The race to scale textile-to-textile polyester recycling is increasingly shifting towards Asia. Syre**;s planned $* billion recycling complex in Vietnam could become one of the industry**;s biggest tests yet of whether circular polyester can move from pilot-scale ambition to industrial-scale production. The company**;s model contrasts sharply with that of France**;s Carbios. Syre has entered detailed engineering backed by investors and long-term purchase commitments from major brands including Nike and H&M, while Carbios has faced financing delays at its European flagship plant and is simultaneously expanding towards China. The contrast highlights a larger shift in the industry: the next winners may not simply be those with the best recycling technology, but those able to secure financing, feedstock and long-term demand before construction begins.
Syre**;s Vietnam plant marks a major push towards gigascale recycling in Asia
Syre**;s Vietnam project is among the sector**;s most ambitious gigascale recycling plans. Spread across nearly ** hectares in Zone A of the Nhon Hoi Industrial Park, the plant is designed to produce ***,***–***,*** tonnes of recycled PET pellets annually and create around *** jobs. Provincial authorities granted the investment certificate in mid-****. In March ****, Syre signed an engineering agreement with ABB covering automation, electrification and control systems. Construction is targeted for ****, with operations expected around ****. Vietnam has also invited Syre and H&M to contribute to emerging producer-responsibility rules. Syre ultimately aims to build ** gigascale plants producing more than three million tonnes within a decade.
