Table of Contents
- Executive Summary and Key Findings
- Global Market Overview and 2025 Size Forecast
- Emerging Pyrolysis Technologies for Nylon Recycling
- Key Industry Players and Recent Developments
- Regulatory Landscape and Environmental Standards
- Technological Challenges and Process Optimization
- Supply Chain Integration and Feedstock Sourcing
- End-Use Markets and Application Trends
- Investment Opportunities and Strategic Partnerships
- Future Outlook: Growth Drivers and Scenario Analysis (2025–2030)
- Sources & References
Executive Summary and Key Findings
Nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies are rapidly gaining traction as the global demand for sustainable management of polyamide (nylon) waste intensifies. As of 2025, the landscape is characterized by increased industrial investments, pilot plant deployments, and collaborative initiatives targeting the decarbonization and circularity of nylon products, notably in the textiles, automotive, and packaging sectors.
Key industry players, including www.eneos.co.jp, www.basf.com, and www.dupont.com, have announced or advanced projects utilizing pyrolysis to break down post-consumer nylon waste into monomers and other valuable chemicals. In 2024, www.basf.com expanded its ChemCycling™ program to include nylon 6, leveraging pyrolysis as a pathway to high-purity caprolactam, suitable for producing virgin-quality nylon. Pilot demonstrations in Europe have achieved yields exceeding 70% monomer recovery from mixed nylon waste streams, with commercial-scale facilities anticipated within the 2025-2027 timeframe.
Japan’s www.eneos.co.jp has partnered with fiber manufacturers to develop continuous pyrolysis processes for nylon 6,6 and nylon 6, targeting the upcycling of industrial and textile waste. Their recent pilot demonstrations have reported operational efficiencies above 80% and have laid the groundwork for a 10,000-ton-per-year facility projected to commence operations by 2026.
Additionally, www.dupont.com and other major polyamide producers are exploring advanced catalytic pyrolysis routes and co-processing techniques, enabling the depolymerization of complex, multi-material waste streams. These innovations are particularly relevant for automotive end-of-life parts and mixed fiber textiles, where mechanical recycling is often infeasible.
Despite technical progress, the sector faces challenges, including feedstock contamination, scale-up hurdles, and the need for stable end-markets for recycled monomers. However, regulatory momentum—such as the EU’s upcoming mandates on recycled content and extended producer responsibility schemes—are accelerating investment in chemical recycling infrastructure.
Looking ahead, the period from 2025 to 2028 is expected to witness the commissioning of multiple commercial-scale nylon pyrolysis plants globally. These efforts will likely be complemented by strategic alliances between waste collectors, chemical companies, and end-users, further integrating pyrolysis recycling within the nylon value chain. The outlook is optimistic for nylon pyrolysis to become a cornerstone technology for achieving circularity in polyamide-based materials.
Global Market Overview and 2025 Size Forecast
The global market for nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies is witnessing significant momentum as industries seek sustainable solutions to address the mounting volumes of post-consumer and post-industrial nylon waste, notably from sectors such as textiles, automotive, and fishing gear. Pyrolysis processes, which thermally decompose nylon polymers in the absence of oxygen to recover valuable monomers and fuels, are increasingly being adopted as an alternative to landfill and incineration, and as a complement to mechanical recycling.
Several leading chemical and advanced recycling companies have announced or scaled up their nylon pyrolysis initiatives heading into 2025. Notably, www.basf.com has incorporated nylon waste through its ChemCycling™ project, integrating chemically recycled monomers into its value chain for engineering plastics. Meanwhile, www.ineos.com continues to advance its pyrolysis technology platform, collaborating with partners to process complex nylon-containing waste streams such as carpets and textiles. www.aquafil.com remains a prominent player, leveraging its ECONYL® Regeneration System to depolymerize pre- and post-consumer nylon 6 waste, particularly from discarded fishing nets and carpets, and has announced expansions in Europe and the United States.
By 2025, industry analysts and manufacturers project that the capacity for nylon pyrolysis recycling will surpass several tens of thousands of metric tons annually, with new plants and demonstration facilities coming online in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia. For example, www.enviroplast.com has announced plans to integrate advanced thermal and chemical recycling methods for nylon and other engineering plastics, targeting market segments where mechanical recycling faces limitations due to contamination or complex material blends.
The market growth is underpinned by regulatory incentives and brand commitments to circularity. The European Union’s Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan, as well as similar initiatives in the United States and Japan, are driving investment in chemical recycling infrastructure. Leading apparel and automotive brands are increasingly specifying recycled content in their supply chains, encouraging adoption of pyrolysis-derived nylon feedstocks.
Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, the outlook for nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies is robust. Adoption is expected to accelerate as scale and process efficiencies improve, with key players expanding their partnerships and technology footprints. The market is poised to play a pivotal role in closing the loop for nylon, contributing to reduced reliance on virgin petrochemical resources and improved lifecycle sustainability for high-performance plastics.
Emerging Pyrolysis Technologies for Nylon Recycling
As global demand for sustainable materials intensifies, pyrolysis has emerged as a promising technology for recycling nylon, particularly nylon-6 and nylon-66, from end-of-life textiles, carpets, and industrial waste. Unlike mechanical recycling, which often suffers from quality degradation, pyrolysis enables depolymerization of nylon waste back into monomers or valuable hydrocarbons, thus facilitating the production of virgin-quality material.
In the current landscape (2025), multiple companies are advancing large-scale nylon pyrolysis projects. www.aquafil.com continues to expand its ECONYL® Regeneration System, which utilizes a proprietary depolymerization process to convert post-consumer nylon-6 waste into caprolactam. The regenerated caprolactam is then used to produce new nylon products with no loss in quality. As of 2024, Aquafil reported recycling over 50,000 tons of nylon waste annually, with additional capacity expansions underway in Europe and the United States.
On the technological front, www.ansell.com announced a partnership in 2024 with chemical recyclers to pilot pyrolysis-based recycling of nylon-66 gloves, aiming for industrial-scale operation by 2026. Meanwhile, www.basf.com has integrated nylon waste into its ChemCycling™ program, processing mixed plastic streams (including polyamides) into feedstock for new polymers. BASF’s pilot plants in Germany are expected to scale up commercial output of chemically recycled nylon by 2025-2026.
In Asia, www.shinkongsynthetics.com of Taiwan is scaling up a proprietary chemical recycling process for post-industrial nylon waste, targeting a 10,000-ton annual capacity by 2025. The company aims to meet rising demand from the apparel and automotive sectors for recycled-content nylon.
The outlook for nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies in the next few years is positive. Industry analysts project a doubling of chemical recycling capacity by 2027, driven by regulatory pressures and consumer demand for circular products. However, challenges remain in terms of feedstock collection, process economics, and purity of recycled monomers. Major nylon producers and recyclers are therefore investing in supply chain partnerships and process innovation to ensure consistent, high-quality outputs.
Collaborative initiatives and ongoing scale-up efforts are expected to make pyrolysis-based nylon recycling commercially viable and widely available by the late 2020s, supporting broader industry goals for decarbonization and resource efficiency.
Key Industry Players and Recent Developments
The landscape of nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies is marked by rapid innovation and strategic partnerships as the demand for circular solutions in polyamide (nylon) waste management intensifies. As of 2025, several key industry players are advancing pilot and commercial-scale projects, leveraging proprietary thermal depolymerization and chemical recycling technologies that target post-consumer and post-industrial nylon streams.
Key Players and Strategic Developments
- Agilyx, a pioneer in chemical recycling, has been expanding its pyrolysis-based depolymerization technology for nylon-6 waste. In collaboration with www.agilyx.com, www.teijin.com—a major Japanese chemical company—has continued development on a process that converts end-of-life nylon-6 products back into caprolactam monomer, which can then be repolymerized into new nylon. Their demonstration facility in Japan has been operational since 2021, and in 2024-2025, both companies announced scale-up plans to support increased demand from the automotive and textiles sectors.
- Aquafil, a global leader in nylon production and recycling, operates the www.aquafil.com Regeneration System. While primarily associated with depolymerization, Aquafil has also invested in R&D for thermal recycling and is evaluating integration of pyrolysis technologies to expand feedstock flexibility. In 2025, Aquafil is piloting advanced sorting and pre-processing for mixed nylon waste streams to optimize yields for both chemical and thermal recycling.
- RadiciGroup has intensified R&D on pyrolysis routes for polyamide recycling, collaborating with universities and technology firms to commercialize processes that minimize contaminants in recovered monomers. Project updates in early 2025 indicate successful lab-scale trials and the commencement of a pilot plant in Italy, with a view to full commercialization within the next 2–3 years (www.radicigroup.com).
- DOMO Chemicals is advancing its “TechNYL®” circular platform, which includes chemical and potential thermal recycling of nylon-6 and nylon-66. In 2025, DOMO reported the completion of feasibility studies for integrating pyrolysis-derived monomer recovery into its European operations, with demonstration projects planned for 2026 (www.domochemicals.com).
Outlook
With regulatory pressures mounting and brand owners seeking low-carbon, circular material solutions, the next few years are expected to see the first commercial-scale deployments of nylon pyrolysis recycling in Europe and Asia. The focus remains on improving process economics, reducing energy consumption, and ensuring high purity of recovered monomers for demanding applications such as automotive and textiles. Continued collaboration between polymer producers and technology developers will be pivotal in scaling these solutions and expanding the range of recyclable nylon products.
Regulatory Landscape and Environmental Standards
The regulatory landscape for nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies is rapidly evolving as governments and industry bodies intensify efforts to address plastic waste, promote circularity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 2025, several regions are advancing or implementing frameworks that directly affect the deployment and commercialization of nylon pyrolysis, particularly in sectors like textiles, carpets, and engineering plastics.
In the European Union, the updated Waste Framework Directive and the Single-Use Plastics Directive have placed increasing pressure on manufacturers to find recycling solutions for complex polymers such as nylon (polyamide). The EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan explicitly calls for increased recycling rates and the integration of advanced recycling technologies, including chemical and pyrolysis-based methods, to handle difficult-to-recycle streams. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is also monitoring substances of concern in recycled outputs, requiring rigorous traceability and safety standards for pyrolysis oils and monomers destined for new production (ec.europa.eu).
In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched pilots and public consultations to consider the role of advanced recycling, including pyrolysis, under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Several states—such as Texas, Illinois, and Pennsylvania—have passed or are considering laws that classify pyrolysis and gasification as manufacturing rather than waste disposal, streamlining permitting and allowing for scaling of facilities that recycle nylon-containing waste streams (www.epa.gov).
Industry organizations are also setting new standards. The www.europeanplasticrecyclers.eu and www.plasticsrecycling.org have issued guidelines for the traceability and certification of recycled outputs from chemical and pyrolysis recycling, including for nylon. These standards focus on ensuring that materials meet quality requirements for use in sensitive applications, such as automotive or food packaging, and help companies meet sustainability commitments and regulatory obligations.
Environmental standards are further being shaped by the growing adoption of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and carbon footprint methodologies. Major companies in the sector, such as www.aquafil.com—which operates large-scale nylon depolymerization and is piloting pyrolysis for mixed polyamide waste—must now quantify and report the environmental benefits of their recycling technologies as part of regulatory filings and sustainability disclosures.
Looking ahead, the regulatory environment is expected to become more stringent, with requirements for recycled content in new products and extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes likely to incorporate chemical recycling pathways. Stakeholders in nylon pyrolysis will need to proactively engage with evolving standards, invest in traceability and safety systems, and demonstrate environmental performance to remain compliant and competitive in global markets.
Technological Challenges and Process Optimization
Nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies are rapidly evolving as the industry seeks to address the environmental impact and resource inefficiencies associated with end-of-life nylon products, especially nylon-6 and nylon-66. As of 2025, several technological challenges continue to shape the landscape, while new process optimizations promise to enhance both the scalability and quality of recycled nylon outputs.
A primary technological challenge in nylon pyrolysis lies in the precise depolymerization of nylon polymers back into their monomeric forms (such as caprolactam for nylon-6). Pyrolysis processes must operate under tightly controlled conditions to maximize yield and minimize the formation of undesirable byproducts like char, oligomers, or non-condensable gases. Companies such as www.advansix.com and www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com are actively developing proprietary reactor designs and catalyst systems aimed at improving conversion efficiency and product purity for recycled nylon monomers.
Feedstock variability remains a significant hurdle. Post-consumer nylon waste streams often contain additives, dyes, and contaminants that can interfere with pyrolysis reactions, leading to lower monomer recovery rates and increased purification requirements. To address this, www.aquafil.com has invested in pre-sorting and advanced feedstock preparation technologies at its ECONYL® plants to ensure a more consistent input material, enhancing both operational stability and final product quality. Such measures are increasingly being adopted industry-wide as a best practice.
Process optimization efforts are focusing on energy efficiency and integration with existing chemical production infrastructure. The high energy input required for thermal depolymerization can impact the overall sustainability of nylon pyrolysis. Recent developments by www.basf.com include research into heat recovery systems and modular reactor configurations, which aim to reduce the carbon footprint of the process while maintaining high throughput.
The outlook for the next few years includes the scale-up of pilot and demonstration plants to full commercial operations. For example, www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com announced plans to bring its nylon recycling pyrolysis technology to industrial scale, targeting the circular production of high-purity caprolactam for new nylon-6 manufacture. This is complemented by growing collaborations between technology providers and downstream users, such as apparel and automotive OEMs, who are seeking traceable, high-quality recycled nylon for their products.
In summary, while technological barriers exist—particularly regarding feedstock heterogeneity and energy demands—ongoing process improvements and industry partnerships are expected to significantly enhance the economic and environmental performance of nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies in 2025 and the coming years.
Supply Chain Integration and Feedstock Sourcing
In 2025, the integration of supply chains and the sourcing of appropriate feedstocks remain pivotal challenges and opportunities for the scalability of nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies. The supply chain for nylon waste—especially for post-consumer and post-industrial sources—has grown more sophisticated as brands and recyclers seek to secure consistent, high-quality inputs necessary for efficient pyrolysis. Companies like www.aquafil.com have established extensive collection networks, collaborating with apparel brands, carpet manufacturers, and fishing communities to source discarded nylon 6 products, notably through their ECONYL® Regeneration System. Their efforts demonstrate the importance of upstream partnerships for reliable feedstock flows.
Meanwhile, the emergence of advanced pyrolysis technologies has prompted new forms of collaboration between waste management firms, chemical recyclers, and manufacturers. For example, www.basf.com and its ChemCycling™ initiative have been working to incorporate not just mixed plastic waste, but also polyamide-rich streams, into their feedstock portfolios. This requires close coordination with material recovery facilities and industrial partners to ensure the segregation and delivery of nylon fractions suitable for pyrolytic processing.
In 2025, digital solutions and traceability tools are increasingly adopted to enhance transparency and efficiency. RFID tagging and blockchain-based platforms are being piloted to track nylon waste from source to plant, minimizing contamination and maximizing the value of recycled output. This is exemplified by regenyx.com, a joint venture between Agilyx and AmSty, which is exploring advanced molecular recycling with a focus on traceable supply chains for post-use plastics, including polyamides.
The outlook for the next few years is shaped by both regulatory drivers—such as extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes in the EU and Asia—and voluntary commitments from major brands to incorporate chemically recycled nylon into new products. These trends are expected to incentivize greater pre-sorting at the collection stage and foster the growth of dedicated nylon waste streams. However, scaling these efforts to meet industrial pyrolysis plant capacities remains a significant hurdle, as the availability of uncontaminated, high-volume nylon waste is still limited relative to demand.
Continued investment in collection infrastructure, sorting technologies, and cross-sector collaboration will be essential for optimizing supply chain integration. As more brands and manufacturers commit to circularity goals, the development of robust, geographically diverse feedstock sourcing strategies will be crucial to unlocking the full potential of nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies through 2025 and beyond.
End-Use Markets and Application Trends
Nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies are gaining traction as sustainable solutions for managing post-consumer and post-industrial nylon waste, particularly in the context of circular economy initiatives and tightening regulations around textile and plastic waste. As of 2025, advancements in chemical recycling, specifically pyrolysis, are enabling the depolymerization of nylon waste back to its monomer form, caprolactam, which can be repolymerized into virgin-quality nylon for high-value applications.
Key end-use markets for recycled nylon obtained via pyrolysis include the automotive, apparel, carpet, and engineering plastics sectors. Automotive OEMs are increasingly interested in recycled nylon for components such as under-the-hood parts, air intake manifolds, and electrical connectors, driven by sustainability goals and regulatory pressures in Europe and North America. For example, www.dupont.com and www.basf.com are working to integrate recycled polyamides into their engineering plastics portfolios for automotive customers.
In textiles and apparel, brands are under pressure to reduce their environmental footprint, leading to partnerships with chemical recyclers. www.aquafil.com is a key player, operating its ECONYL® regeneration system, which uses chemical recycling techniques (including depolymerization and pyrolysis) to convert discarded nylon, such as fishing nets and carpet fluff, into new nylon yarn for fashion, sportswear, and carpet applications. As of 2025, Aquafil reports growing global demand from brands seeking to incorporate recycled content into their product lines, citing collaborations with major apparel and carpet manufacturers.
In the carpet and flooring sector, companies such as www.interface.com are actively incorporating recycled nylon into their products, responding to both consumer demand and extended producer responsibility (EPR) requirements in regions like the EU. These trends are expected to accelerate as more regions introduce mandates for recycled content in flooring products.
Looking ahead, the outlook for nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies is positive, with significant investments in scaling up plant capacity and improving process efficiencies. www.chemcycling.basf.com is piloting chemical recycling initiatives, aiming to further close the loop for polyamide waste streams. The focus for the next few years will be on expanding end-use markets beyond textiles and automotive—such as electronics and industrial components—and on achieving cost competitiveness with virgin nylon. The success of these efforts will depend on collaboration between recyclers, material producers, and end-users to establish robust reverse logistics and quality assurance systems.
Investment Opportunities and Strategic Partnerships
The landscape for investment opportunities and strategic partnerships in nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies is rapidly evolving as the global demand for sustainable materials intensifies. In 2025, several key players are expanding their efforts to scale up nylon recycling through innovative pyrolysis processes, attracting both private and institutional investors seeking to support circular economy initiatives.
One of the most notable developments is the strategic collaboration between www.basf.com and various technology partners to advance chemical recycling, including the pyrolysis of polyamide (nylon) waste. BASF’s ChemCycling™ project, which began piloting in 2020, has accelerated investments and partnership opportunities, aiming to commercialize recycled nylon feedstocks for high-performance applications. In 2025, the company is prioritizing partnerships with both upstream waste management firms and downstream manufacturers to secure steady nylon waste supplies and develop offtake agreements for recycled products.
Similarly, www.eneos.co.jp and www.sanoyas-sb.co.jp have announced joint ventures in Japan to develop commercial-scale nylon pyrolysis technology, targeting post-industrial and post-consumer nylon 6 and 66 waste. Their pilot facilities, set to scale further in 2025, are drawing attention from automotive and electronics supply chains seeking to secure recycled monomer streams. These projects are actively seeking co-investments and long-term supply partnerships to underpin future capacity expansions.
In Europe, www.aquafil.com continues to drive investment by expanding its Econyl® regeneration system, which integrates depolymerization and pyrolysis of nylon 6 waste. With a growing network of collaborators—including fashion brands and carpet manufacturers—Aquafil is soliciting investment for additional plants in Europe and North America, with several joint development agreements expected to be finalized in 2025. These partnerships focus not only on technology deployment, but also on creating robust collection and sorting systems to ensure a stable feedstock supply.
Looking ahead, the outlook for investment and strategic alliances in nylon pyrolysis is strong, supported by regulatory pressures, circularity targets, and a surge in corporate sustainability commitments. Companies with proven pilot projects and scalable technology platforms are best positioned to attract funding from both venture capital and strategic corporate investors. As more demonstration plants come online and offtake agreements are secured, the sector is likely to see a wave of mergers, joint ventures, and cross-sector partnerships over the next several years, further accelerating the commercialization of nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies.
Future Outlook: Growth Drivers and Scenario Analysis (2025–2030)
Nylon pyrolysis recycling technologies are poised for notable advancements and scaling between 2025 and 2030, driven by regulatory, technological, and market forces. The mounting pressure to divert nylon waste—especially from carpets, textiles, and fishing nets—from landfills and incinerators is accelerating innovation and investment in chemical recycling pathways. Pyrolysis, in particular, is gaining attention for its ability to depolymerize end-of-life nylon back to monomers, offering a closed-loop solution and supporting the circular economy initiatives of leading polymer producers.
By 2025, several key players are expected to move beyond pilot stages into commercial-scale operations. www.adyen.com, a pioneer in closed-loop nylon recycling, continues to expand its Econyl process, which employs a form of chemical depolymerization akin to pyrolysis for converting post-consumer nylon waste into regenerated nylon-6. The company has announced plans to ramp up capacity and is actively collaborating with apparel brands and carpet manufacturers to secure feedstock and offtake agreements for the coming years.
Meanwhile, www.basf.com is scaling up its ChemCycling™ initiative, which targets mixed plastic waste, including polyamides, using pyrolysis oils as input for new polymers. Pilot results in 2022–2024 suggest that nylon recovery via pyrolysis will become progressively more feasible as process selectivity improves and integration with existing value chains tightens. BASF’s anticipated expansion of ChemCycling™ output by 2026–2027 is expected to include greater volumes of recycled nylon intermediates.
Another significant development is the push for regulatory compliance and eco-design. The European Union’s Green Deal and its Circular Economy Action Plan, in force through 2025 and beyond, are incentivizing producers to invest in advanced recycling such as pyrolysis to meet recycled content targets for plastics, including nylon-based products (www.eea.europa.eu). This regulatory momentum is likely to catalyze further adoption of pyrolysis, particularly in regions with stringent landfill restrictions and extended producer responsibility schemes.
Scenario analysis for 2025–2030 points to robust growth in demand for recycled nylon as brands seek to reduce their carbon footprint and comply with emerging legislation. Major chemical companies are expected to announce new partnerships and facility investments, likely resulting in doubling or tripling of global chemical recycling capacity for nylon by 2030. Technical challenges remain—especially in dealing with mixed or contaminated waste streams—but ongoing R&D and favorable policy landscapes suggest that pyrolysis-based recycling will become a cornerstone of nylon circularity in the near future.
Sources & References
- www.basf.com
- www.dupont.com
- www.ineos.com
- www.aquafil.com
- www.ansell.com
- www.agilyx.com
- www.teijin.com
- www.radicigroup.com
- www.domochemicals.com
- ec.europa.eu
- www.plasticsrecycling.org
- www.advansix.com
- www.interface.com
- www.adyen.com
- www.eea.europa.eu
