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Sustainability & Recycling

Revalyu Takes Indian PET Recycling Technology To The World

• By  Textile Excellence
• August 28, 2026

Makarand Kulkarni, CEO, Revalyu, speaks to Textile Excellence about the company’s journey from chemical PET recycling to commercial scale, the challenges of converting laboratory technology into reliable industrial operations, its growing global partnerships, and the expansion of its technology into the US. He also discusses Revalyu’s plans to explore new PET based feedstocks and why Indian recycling technology can compete with the world’s most demanding markets.

Revalyu has travelled a long and unusual journey. How did the company evolve into what it is today?

Makarand Kulkarni: Revalyu’s roots go back to the original Polygenta business, which was established in the 1980s. The business later went through a major transformation when its promoters and investors decided to revive the company around chemical recycling technology. The objective was very different from conventional recycling. The company wanted to challenge the perception that recycled polyester was inferior, inconsistent and suitable only for low value applications. That led to the decision to develop not only a recycling plant, but also polymer and yarn manufacturing capabilities so that quality could be controlled across the value chain.

How difficult was it to move from laboratory scale technology to commercial production?

Makarand Kulkarni: It was extremely challenging. Initially, the recycled material was blended with virgin polyester at around 20%. As a pilot scale technology was being commercialised, the challenges were enormous, however an intense team effort led to overcome all the challenges to produce a high-quality recycled product. We started producing virgin material around 2010, moved to recycled blending in 2011 and reached 100% recycled production by 2013. Since 2014, we have been producing that recycled product continuously.

How did Revalyu overcome international scepticism about Indian polyester quality?

Makarand Kulkarni: That was another major challenge. When I first went to Korea, I was told that Indians could make good cotton but could not make high-quality polyester. We had to break that mindset through product quality and consistent performance at the customer end. Eventually, we established our products in some of the most demanding polyester markets, including Korea and Taiwan. We supplied several hundred tonnes to Taiwan and China for a project involving a global brand. That was an important milestone because it demonstrated that Indian manufacturing could meet demanding international quality requirements.

What makes chemical recycling particularly relevant for PET?

Makarand Kulkarni: Chemical recycling allows the PET molecule to be taken back to its basic building blocks so that a new polymer can be produced. Revalyu’s approach is based on glycolysis and is designed to recover material at high purity. The objective is to make recycled material that can compete with virgin polyester in demanding applications rather than creating a lower grade substitute. The process also provides an opportunity to remove colours, additives and other impurities before rebuilding the material.

Revalyu is now expanding internationally. What does the US opportunity mean for the company?

Makarand Kulkarni: The United States is extremely important because it gives us an opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of Indian technology in one of the world's largest markets. Our facility in Statesboro, Georgia, takes our proprietary chemical recycling technology closer to major customers and waste streams in the US. We are effectively demonstrating how Indian engineering and recycling expertise can be applied at industrial scale to address plastic waste and convert it back into valuable material.

Is Revalyu still primarily focused on PET bottles?

Makarand Kulkarni: PET bottles have been the core raw material for us, and that remains an important part of our business. However, we are now looking at how the same technological capabilities can be extended to other PET based materials, including films and polyester textile waste. The raw material base is highly diverse, so the technology has to evolve according to the specific feedstock. It is a gradual process rather than something that can happen immediately.

What are the biggest barriers preventing faster adoption of recycling technology?

Makarand Kulkarni: Technology is only one part of the equation. A technology cannot simply be purchased, installed and expected to work immediately. Every country has different feedstock, infrastructure and operating challenges. Textile waste, in particular, is much less uniform than many other materials. Cost is another major issue. A plant can technically be ready, but if customers are not willing to buy the output at a commercially viable price, the investment cannot work. Scale, customer commitments, brand participation and financial support all have to come together. It is a complex and long-term game.

How important have global brands been in Revalyu’s journey?

Makarand Kulkarni: Their support has been extremely important. Decathlon supported us significantly and even provided training and brought trainers from Europe to help develop our processes. H&M and Inditex have also been supportive. Without the support of such customers, developing and commercialising these technologies would be much more difficult.

What is Revalyu doing to strengthen the collection ecosystem in India?

Makarand Kulkarni: We are working towards greater transparency and traceability. Our collection system maps PET bottles from the first collection point and uses geotagging to track their movement. We also maintain transparent payment systems and conduct audits at different levels. Revalyu has participated in dedicated collection projects, including initiatives involving schools and local communities. The European style collection system is still not fully established in India, but the ecosystem is gradually improving.

What is your larger vision for Revalyu?

Makarand Kulkarni: Revalyu is already servicing different sectors like textiles, carpets, rigid as well as flexible packaging globally. The larger vision is to develop this technology into a broader platform wherein diverse PET raw materials (bottles, films, textile etc) can be recycled and all types of applications can be serviced. The next step will be to increase the scale and go global. This journey will take time but the direction is clear. The journey will take time, but the direction is very clear.

Makarand Kulkarni, CEO, Revalyu says "Revalyu is already servicing different sectors like textiles, carpets, rigid as well as flexible packaging globally. The larger vision is to develop this technology into a broader platform wherein diverse PET raw materials (bottles, films, textile etc) can be recycled and all types of applications can be serviced. The next step will be to increase the scale and go global. This journey will take time but the direction is clear. The journey will take time, but the direction is very clear."