Newlight Technologies and Prime Polymer Develop Polypropylene Textile With PET-Like Dyeability

Prime Polymer and Newlight Technologies have developed a polypropylene-based textile material that combines polypropylene with Aircarbon PHB, delivering dyeability comparable to PET and lower weight, the companies said in a PR Newswire announcement on November 2, 2026.

How the Polypropylene Alloy Works

The material combines Prime Polymer's polypropylene alloy design and compounding technology with Newlight's Aircarbon PHB biomaterial platform. Polypropylene is lightweight, durable and moisture-resistant, but its limited dyeability has constrained broader adoption in apparel and footwear.

The companies demonstrated conversion of the material from compound pellets into yarn and knitted or woven fabrics. It can be dyed with conventional disperse dye systems, which the companies said supports adoption within existing textile supply chains.

The resulting material offers PET-like dyeability, lower weight than polyester, mechanical performance suitable for apparel and footwear, and an improved environmental profile through the incorporation of Aircarbon PHB. Target applications include performance apparel, outdoor products, footwear, socks and technical textiles.

"The material is currently being evaluated by multiple global brands for applications including footwear, performance apparel, socks, and technical textile products," the companies said. Prime Polymer and Newlight will continue collaborating with partners across the textile value chain to accelerate commercialization.

Newlight's Manufacturing and Funding Record

Newlight Technologies produces Aircarbon, a carbon-negative PHB bioplastic made from greenhouse gases by natural microorganisms, supplying enterprise brands in fashion, foodware, packaging and eyewear, according to akta.pro company records. The same records show the company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Huntington Beach, California.

Newlight closed a $125 million equity investment round led by GenZero in August 2023, with participation from Oxy Low Carbon Ventures and Charter Next Generation, to scale AirCarbon manufacturing globally. In 2019, the company commissioned Eagle 3, described in the records as the world's first fully-integrated commercial-scale production system using air and greenhouse gas to manufacture AirCarbon biomaterial.

The records list a carbon sequestration rate of 88 kg CO2 per kg of AirCarbon when producing the bioplastic. Newlight's Aircarbon Alliance includes polymer manufacturers, product testing organizations and supply chain partners delivering Aircarbon Alloy solutions.

Prime Polymer's Role in the Textile Platform

Prime Polymer, a Japan-based polyolefin manufacturer, specializes in polypropylene and polyethylene materials. The company contributed its polypropylene alloy design and compounding technology to the collaboration, which the companies said creates a practical pathway toward wider adoption of polypropylene-based textiles.