Matter is pioneering technology solutions for capturing, harvesting and recycling microplastics.
WilkinsonFuture is delighted to announce our investment into Matter (www.matter.industries) alongside other British Design Fund investors. The team at Matter has developed revolutionary technology to capture micro-fibre plastics from waste water that leaves our washing machines. Matters technology captures these micro-plastic pollutants at the source, and has the capability to prevent millions of tons of microscopic plastic particles ending up in our waterways and oceans.
Did you know 700,000 microfibres are released into the ocean after every machine wash? 60% of all textiles are now made from plastic fibres, which get washed into our waterways, damaging the environment and ending up in our food chain.
Originally backed by Sky Ocean Ventures Matter is now developing domestic, commercial and industrial applications for its technology. The team have developed a unit called Gulp which can be retrofitted onto any domestic washing machine. With the equivalent of 2 rubbish trucks full of micro-fibres currently finding their way into European marine environments every day, the hope is that this technology will soon become embedded as standard in every new washing machine.
Originally founded in 2017 by Adam Root, a former Dyson engineer, the Matter team is now 12 strong and growing. With the latest investment, the Bristol-based team will scale up commercial and industrial deployments, alongside the Gulp unit for use in residential homes. The team is also collaborating with researchers and universities to explore technologies to enable the reuse of captured microfibres. In the not too distant future, waste particles from our washing machines could be reused to create sustainable packaging!
With an estimated 5.25 trillion plastic particles polluting the world's oceans, we couldn't be more excited to be supporting Matter in their mission to solve this global issue. Be sure to follow the team's developments at www.matter.industries!