Samsara Eco opens its first plant
Samsara Eco has opened its first plant. The move highlights the company’s fight against plastic waste, with the new plant set to greatly increase Samara Eco’s ability to produce virgin-identical, low-carbon circular materials. Said materials like recycled nylon 6,6 and polyester can be used in applications in the apparel, packaging, and automotive industries.
The new headquarters and plant are in Jerrabomberra, regional Australia, and will house EosEco, the company’s breakthrough enzymatic recycling technology. Utilising AI-crafted enzymes, the technology breaks down mixed plastics that typically end up in landfill and converts them into recycled, raw materials. Additionally, the facility is home to expanded enzyme production facilities, allowing the company to build out its proprietary AI-powered enzyme discovery and development platform.
“The opening of Jerrabomberra is a proud milestone for us and the broader circular economy. In just four years, we’ve scaled from bench research through to pilot, demonstration, and now our first plant. This is a true tipping point for circularity, shifting circular materials from early-stage innovation to mainstream reality,” said Paul Riley, CEO and Founder of Samsara Eco. “Brand demand and supportive new regulations are helping to clear the path forward. Our new facility will help brands deliver circularity with the capacity to produce the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of garments annually.”
The materials made at the facility will feature in upcoming product lines for brands like Lululemon, as well as pilot programs and trials. Also, the facility will host world-first research, including finding recycling solutions for spandex with The LYCRA Company, and its collaboration with Deakin University’s Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub, part of the Australian Government’s Trailblazer Universities Program.
“This isn't just about building a plant. It's about building a circular future where materials don’t have an end-of-life. Instead, they are infinitely recycled, reducing the world’s reliance on finite resources,” continued Riley.
Jerrabomberra provides a runway for Samsara Eco’s first nylon 6,6 commercial plant, which is being designed with engineering partner KBR. It is due to open in Asia in 2028. The 20,000-tonne facility will be the first of a series of international commercial facilities utilising Samsara Eco’s EosEco technology.
“Our Jerrabomberra plant marks a significant milestone in Australia’s advanced manufacturing and circular economy journey,” added Riley. “Our technology supports Australia’s net-zero targets while driving economic growth, resilience, and productivity. We're creating an entirely new industry to unlock major export opportunities and bring new skills to market, while also helping to position Australia as a leader in circular technology and a global exporter of circular materials.
“We’re grateful for the support we’ve received from our global investors, including Main Sequence and Temasek, as well as the local community, who have supported us every step of the way to make Jerrabomberra a reality,” Riley concluded.
What Samsara Eco’s global investors said regarding the new facility:
Carley Phillips, Principal, at Greycroft: “Samsara Eco’s new Jerrabomberra facility marks an important step towards scaling circular materials and showcasing the power of technology to transform industries. We are excited to continue supporting the team as they bring this innovation to market and drive the growth of the circular economy.”
Jan Marchewski, Associate at Hitachi Ventures, said: “We’ve been deeply impressed by Samsara Eco’s ability to deliver every milestone on time and on budget – an extraordinary achievement for a deep tech company. The opening of the Jerrabomberra facility is a powerful testament to the team’s execution excellence. This hub will enable Samsara Eco to test AI-discovered enzymes at scale in collaboration with partners, further cementing its market leadership in enzymatic recycling.”
Phil Morle, Partner at Main Sequence, commented: “Samsara Eco opening its first plant for infinite plastic recycling in regional Australia is an exemplar of Australian ingenuity leading the world to create industries for the next generation of growth. In this case, the first step to eradicating the problem of plastic waste.”