What Worn Again Technologies does

Worn Again Technologies is a UK-based deeptech company that develops proprietary chemical recycling technology to recover polyester (PET) and cellulose from non-reusable textiles, with a specific focus on polycotton blends that mechanical recycling cannot effectively process. Founded in 2005 in East London by Cyndi Rhoades and now headquartered at Biocity in Nottingham, the company has built a patented multi-solvent closed-loop process that separates, decontaminates, and purifies both fiber streams, recovers over 95% of solvents, and produces virgin-quality Circular Polyester pellets and Next-Gen Cellulosic Fibres (convertible to viscose or Lyocell).

Its flagship asset is the Textile-to-Fibre Accelerator, a modular commercial demonstration plant unveiled in Winterthur, Switzerland in March 2026, designed to validate feedstock economics and serve as the technical platform toward a first commercial-scale plant. Complementary R&D runs from a pilot facility at the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) in Redcar, England. The technology is Cradle to Cradle certified and is the core intellectual property that underpins all commercial activity.

The company operates a dual revenue model centered on (i) licensing its proprietary polymer recycling technology to plant operators globally and (ii) supplying circular materials to brand partners through its Pioneer Members program, which guarantees participating brands a share of initial PET and cellulose outputs. Pre-commercial today, with strategic investors and partners including H&M Group, Sulzer Chemtech, Oerlikon, and Kering, the company is positioning to convert its technology license and offtake pipeline into recurring licensing royalties and materials sales once its first commercial-scale plant is sanctioned.

Name

Worn Again Technologies

Legal name

Worn Again Technologies

Website

https://wornagain.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Worn Again Technologies licenses proprietary chemical recycling technology that separates polyester and cellulose from polycotton textiles into virgin-quality fibers, serving fashion brands, textile manufacturers, and plant operators via its Pioneer Members program and the Winterthur Accelerator plant.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Textile Recycling Technology

NAICS

Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (32522), Resin and Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing (32521), Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (325220)

SIC

Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821), Textile Mill Products (2200)

akta.pro primary industry

Chemical Recycling & Depolymerization (e.g., PET/Polyamide/Cellulosics) (IMAOAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regenerated & Recycled Fiber Production (rPET/rNylon/Regenerated Cellulose) (IMAOAMAD), Recycled & Reprocessed Polymer Resin Manufacturing (rPET, rPP, rPE; PCR/PIR resins) (IMANAAAH), Sustainable & Certified Materials (Organic, Recycled, Traceable) (CRAAAMAK), Textile & Apparel Recycling and Sorting (Non-E-waste) (BPALADAL)

Keywords

• Polymer recycling technology
• Textile chemical recycling
• Circular polyester production
• Cellulose fibre regeneration
• Polycotton blend processing

Headquarters

HQ city

Nottingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Technology Licensing: The company operates as a technology licensing company that licenses its proprietary polymer recycling processes to plant operators. Plant operators gain access to the technology to process textile waste into high-value circular products, paying licensing fees for the right to use the process.
2. Circular Materials Sales: Production and sale of recovered circular materials (PET and cellulose) from textile waste processing. Pioneer Members receive guaranteed access to a percentage share of initial circular PET and cellulose outputs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Worn Again Technologies develops and licenses a proprietary chemical recycling technology that separates polyester and cellulose from polycotton textiles (and PET bottles) to produce virgin-quality Circular Polyester and Next-Gen Cellulosic Fibres. The company licenses its polymer recycling processes to plant operators and operates the Textile-to-Fibre Accelerator plant to commercialise circular materials for the fashion and textile industry.

Product overview

Worn Again Technologies operates as a technology licensing company offering its proprietary polymer recycling process for closed-loop textile-to-textile circularity. Its core product is the Textile-to-Fibre Accelerator plant — a modular demonstration facility in Winterthur, Switzerland — which showcases the company's patented chemical recycling technology capable of separating and extracting both Circular Polyester and Next-Gen Cellulosic Fibres from end-of-life polycotton textiles. The technology is offered through a circular licensing model to plant operators, enabling them to produce and sell virgin-quality recycled materials. The Accelerator plant also functions as a direct operating asset for feedstock validation and commercial piloting with brand partners, with the recovered outputs (Circular Polyester and Next-Gen Cellulosic Fibres) sold to downstream manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Polymer Recycling Technology A patented proprietary chemical recycling process that separates and recovers polyester and cellulose from polycotton textiles and PET bottles, licensed to plant operators for textile circularity applications.
• Textile-to-Fibre Accelerator A commercial-scale demonstration and production plant that applies Worn Again's polymer recycling technology to convert polycotton textiles into virgin-quality Circular Polyester and Next-Gen Cellulosic Fibres for fashion brands and textile manufacturers.
• Circular Polyester Virgin-quality recycled polyester produced from polycotton textiles and PET bottles, sold as a circular raw material to fashion brands and textile manufacturers for use in new textile products.
• Next-Gen Cellulosic Fibres Virgin-quality cellulosic fibres recovered from polycotton textiles using Worn Again's chemical recycling process, supplied as a circular raw material for use in new cellulosic textile products.

Quantifiable outcome

• Less than 1% of textiles currently recycled into new textiles; Worn Again targets this gap with viable polycotton recycling solution
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sulzer ChemtechcoreTechnology or Integration · 17 June 2020Strategic investor and technology scale-up partner. Sulzer is a global market leader in innovative mass transfer, static mixing and polymer solutions. Provides unequalled application know-how, process equipment, and advanced manufacturing capabilities for separation technologies.
• OerlikoncoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic investor and technology partner. Oerlikon is a leading materials and surface solutions provider contributing expertise to the technology development.
• KeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPioneer Member and strategic supporter. Luxury fashion group committed to 100% traceability of key raw materials by 2025 and sustainability leadership in the industry.
• Swiss Textile Recycling EcosystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative bringing together key industry players across the textile value chain in Switzerland including Sulzer, Oerlikon, H&M Group, Rieter, Monosuisse, Coop, TEXAID, Sallmann, and Serge Ferrari, coordinated by Swiss Textiles. Aims to create circular economy based on Worn Again's polymer recycling technology.
• Fashion for GoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected in November 2017 for Fashion for Good scaling programme offering access to network of business advisors and industry experts to accelerate development and adoption of revolutionary polymer recycling technology.
• Ellen MacArthur FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Circular Economy 100. Included in the 'A New Textiles Economy' report. Foundation leads engagement with private sector on circular economy vision.
• Circle EconomycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for Fibersort project - technology to automatically sort large volumes of textiles by fiber type. Circle Economy co-founded World Circular Textiles Day with Worn Again.
• Global Fashion AgendacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipant in Circular Fashion Partnership led by Global Fashion Agenda with over 30 fashion brands, manufacturers and recyclers to capture and reuse textile waste in Bangladesh.
• British Fashion Council (BFC) Institute of Positive FashionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory Board member for Circular Fashion Ecosystem project focused on creating circular fashion economy in the UK.
• WRAP (Textiles 2030)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding Partner/Member signatory of Textiles 2030, a collaborative voluntary agreement for UK textiles sector focused on climate action and circularity.
• Canopy PlanetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Canopy Planet Next Generation Solutions campaign supporting protection of ancient and endangered forests through alternative cellulose feedstocks.
• Textile ExchangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting member collaborating on textile supply chain sustainability, preferred materials programs, and certification standards for circular raw materials.
• EuRIC (European Recycling Industries Confederation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold-Level sponsor contributing to EU policy and regulatory initiatives on collection, sorting and textile recycling. EuRIC represents European textiles reuse and recycling industry.
• Project FAE (Feedstock Advantage Europe)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative addressing structural challenge of post-consumer textile supply for Europe's circular textile economy. Includes brands adidas, BESTSELLER and INDITEX alongside sorting operators and recycling companies.
• Alliance of Textile Chemical Recyclers (ACTR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance spearheaded by Accelerating Circularity that Worn Again Technologies joined to advance circular, waste-free textile future.
• Unreasonable Impact (Barclays)minorOthersSelected in 2020 to join Unreasonable Impact UK & Europe programme supporting growth-stage ventures in green economy with mentorship and global network access.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Infinited Fiber Company: Finnish chemical recycler producing Infinna, a regenerated cellulose fibre from textile waste. Directly comparable to Worn Again in targeting polycotton blends and pursuing a technology licensing-plus-fibre-supply model.
• Circ: US-based chemical recycler recovering polyester and cellulose-rich feedstocks from blended textiles into next-generation fibres. Closely comparable technology approach and brand-partner strategy.
• Ambercycle: US-based chemical recycler producing Cycora, a regenerated polyester from end-of-life textiles. Comparable in targeting textile-to-textile PET recovery at brand-supply scale.
• BlockTexx: Australian chemical recycler focused on PET and cellulose recovery from blended textiles (especially polycotton). Operates a similar feedstock-processing model and supplies recovered outputs to textile manufacturers.
• Renewcell: Swedish chemical recycler of cellulosic textiles (Circulose), widely cited as the most direct historical peer. Comparable technology focus on textile-to-textile recycling, though now in restructuring.

Emerging players

• Re&Up (Sanko): Turkish recycled-fibre producer using chemical/mechanical processes to convert textile waste into recycled cotton and polyester. Comparable in supplying recycled fibres to apparel brands, with partial technology overlap.
• Evrnu: US-based chemical recycler regenerating cellulosic fibres from textile waste. Comparable in targeting blended textile streams, though focused on cellulose-rich outputs.
• TreeToTextile: Swedish joint venture developing low-impact cellulosic fibres. Comparable as a sustainability-focused fibre technology play targeting fashion brand demand for circular inputs.

Broad incumbents

• Eastman: US specialty chemicals incumbent operating molecular recycling (polyester renewal) at industrial scale. Comparable in chemical recycling technology for polyester, but at much larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Indorama Ventures: Global PET and polyester incumbent investing heavily in recycled PET. Comparable as a downstream off-taker and rPET producer serving apparel brands, though its recycling base is largely bottle-grade rather than textile-to-textile.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/worn-again
• Xx.com/wornagainuk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Worn Again Technologies