Reju selects Rochester, New York for its first U.S. textile regeneration hub
Reju, a textile-to-textile regeneration company, has announced Rochester, New York as the location for its first industrial facility in the United States. The decision marks an important step in the company’s plan to expand its circular textile system across key global markets.
The future Regeneration Hub will be built on a 18.9-acre site at Eastman Business Park. Once operational, the facility is expected to regenerate the equivalent of up to 300 million textile articles each year that would otherwise be sent to landfill or incineration. The site will produce rBHET, which will then be repolymerized into Reju PET for use in new polyester products.
The project is still subject to a final investment decision by the board of Technip Energies, Reju’s parent company. If approved, the site will also support near-shoring and diversification of manufacturing, strengthening supply chains closer to end markets.
Patrik Frisk, CEO of Reju, said the Rochester site represents a key moment for the company’s global growth. He noted that the U.S. hub will play a central role in building a circular system for textiles while bringing sustainable manufacturing and new jobs to the local community.
The Rochester facility will become part of Reju’s growing network of regeneration hubs. It will complement Regeneration Hub Zero, the company’s demonstration plant currently operating in Frankfurt, and Regeneration Hub One at Chemelot Industrial Park in Sittard, Netherlands, which was announced earlier this year.
Reju’s recycling process is based on proprietary technology developed by Technip Energies in collaboration with IBM Research. The technology regenerates textile waste, starting with polyester, into high-quality Reju Polyester. According to the company, this regenerated polyester has a carbon footprint around 50 percent lower than virgin polyester and is designed to be recycled multiple times, reducing dependence on fossil-based raw materials.
New York State has welcomed the investment as part of its broader green economy efforts. Governor Kathy Hochul highlighted that the project is expected to create around 70 new jobs at Eastman Business Park while helping keep materials out of landfills.
Kodak, which manages Eastman Business Park, also expressed support for the project. Jim Moran, President of Kodak’s Eastman Business Park, said the site’s infrastructure and capabilities are well suited to support Reju’s aim of creating a system where textile waste is reused rather than discarded.
Through partnerships with global brands, textile mills, and waste aggregators, Reju focuses on maintaining full textile-to-textile traceability. Garments collected after use are turned into raw material for new products, keeping value within the system.
With the planned U.S. Regeneration Hub, Reju is strengthening its presence in the American market. Frisk added that the investment reflects a belief that post-consumer textile waste can be treated as a resource rather than a burden, and that large-scale circularity is achievable when the right infrastructure is in place.
