Technology scoring
60technologies profiled
Score every route
Chemical, enzymatic, thermomechanical and hybrid routes were scored on a 40-point technology, business and carbon framework built with the client.
Case Study · Technology Scouting
Scouting what comes next in polyester recycling.
A global apparel company wanted the next generation of textile-to-textile recycling technologies. We scored 60 technologies and recommended six mechanisms with partners for each.
The Client
The client is a global apparel company. It engaged Prescouter to find next-generation technologies that could win on carbon, energy, cost and feedstock flexibility.
The Challenge
Find real breakthroughs.
Handle real garment waste.
Most garments contain 85% PET or less, blended with elastane, nylon and cotton, and most carbon claims were self-reported. The goal was recycled polyester chip that can fully replace virgin polyester in high-performance apparel.
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Breakthroughs
Beyond incremental routes
Technologies that change the rules, not another version of the same chemistry.
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Feedstock
Blended waste tolerance
Testing claims of accepting any feedstock against real co-fiber contamination.
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Carbon
Credible LCA data
Separating self-reported carbon figures from independent evidence.
Our Approach
Scoring the field through frameworks and direct outreach.
Direct interviews
8companies and labs
Get the hidden data
Anonymous interviews captured feedstock limits, LCA data and scale-up timelines that are not in published materials.
Expert panel
6SMEs engaged
Pressure-test claims
A retained expert with over 20 years in PET chemical recycling and a panel of specialists tested claims and built a first-principles carbon comparison.
The Outcome
Six mechanisms, twelve partners.
Prescouter delivered a prioritized portfolio of six next-generation recycling mechanisms, each with a recommended partner and an alternate, plus a three-horizon action plan.
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Reframe
From chemistry to feedstock
No single technology can process blended waste alone, but a modular network of specialists can.
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Portfolio
Six recycling mechanisms
From enzymatic depolymerization to low-temperature dissolution, each with two partners.
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Next steps
Closing the LCA gap
Independent life cycle assessments flagged as the key gap before carbon figures are used.
The question was never which chemistry wins. It was which feedstock each technology can really handle.
Let’s Talk
Which technologies will close your loop?
Find the recycling technologies and partners that fit your materials and goals. Wherever you're starting from, we'll help you get there.
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