Driving Circularity in Fashion Through Chemical Innovation

Bestseller, the Danish fashion powerhouse behind brands such as Jack & Jones, Vero Moda, and Only, has announced a strategic stake in Matterr, a German clean-tech developer advancing breakthrough polyester recycling. This collaboration underscores Bestseller’s commitment to sustainable materials and circular business models.

Investing in Scalable Recycling Solutions

Through its Invest FWD innovation arm, Bestseller has injected growth capital into Matterr, joining a €30 million European grant to fund construction of a pilot industrial recycling facility in North Rhine-Westphalia. The combined investment totals roughly €63 million, equipping Matterr to build and operate its first plant by 2027, with the capacity to process 10,000 tonnes of polyester waste annually.

Transforming Polyester Waste into Virgin-Quality Feedstock

Matterr’s proprietary process uses atmospheric-pressure chemical depolymerization to recover primary monomers terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol—from mixed and colored polyester textiles. Unlike mechanical recycling, this method achieves up to 95 percent yield on complex waste streams, delivering “drop-in” polymer that matches virgin material in performance and appearance.

Advancing Bestseller’s Circular Goals

This partnership aligns with Bestseller’s wider sustainability roadmap, which targets sourcing half of its polyester from recycled or certified alternatives and eliminating single-use virgin plastics in packaging. By backing Matterr’s technology, Bestseller gains direct access to high quality recycled feedstock while supporting a scalable solution for the entire apparel industry.

Collaboration for Industry-Wide Impact

“True circularity demands collaboration between innovators and brands,” says Dorte Rye Olsen, Bestseller’s Head of Sustainability. “Matterr’s approach can handle textile blends and multilayer materials that today end up incinerated or landfilled. Together, we’re building a repeatable model for polyester reuse.”

Matterr CEO Melanie Hackler highlights the strategic value: “Partnering with a major fashion group like Bestseller accelerates our path to industrial scale. This investment reflects shared values and belief in pragmatic, solution-oriented partnerships.”

A Blueprint for Sustainable Fashion

By combining Invest FWD’s funding and market reach with Matterr’s cutting edge recycling, Bestseller is helping pave the way for circular raw-material supply chains. As the first plant becomes operational, this collaboration is poised to demonstrate how chemical recycling can complement existing mechanical methods reducing reliance on fossil-based polymers and minimizing textile waste across the value chain.

Bestseller’s engagement with Matterr sets a precedent for how fashion brands can foster innovation, de risk emerging technologies, and drive collective progress toward a truly circular industry.