February 9, 2026 14:56

US-based Invista has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with UK company Epoch Biodesign to advance the commercial use of nylon 6,6 produced through the enzymatic recycling of nylon-based waste.

The collaboration aims to combine Epoch’s AI-designed bio-recycling enzymes with Invista’s polymerization expertise to bring virgin-quality nylon 6,6 with a lower carbon footprint to market, targeting both plastics and textile applications.

The MoU marks the formal start of the collaboration. Technical assessment and polymer qualification activities are already under way and will be followed by application performance testing.

Founded in 2019 and based in London, Epoch Biodesign has developed a biological depolymerization process, using specific enzymes, for plastics that are difficult to recycle mechanically. Applied to nylon 6,6, the process yields the original monomers—adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine—without the use of solvents or high temperatures.
Earlier this year, the British company raised funding to build a 150-tonnes/year demonstration plant near London, alongside the pilot unit that validated the process and started up last year. The company aims to reach commercial production in 2028.

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