planet and a greener future. #WorldRecyclingDay #biologicalrecycling #circularity

Did you know that polyurethane and polyamide make up 10% of global plastic production and are some of the most difficult-to-recycle plastics? These materials are commonly found in spandex, mattresses, sofas, car seats, athleisure and fishing nets. And yet rarely are they able to be recycled. Protein Evolution and Basecamp Research are working to change that. We are developing novel enzymes that can break down these types of plastics in order to turn them back into their original raw materials. Cleaning our planet of plastic trash – while creating a low-carbon approach to new plastic production. https://lnkd.in/dg-J-9_T