Reju, the Paris-headquartered textile-to-textile regeneration company, has selected the site for its first US-based industrial plant. The ‘future regeneration hub’ will be sited in Rochester, New York, reinforcing the company’s commitment to the adoption of circular textile systems across key regions worldwide.

The site will span 18.9 acres on Eastman Business Park and aim to regenerate the equivalent of 300 million garments annually that would otherwise end up as textile waste. It will produce rBHET (recycled Bis2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate) monomer that will then be repolymerized into Reju PET. The site will also provide opportunities for diversifying and near-shore manufacturing. The project will be subject to a final investment decision by the board of Technip Energies, the parent company of Reju.

“As our first regeneration hub in the United States, this site selection is a major leap forward in building a truly global circular system,” said Patrik Frisk, CEO of Reju. “We are proud to bring Reju’s sustainable manufacturing and jobs to the Rochester community.”

The facility will serve as a key moment in Reju’s expanding network of regeneration hubs, complementing the demo plant which is up and running in Frankfurt and the selection of second site at the Chemelot Industrial Park in Sittard, Netherlands, announced earlier this year.

Reju uses proprietary recycling technology developed by Technip Energies and IBM Research to regenerate the textile waste, starting with polyester, into high-quality Reju Polyester. This regenerated material has a 50% lower carbon footprint than virgin polyester and is engineered to be recyclable multiple times, reducing the industry’s reliance on fossil-based inputs.

“Kodak is thrilled to welcome Reju to Eastman Business Park,” said Jim Moran, Kodak’s president of EBP. “We look forward to supporting Reju’s goal of building a system where textile waste does not exist by leveraging the unique infrastructure and capabilities of our park.”

Through partnerships with global brands, mills and waste aggregators, Reju aims to ensure full textile- to-textile traceability.

www.reju.com