May 29, 2025 – In the global battle against plastic pollution, French biotech pioneer CARBIOS has achieved a significant commercialization milestone by sealing long-term partnerships with two international beauty giants—L’ORÉAL and L’Occitane en Provence. These collaborations will see CARBIOS supplying r-PET (enzymatically recycled PET) materials derived from its upcoming commercial-scale facility in Longlaville, France, marking a robust stride in the company’s journey to commercialize enzymatic PET recycling technology. This development also underscores the growing role of bio-recycled materials as essential components in the supply chains of renowned global brands.
Enzymatic PET Recycling: Pioneering a New Era of Green Circularity
CARBIOS, an innovator leveraging biotechnology to redefine the lifecycles of plastics and textiles, is at the forefront of industry transformation with its core patented technology—the world’s first enzymatic process for complete depolymerization and recycling of PET plastics. This technology efficiently breaks down discarded PET packaging and textiles into their original monomers, enabling the production of new PET materials that match or surpass the quality of virgin plastics. Compared to traditional mechanical recycling, enzymatic recycling offers superior purity, extended recyclability cycles, and the ability to handle mixed-color or impurity-laden plastic waste. CARBIOS’s Longlaville plant, slated for commissioning by the end of 2025, is projected to have an annual capacity of 50,000 tons of r-PET, equivalent to recycling approximately 2 billion plastic bottles, thus contributing significantly to environmental conservation.
According to Color Masterbatch Industry Network, L’ORÉAL and L’Occitane en Provence, both leaders in sustainability, chose to partner with CARBIOS based on a shared commitment to environmental stewardship and a mutual vision for the future market. L’ORÉAL, which has implemented its “Sharing Beauty With All” sustainability strategy since 2017, aims to source 100% of its plastic packaging from recycled or renewable resources by 2030. This collaboration represents a crucial step in advancing the industrialization of recyclable materials and establishing a closed-loop “bottle-to-bottle” system. “We are excited to collaborate with innovators like CARBIOS to drive the packaging industry towards a circular economy,” remarked L’ORÉAL’s packaging R&D director. L’Occitane en Provence, renowned for its natural beauty products and long-standing commitment to eco-friendly packaging, will accelerate the adoption of recyclable packaging, bolstering the localization and sustainability of Europe’s plastic recycling value chain.
A New Chapter in the Plastic Circular Economy
The partnership between CARBIOS, L’ORÉAL, and L’Occitane en Provence marks a major leap in the transition of enzymatic PET recycling technology from the laboratory to industrial implementation, reflecting the market’s growing demand for green recycled materials. As the Longlaville plant ramps up production, it is anticipated that more brands will join this circular economy initiative, driving the transformation and upgrading of the waste plastic recycling sector. This collaboration not only signifies a technological triumph but also represents a critical step towards achieving a “zero-waste, closed-loop” vision, setting a new benchmark for the global plastic circular economy.