As soon as 2030, the market demand for recycled materials will outpace supply by at least three times, according to multinational management consulting firm McKinsey & Company. 

It’s no wonder that more and more startups are dipping their toes in the business of recycling technologies.

Tel Aviv-based TextRe, recently selected to represent Israel at COP29 Azerbaijan this November, is one of those startups. 

“Our patented process creates a product that suits customers across many industries, from home decor and industrial furniture to electronics and vehicles,” TextRe CEO and cofounder Lee Cohen tells ISRAEL21c. 

Massive textile and plastic footprint

TextRe’s unique technology is designed to minimize the massive environmental footprint of both the textile and plastic industries.

It transforms mixed synthetic polymers found in textile waste into ecofriendly recycled raw material that manufacturers can use to make high-value and cost-effective sustainable products. 

“We are taking a specific composition of synthetic fibers, like polyester or nylon, and putting it through an extrusion process, using technology that we have developed,” explains Cohen.

Extrusion refers to an industrial process that creates a specifically shaped object by pushing a material through a die.

“Our patented process utilizes the characteristics of the fibers because we don’t want to hurt them. Then we mix it with other polymer additives, which altogether creates a very valuable product for the plastic industry.”

Cohen clarifies that the company has no plans to produce recycled fabrics for the fashion industry. 

“Textile to textile recycling is a chemical recycling, which is really expensive and requires a lot of energy. It’s a closed-loop-approach to recycling.” 

The mission 

Cohen says the company’s ultimate mission is to give the plastic industry an opportunity to reinvent itself “without having to compromise on performance, characteristics, price and availability.”

“The plastic industry needs to replace its use of virgin plastic with recycled material that’s not derived from fossil fuels,” she notes.

Europe is the company’s target market at the moment. 

“They have the infrastructure for textile waste, the acknowledgement of the need for recyclability and sustainability, and the regulations on textiles and plastics industries,” Cohen explains.

“For example, new European Union regulation obligates the automotive industry to include at least 25% of recycled plastic in its car parts. It really creates a huge opportunity for us.”

How it all began 

The difficulties brought on by the war were a poetic continuation of the company’s thorny start.

Despite being incorporated last year, TextRe has been operating for two-and-half years, just not at full speed.

Until last year, Cohen, a lawyer by trade, was practicing law full time while developing business plans for TextRe on the side. 

Cohen then recruited her father, Moshe Cohen, owner of textile factories in Israel and abroad, to become TextRe’s cofounder and COO. 

“I grew up in those factories; I’m pretty familiar with the textile industry and supply chain. This is the reason I always thought about why such a valuable raw material ends up in landfill and how it can be repurposed for good,” she explains.

“I think it’s crazy that we keep producing new textiles when over 92 million tons of textiles end up in landfills every year, and most of it, over 70%, is essentially plastic.”

The two final cofounders to come aboard were Ariel Yedvab, materials engineering expert and company’s CTO, and businessman Jack Weichselbaum.

“The people I’m working with are a really important aspect, whether it’s people I’m trying to recruit, our investors, or strategic collaborators we are trying to connect with in the industry,” Cohen says.

Then came October 7 

Despite TextRe already weaving plans for global domination, the company was only officially incorporated in October 2023, one the most challenging times for Israeli startups in recent history. 

The October 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war had a significant impact on the neonate startup, which to this day has no full-time employees besides its four cofounders. 

“We were fundraising, and two days before the war started we were just about to close that round having found an investor,” recalls Cohen.

However, the company of that investor was located in Kfar Aza, an Israeli community near the Gaza border that was practically obliterated by the attacks, causing the deal to fall through. 

“From that point on, it was really hard to fundraise, whether in Israel or abroad,” adds Cohen.

“But,” she continues, “I felt that we just needed to move on; it was part of me coping with the situation. I didn’t see any other way other than pushing forward.”

Cohen’s determination ultimately paid off when the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) awarded TextRe a $500,000 grant in December 2023. 

The money allowed the startup to develop a prototype, and it is now in partnership talks with several companies in Israel and abroad. The startup also made the 2023 MassChallenge Israel winners list and has started fundraising again. 

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