The London-based startup utilizes AI-engineered enzymes to break down nylon 6,6 waste, such as leggings, airbags, and carpets, into its original monomers, recovering over 90% and eliminating the need for virgin petroleum feedstock. The company’s total funding has now surpassed $50 million.
Nylon 6,6, developed by DuPont scientists in the 1930s, is a remarkable material used in various products like athletic wear, airbags, ropes, and carpets, although it is rarely recycled due to the robustness of its polymer structure, which complicates monomer recovery.
Epoch Biodesign, established by Jacob Nathan in 2019 in London, has dedicated six years to engineering enzymes capable of breaking down nylon 6,6 efficiently. With $12 million in new funding, the startup is transitioning from pilot to demonstration-scale production.
Led by lululemon and supported by Extantia, Happiness Capital, KOMPAS VC, Leitmotif, and others, this funding round propels Epoch’s total backing beyond $50 million. This follows an $11 million seed round in 2022 led by Lowercarbon Capital and an $18.3 million Series A in March 2025 led by Extantia, which included Inditex, Zara’s parent company.
The investor mix signals confidence in Epoch’s commercial potential, attracting both leading fashion brands and climate-focused investors. Epoch’s technology uses a series of enzyme treatments, targeting specific bonds in nylon 6,6 to revert it to its original monomers, adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine (HMDA), without relying on full microbial biological processes.
A significant commercial edge lies in its ability to handle mixed material inputs. The enzymes can process blended textiles, coated fibers, and mixed plastic waste, unlike conventional recycling methods. This is crucial because most discarded textiles are blended, and Epoch’s platform can chemically sort them at the molecular level.
The $12 million will establish a demonstration-scale plant near Imperial College London, aimed at validating commercial-scale output before setting up a full production facility by 2028, with a projected annual production of 20,000 metric tonnes of monomers.
Epoch recently partnered with Invista, a major nylon 6,6 producer under Koch Industries, to co-develop post-consumer recycled nylon at a commercial scale. The raise coincides with a spike in nylon 6,6 precursor prices by up to 150%, driven by petrochemical supply fluctuations. Epoch’s waste-based process is immune to such volatility, making it a more appealing option in 2026 than in 2022.