US state of New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that French textile-to-textile regeneration company Reju will establish a $390 million textile regeneration hub on an 18.9-acre vacant lot at Eastman Business Park in Rochester — marking the company’s first facility in North America.

 

Reju specializes in turning polyester and post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate waste into high-quality regenerated textiles, bringing the circular economy to life. 

 

The Rochester facility is expected to regenerate the equivalent of 300 million garments annually that would otherwise end up in landfills. The project will create approximately 70 new jobs, including engineers, technicians, machinists, and production staff, with operations expected by the end of 2029.

 

“New York State is committed to creating good paying jobs, and supporting innovative projects and companies that are working to keep materials out of landfills and protecting our planet,” Governor Hochul said. 

 

“Reju’s ambitious project will create approximately 70 new jobs at Eastman Business Park, and will show how smart investments can turn waste into opportunity, further supporting our state’s overall green economy efforts and creating a brighter future for everyone.”

 

Following site remediation, Reju will build a 145,000-square-foot facility using proprietary technology developed with IBM Research to convert textile waste, starting with polyester, into Reju Polyester — a material with 50 percent lower carbon footprint than virgin polyester and engineered to be recyclable multiple times. Through global partnerships, the company transforms discarded garments into consumer-ready yarns and fabrics.

 

Reju CEO Patrik Frisk said, “As our first Regeneration hub in the United States, this site selection in Rochester, New York is a major leap forward in building a truly global circular system. We are proud to bring Reju’s sustainable manufacturing and jobs to the Rochester community. Reju is investing in a future where post-consumer textile waste becomes a resource, not a liability. It’s a signal to the market that circularity at scale is possible and now is the time to ensure the momentum continues to build.”

 

Empire State Development is supporting Reju with a $4 million capital grant and up to $1 million in performance-based tax credits, while Monroe County, the City of Rochester, and Greater Rochester Enterprise are also backing the project.

 

Hope Knight, President and CEO of Empire State Development, said, “Reju’s decision to expand into New York State represents the latest in Governor Hochul’s efforts to promote a circular economy. As we continue to pivot away from the single-use, disposable model, we are supporting new ideas that reduce overall pollution and keep resources out of landfills, while boosting sustainability and generating new economic growth.”

 

The announcement builds on Governor Hochul’s ongoing initiatives to improve textile sustainability and recycling. In 2022, she signed a law supporting plant and animal fiber textile manufacturing in New York, while also committing $10 million to the Fashion Innovation Center, a consortium focused on sustainable textiles and recycling technologies.

 

DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton emphasized the statewide impact: “Under the leadership of Governor Hochul, New York State continues to lead on diverting waste from landfills and returning materials back to productive use, which creates further progress towards our climate goals…"

 

"With nearly 1.4 billion pounds of clothing, footwear, sheets, towels and other textile materials thrown away in New York each year, this major textile recycling facility in Rochester will support our statewide efforts to reduce and divert waste, while creating local jobs.”

 

Eastman Business Park, where Kodak once manufactured photographic film, is now home to over 100 companies employing more than 6,000 workers.

 

Jim Moran, President of Eastman Business Park, said, “Kodak is thrilled to welcome Reju to Eastman Business Park. We look forward to supporting Reju’s goal of building a system where textile waste doesn’t exist by leveraging the unique infrastructure and capabilities of our park.”

 

Local officials hailed the investment as a game-changer. Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “Today’s announcement means new jobs, new investments, and a new legacy being built in the Eastman Business Park."

 

Mayor Malik D. Evans added, “I am proud of the City’s Business Development team’s role in bringing Reju to Rochester, which will create good-paying jobs for our residents, power the growth of Eastman Business Park as an international employment center and strengthen our economy’s position as an innovation hub in the growing waste-reduction market.”

 

Bob Duffy, President of the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, called the investment “significant and transformative,” highlighting the company’s role in revitalizing Eastman Business Park. GRE CEO Matt Hurlbutt noted, “The unique infrastructure assets at Eastman Business Park… will support Reju’s technology and future innovations.”