Innovate Recycle

What Innovate Recycle does

Innovate Recycle Ltd operates the UK's first at-volume mechanical carpet recycling facility, located at Lodge Farm Industrial Estate in Northampton. Founded in 2018 by Joseph Eccleston and backed by £7.6 million of cumulative investment including a £2.35 million SEMLEP Getting Building Fund grant and a £750,000 round led by Active Partners, the company uses a patented mechanical deconstruction process to dismantle end-of-life polypropylene carpets and recover both polypropylene (rPP) pellets and calcium carbonate for resale to industry. The facility became operational in August 2023 with a first process line capable of handling up to 20,000 tonnes of carpet waste per annum, addressing a UK market where roughly 500,000 tonnes of carpet waste is generated annually and only about 2% is currently recycled. The facility runs on renewable energy and the company reports a CO2 reduction of 1.6 kg per kilogram of carpet processed compared with virgin polymer production.

The company serves three primary customer segments: UK local authorities and waste handling partners (including Biffa and Allwood Recycling Solutions) that supply end-of-life carpet feedstock; carpet manufacturers and retailers (such as Designer Contracts) seeking sustainable end-of-life solutions and recycled content for their products; and industrial buyers of recycled polypropylene across automotive, consumer products, plastics extrusion, injection moulding and 3D printing applications. Revenue is generated from the sale of rPP pellets and reclaimed calcium carbonate, with the company also launching a Carpet Recycling Accreditation Programme that helps manufacturers verify the recyclability of individual carpet ranges. Distribution is direct B2B, supplemented by participation in industry events such as The Flooring Show in Harrogate.

Go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven, targeting enterprise customers through direct engagement, waste handling partnerships, and industry exhibitions. The company holds a granted patent on its mechanical carpet deconstruction process and a UK T4 waste management exemption, and operates with a small team of 1-10 employees led by Founder & CEO Joseph Eccleston, with Bob Woods MBE as Chair. Plans include installing additional process lines around the UK and diversifying the range of carpet chemistries that can be recycled.

Name

Innovate Recycle

Legal name

Innovate Recycle Ltd

Website

https://innovaterecycle.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Innovate Recycle operates the UK's first at-volume mechanical carpet recycling facility in Northampton, using a patented process to recover polypropylene and calcium carbonate from end-of-life carpets for sale to industrial buyers, local authorities, and carpet manufacturers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Carpet Recycling

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Materials Recovery Facilities (56292)

SIC

Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821), Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Materials Recovery (Carpet, Mattresses, Bulky Items) (EUAIADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rigid Plastics Recycling (HDPE/PP, Injection/Blow Molded) (EUAIAKAF), Recycled & Reprocessed Polymer Resin Manufacturing (rPET, rPP, rPE; PCR/PIR resins) (IMANAAAH)

Keywords

• Carpet recycling
• Recycled polypropylene
• Plastic deconstruction
• Circular economy
• Waste management

Headquarters

HQ city

Derby

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Recycled Polypropylene (rPP) Sales: The company deconstructs end-of-life carpets and converts polypropylene into fibre and then into pellets, which are sold to a range of sectors including automotive, consumer products, plastics extrusion and other applications. The pellets are used in production of buckets, water butts, watering cans, 3D printing materials, battery cases, and storage bins.
2. Calcium Carbonate Sales: The company also reclaims calcium carbonate from carpet deconstruction for reuse in industry applications.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Innovate Recycle operates the UK's first at-volume carpet recycling facility, using a patented mechanical deconstruction process to deconstruct end-of-life polypropylene carpets and reclaim polypropylene (rPP) pellets and calcium carbonate for sale to industries such as automotive, consumer products, injection moulding, and 3D printing. The Northamptonshire-based facility, powered by renewable energy, diverts carpet waste from landfill and incineration and supports the UK carpet industry's transition to a circular economy. The company also offers a Carpet Recycling Accreditation Programme for carpet manufacturers.

Product overview

Innovate Recycle operates a single unified product/service: carpet recycling. The company's core offering is a mechanical carpet deconstruction service that processes end-of-life polypropylene-based carpets (which comprise 70% of the UK market) at their Northamptonshire facility. The process extracts and produces two primary reclaimed materials — Recycled Polypropylene (rPP) pellets and Reclaimed Calcium Carbonate — which are sold to various industries including automotive, injection moulding, and 3D printing. Additionally, the company offers a Carpet Recycling Accreditation Programme that works with carpet manufacturers to verify carpet recyclability. The company processes up to 20,000 tonnes of carpet waste per annum at full capacity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Carpet Recycling Service End-to-end mechanical carpet recycling service that deconstructs end-of-life polypropylene-based carpets to recover and recapture polypropylene plastic and calcium carbonate for reuse across industry supply chains. Designed for UK local authorities, carpet manufacturers, retailers, and waste handling companies, diverting carpet waste from landfill or incineration.
• Recycled Polypropylene (rPP) Pellets High-quality polypropylene pellets extracted from end-of-life carpets via a patented mechanical deconstruction process. Sold as feedstock to industries including automotive, consumer products (buckets, water butts, watering cans, storage bins), plastics extrusion, injection moulding, and 3D printing materials.
• Reclaimed Calcium Carbonate Calcium carbonate component reclaimed from carpet deconstruction and sold for reuse in industrial applications, complementing the polypropylene stream.
• Carpet Recycling Accreditation Programme Accreditation programme that works with carpet manufacturers to verify the recyclability of individual carpet ranges and provide consumer-facing information on how to recycle carpets at end-of-life, supporting the UK carpet industry's transition to circularity.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces CO2 emissions by 1.6 kg per kilogram of carpet processed compared to virgin polymer production which produces 2 kg CO2 impact
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BiffacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor waste management company working with Innovate Recycle for carpet waste handling. One of the first customers utilizing the operational facility for carpet waste processing.
• Allwood Recycling SolutionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRecycling solutions company partnered with Innovate Recycle for carpet waste collection and processing. One of the initial customers for the operational carpet recycling facility.
• Designer ContractscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFlooring distribution company sourcing waste carpet for recycling and working with Innovate Recycle to provide sustainable solutions for end-of-life carpet.
• BPF Recycling GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritish Plastics Federation Recycling Group displayed as partner on website, indicating industry collaboration and support for recycling initiatives in the plastics and carpet industries.
• Universities of Birmingham, Leicester and NorthamptonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with universities to support research and development in waste expertise and carpet recycling technology, supporting the growing cluster of waste expertise in Northamptonshire.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Aquafil: Italian synthetic fibres company operating the ECONYL regeneration system, which depolymerises end-of-life nylon (including fishing nets and carpet fibres) back into caprolactam for reborn nylon yarn. Closest direct peer in carpet-to-feedstock chemical/mechanical regeneration.
• Interface: Global carpet tile manufacturer with the ReEntry/Recycline take-back and recycling programme for end-of-life Interface carpet tiles. Operates a competing closed-loop carpet recycling solution, anchored to its own product stream rather than third-party feedstock.
• Shaw Industries: US-based carpet manufacturer (Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary) operating the re[TURN] programme to reclaim and recycle end-of-life carpet and carpet tiles. Closest large incumbent peer combining manufacturer and reclaim/recycle capability in one vertically integrated model.
• Biffa: UK waste management company and current customer/partner of Innovate Recycle, handling carpet waste feedstock. Comparable both as a strategic counterparty today and as a potential integrator of carpet recycling into its own materials recovery operations.

Broad incumbents

• Mohawk Industries: One of the world's largest flooring manufacturers with EverStrand (recycled PET carpet) and other take-back/recycling programmes. Comparable as a broad incumbent flooring player with sustainability-aligned recycling initiatives serving overlapping end-buyers.
• Tarkett: Global flooring manufacturer with circular-economy programmes for carpet and other floor coverings, including ReStart take-back and recycling. Comparable as a broad incumbent with carpet-recycling-adjacent capabilities and adjacent recycled-content product portfolios.
• Veolia UK: Major UK waste management and recycling services operator with a national network of MRFs. Comparable as both a potential strategic partner and a potential competitor capable of vertically integrating carpet recycling at scale using existing collection infrastructure.
• Suez Recycling and Recovery UK: UK arm of global environmental services group Suez, operating materials recovery facilities and recycling services. Comparable as a broad incumbent in UK waste management that could develop or acquire carpet recycling capability at scale.

Emerging players

• Jayplas: UK-based mechanical plastic recycler (now part of the Suez group) with capability in sorting and reprocessing mixed plastics including polypropylene. Comparable as an emerging player in the UK rPP and mixed-plastic recycling space that could compete for similar feedstock and downstream offtake.

Regional players

• mtm plastics: Germany-based recycler specialising in post-consumer polypropylene recovery and compounding into recyclate grades for automotive and consumer goods. Comparable as an established European rPP producer addressing the same downstream applications (automotive, injection moulding) that Innovate Recycle targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/innovate-recycle

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 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 Innovate Recycle