Singapore: British climate tech company Matter and Asia-based Paradise Textiles, the material science and innovation hub of the Alpine Group, have announced a groundbreaking collaborative project to bring Matter's Regen. for Textile Production to market—the world's first microfibre filter specifically designed for textile manufacturers. This pioneering technology aims to tackle the urgent issue of global microfibre pollution, setting a new standard for sustainable practices in the textile industry in APAC and globally.
The Asia-Pacific region is home to 70% of the world’s textile manufacturing factories and is responsible for the majority of global synthetic production, contributing to approximately 80% of microfibre pollution from textile production. China, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Cambodia account for 90% of APAC's factories, with China leading with almost 60% of the APAC factory base and the majority of synthetic production globally. However, advanced effluent treatment is installed in only about 10% of APAC factories, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable innovations like Regen. for Textile Production in this region.
Created by Matter, Regen. for Textile Production represents a major advancement in sustainable textile manufacturing, working to efficiently remove microfibres during textile manufacturing processes. It is powered by Matter’s patented self-cleaning filtration technology to deliver a low energy, low cost microfibre capture solution that offers effective wastewater filtration without the carbon impact.
The technology also reduces chemical use, prolongs the life of water reuse systems and significantly cuts operating costs. A single manufacturing site could save up to 3 million kilowatt-hours annually and capture over 90 tonnes of microfibres*, reducing carbon emissions over 2000 tonnes of CO2.
Working in collaboration with Paradise Textiles, Regen. for Textile Production, which is currently in its R&D phase, is set for installation at Paradise Textiles' new state-of-the-art low impact fabric mill in Egypt by Q4 2025. Once operational, it will serve as a showcase of the technology for manufacturers and brands keen to adopt the new filtration device.
This announcement builds on the launch of Matter’s successful microfibre filter for home laundry systems with BSH, under the brands Bosch and Siemens. Matter, who raised $10 million in their Series A funding round in 2023, are backed by investors including S2G Ventures, SOUNDwaves, and Regeneration.VC, the climate tech fund backed by Leonardo DiCaprio.
Unveiling Regen. for Textile Production during Regeneration.VC’s Annual Meeting at New York Climate Week, Matter and Paradise explained how this revolutionary solution can significantly reduce microfibre pollution across the global textile industry, which comprises 150,000 factories worldwide, being responsible for an estimated 20% of the world’s clean water pollution.
Microfibre shedding is a major contributor to microplastic pollution, a significant concern as these tiny particles are now found in our water, air, soil and food sources. This pollution poses severe health risks, as scientific studies have shown microplastics infiltrate the human body, potentially leading to cardiovascular issues and chronic conditions. The global textile industry, with a significant footprint in APAC, is responsible for around 120,000 tonnes of microfibre emissions each year, resulting from production, dyeing, and washing processes. This underlines the urgent need for industry change, making technologies like Regen. crucial for driving sustainability in APAC and beyond.
The collaboration between Matter and Paradise Textiles has been instrumental in advancing Matter’s industrial programme for textile manufacturing. Paradise Textiles, part of the Alpine Group, an end-to-end fashion supply chain partner, recognised the game-changing potential of Matter’s technology for the textile industry and proactively approached Matter with the opportunity to collaborate. Leveraging their expertise in textiles and fibre pollution mitigation, Paradise collaborated closely with Matter to explore how this innovation could be adapted and scaled within textile manufacturing, setting the stage for this groundbreaking collaboration. Over the last 2.5 years, they have provided insights into textile processes, funded early research, and helped shape Matter's Microfibre Assessment Program (MAP) to establish a service model and maximize fibre capture across Alpine Group’s facilities. Alpine Group, a major producer of materials and apparel, manufactures for brands including The North Face, Lululemon, American Eagle Outfitters and Puma. With over 15 facilities worldwide, Alpine represents the breadth of the apparel industry.
Adam Root, Founder and CEO of Matter, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with Paradise Textiles on this groundbreaking project. It will demonstrate to the fashion industry that a viable solution to this colossal problem of microplastic pollution is within reach. Having co-pioneered the Microfibre Assessment Programme (MAP), which is already benefitting the rest of the industry, it’s an exciting next step to work on this project together to cap microfibre pollution from textiles production and drive further, much needed, change towards a circular solution.”
Lewis Shuler, Head of Innovation at Paradise Textiles, said: “At Paradise we are committed to collaborating with industry innovators and brands to make a material difference for the future of the fashion and textile industry. Matter’s Microfibre filter presents us with an effective way to reduce the environmental impact of the textile and apparel manufacturing process, whilst also reducing operational costs, which is a real game-changer for the industry in Asia-Pacific and globally. We look forward to continuing to drive this exciting project forward and exploring new ways to implement sustainable technologies that can transform the industry at scale."
ABOUT MATTER: Matter is an innovation company pioneering technology solutions for capturing microplastics. Founded in 2018, the company is now a leader in microfiltration with circularity and sustainability at the heart of the business. Their mission is to stop microplastic pollution at source. Matter’s development and growth is focused on the creation of solutions to address the major sources of microplastic pollution in wastewater, including the entire textile lifecycle, and supporting education and legislation to drive global impact.
ABOUT PARADISE TEXTILES: Paradise Textiles is the dedicated innovation hub of Alpine Group, driving cutting-edge research and innovation on sustainable materials, performance, and advanced manufacturing to reinvent the fabric of fashion. Simultaneously a creative problem-solving enterprise and a trendsetting laboratory that taps into a wider network of technologists, scientists, and partners throughout the world, Paradise Textiles consistently sets the agenda and leads industry exploration into game-changing materials, textiles, and processes that anticipate emerging consumer needs.
ABOUT ALPINE GROUP: Alpine Group is advancing the future of fashion as a progressive, trusted partner to the world’s leading brands, co-creating new, sustainable possibilities for products, people, and the planet. With over 40 years of mastery in textiles and apparel, Alpine Group combines data-driven innovation, state-of-the-art technology, and industry-leading capabilities to chart the way forward in revolutionizing the fashion lifecycle. The group brings to market consciously crafted, award-winning materials with agility, while elevating standards of ethical sourcing and production to empower over 13,000 team members and strengthen communities worldwide. As a globally connected, end-to-end fashion manufacturer that runs from fibre to fashion, Alpine Group has helped drive business success with renowned brands that include The North Face, Lululemon, Puma, American Eagle Outfitters, Under Armour and GAP Inc.
