It’s been a big week for Matter. The UK-based tech company is finding smart new ways to tackle microfibre pollution – one of the biggest environmental challenges facing the textiles industry today. As finalists for this year’s Earthshot Prize, the team headed to Rio de Janeiro to join a global community of innovators working to protect and restore the planet. And with COP30 now underway in the same city, sustainability is firmly in the spotlight – making Matter’s work feel especially urgent.
Matter’s filtration technology captures the microfibres released during everyday washing, stopping them from flowing into rivers and oceans. For Field Grey, where we’re always exploring how to make uniform design more circular and sustainable, their work reminds us what’s possible when technology, creativity and environmental purpose come together.
We caught up with Daniel Toner, Business Development Manager at Matter, to talk about the company’s mission, circular design, and how small changes – from manufacturers and consumers alike – could help build a cleaner, more sustainable future for textiles.
First off, congratulations on being an Earthshot finalist. It must have been quite a week!
It really was a whirlwind. The executive team were out in Rio, and I woke up to a photo of our founder, Adam Root, and chief revenue officer Anthony Kolanko chatting to Prince William – which was pretty surreal. Apparently, the Prince said he’d like to install a filter at Buckingham Palace!
For those who might not know Matter yet, give us the elevator pitch?
We’re innovators in water filtration, transforming industries through technology that empowers customers and protects the planet. Our story began about eight years ago when Adam built the first prototype in his garage using an old washing machine, some hose pipes and a £250 grant from The Prince’s Trust. He realised washing machines act like giant cheese graters, shedding tiny fibres that flow out with wastewater and end up in rivers and oceans. Every year, around 700,000 tons of microplastic fibres are released into the sea. That’s the problem we’re tackling, from home use to industrial scale.
How do you communicate that scale without overwhelming people?
It’s difficult because the problem is invisible, but the impact is enormous. We’re only just understanding how microplastics move through our bodies – into the lungs, bloodstream, even the brain — and early studies link them to diseases like Alzheimer’s. Environmentally, microplastics are eaten by plankton – our world’s largest carbon sink – which affects the ocean’s ability to store carbon and produce oxygen. The scale is staggering, but the positive is that brands want to act. When we speak to companies like IKEA or Patagonia, it’s firmly on the agenda – the question is how to make that action meaningful.
And for consumers, what can they do right now?
You can actually buy a microplastic filter today. We’ve partnered with Bosch and Siemens, and our white-labelled filter is available on their websites. It connects to your washing machine and captures the fibres before they enter the water system, so consumers can dispose of them safely instead of releasing them into waterways. It’s a simple way to make a real difference.
Matter’s technology also scales up to industrial use, right?
Exactly. Our engineers scaled the domestic technology by around 100 times for industrial applications, allowing textile manufacturers – who process millions of litres of water a day – to capture microfibres before they enter the environment. Awareness is still a challenge, particularly in manufacturing regions like Bangladesh or Vietnam, where microfibre pollution isn’t even part of the vocabulary yet. So we start with the economics: our filters reduce energy use and operational costs by improving water treatment efficiency. Sustainability and savings can go hand in hand.
What kind of collaborations are helping you scale this technology?
We’re lucky to be working with some amazing partners who believe in what we do. The big news is a groundbreaking partnership with Inter IKEA, one of the world’s largest textile producers. That kind of collaboration really helps accelerate change. We’re also working with Paradise Textiles (part of the Alpine Group) to launch our first industrial filter at their flagship facility in Cairo next year, and our work with Bosch and Siemens continues on the domestic side.
At Field Grey, clients often ask for recycled polyester, but it actually sheds more than virgin polyester. How do you see that balance between recycled materials and true circularity?
That’s a really interesting point. Most recycled polyester is made from PET bottles, and when they’re converted into fibre, their structure weakens. That means they shed more and can’t be recycled again. It solves one waste issue but creates another. It’s a step in the right direction, but it’s not true circularity. For us, the dream is to repurpose the fibres we capture – separate and reuse them in new materials. The technology doesn’t quite exist yet, but we’re working with partners who are getting close.
And what happens to the fibres you capture right now?
At home, it’s better to put them in the bin than let them enter the water system. Industrially, some of our partners are experimenting with using captured fibres in concrete mixes or incinerating them to generate thermal energy for their factories. It’s not perfect, but it’s progress, and it shows there’s value in waste if you look at it differently
What advice would you give to hospitality and retail brands, many of whom are under real pressure to show environmental progress?
Start with materials. Opt for fibres that can biodegrade and have a smaller footprint – cotton, linen, wool, cellulosic fibres – instead of synthetics like polyester and nylon that are made from petrochemicals and take decades to break down. But even natural fibres can cause harm through dyeing and finishing, so it’s about reducing impact at every stage. And of course, we’re always happy to talk about how our technology might fit into a brand’s supply chain.
Finally, what did being an Earthshot finalist mean for the Matter team?
It’s been an incredible honour. The Earthshot Prize is one of the most prestigious climate innovation awards in the world, and having Prince William personally back what we do was surreal. For us, it’s about the exposure and momentum it’s created. We had major brands at our round table this week discussing microfiber pollution and how to tackle it together. And while we didn’t win, we’re proud to be part of a community of businesses genuinely trying to make a difference. Hats off to The High Seas Treaty team – they’re doing amazing work protecting the oceans.
Images courtesy of Matter.industries, Greenpeace, Sherri Mason/SUNY Fredonia, Learnaboutwool.com, Victoria Jones/Shutterstock
Read about how we turned sustainability theory into action for Wagamama