Hollywood celebrities Leonardo DiCaprio and Ashton Kutcher have made substantial investments in a UK start-up that specializes in filtering microplastics from washing machines. Bristol-based tech company Matter has successfully raised $10 million (£7.86 million) to develop a gadget that can remove toxic particles from household washes. DiCaprio and Kutcher invested through their respective funds, Regeneration.VC and SOUNDwaves, both of which have previously supported other eco-friendly initiatives.
Matter, a small company with only 30 employees, has created a device that can be retrofitted onto washing machines. Priced at £249, this gadget utilizes highly advanced filters to capture microplastics released by synthetic clothing during each wash. Customers can then send the collected plastic waste back to Matter for repurposing. In addition to licensing its technology to large electronics companies, Matter also plans to sell an industrial-grade version to textile manufacturers. With this funding round, which also involved climate investor S2G, the company aims to double its workforce.
Adam Root, the founder and CEO of Matter, expressed his optimism about the potential of his technology, particularly as awareness grows about the issue of microplastics. He emphasized the significant contribution of textiles to the microplastic waste problem, stating, “There are now billion-dollar businesses talking about their microplastics strategy. Once these guys get shifting, things will really move.”
Research has shown that microplastics accumulating in the world’s oceans have detrimental effects on critical wildlife, including the growth of zooplankton that serves as a food source for larger fish and marine mammals. These particles can also harm human cells. Although the issue has been neglected for a long time, legislation addressing the problem is now catching up. France, for example, mandates that all new washing machines must have a microplastics filter by 2025, and there is a cross-party group of MPs in the UK advocating for a similar policy.
Katherine Keating, managing partner at SOUNDwaves, stated that incoming laws on microplastics are “inevitable given the ecological and health impacts” of pollution. While Mr. Root appreciates the investment from his high-profile backers, he is particularly excited about partnering with Regeneration.VC’s William McDonough, a green architect who aims to eliminate the concept of waste.
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