Governor Hochul Announces French Company Reju Selects New York State to Establish First-of-its-Kind $390 Million Textile Regeneration Hub in North America

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that French textile-to-textile regeneration company Reju plans to establish a $390 million textile regeneration hub on an 18.9-acre vacant lot at Eastman Business Park in the City of Rochester - its first in North America. Reju, a materials regeneration company, focuses on creating innovative solutions for regenerating polyester textiles and post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate waste from discarded textiles. Reju's technology brings the concept of a circular economy to life. At the Rochester facility, the company expects to regenerate the equivalent of 300 million articles annually that would otherwise have ended up as textile waste in a landfill. Reju's plans call for the creation of approximately 70 new jobs, including engineers, technicians, machinists, and a variety of production roles. The company expects to be operational at the site 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 remediation of the site, Reju will construct a 145,000 square-foot facility where it will use proprietary technology developed with IBM Research to regenerate textile waste, starting with polyester, into high-quality Reju Polyester. This regenerated material has a 50 percent lower carbon footprint than virgin polyester and is engineered to be recyclable multiple times, reducing the industry's reliance on fossil-based inputs. Through partnerships with global brands, mills, and waste aggregators, Reju transforms garments destined for landfills or incineration into yarns and fabrics ready for consumer use.

Reju is owned by Technip Energies, a leading engineering and technology company with over 17,000 employees across 34 countries. Reju has been operating a pilot facility in Frankfurt, Germany since October 2024, and in May 2025, the company announced the selection of a site for its first full-scale operation in Europe in The Netherlands.

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 assisting Reju with the project through a $4 million capital grant and is offering up to $1 million through the performance-based Excelsior Jobs Tax Credit Program in exchange for job creation commitments. Monroe County, the City of Rochester and Greater Rochester Enterprise are also assisting with the project.

Empire State Development President, Commissioner and CEO Hope Knight 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."

Governor Hochul is committed to improving textile industry sustainability and recycling. In October of 2022, the Governor signed a law aimed at supporting and expanding the state's plant and animal fiber textile manufacturing industry, promoting the use of locally sourced materials in an effort to reduce environmental impact and strengthen the local supply chain. The Governor also announced $10 million in state funding for the Fashion Innovation Center (FIC), which is managed by a consortium of universities, businesses, and non-profits, that is focused on the research and development of sustainable textiles and new recycling technologies. In 2023, the State Department of Environmental Conservation also announced a plan that prioritizes a circular economy, aimed at minimizing waste, ensuring materials are kept in use.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, "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. Establishing a circular economy is fundamental to reducing pollution and diverting materials from landfills. 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."

The reinvigorated Eastman Business Park, the site where Kodak began manufacturing photographic film and paper more than a century ago, is a top priority of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council. Today, the campus supports over 100 companies, employing over 6,000 people.

Eastman Business Park President Jim Moran 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."

State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, "Today's announcement means new jobs, new investments, and a new legacy being built in the Eastman Business Park. I want to thank Governor Hochul and Empire State Development for their work to bolster our local economy and continue to cement Monroe County as a place where businesses want to grow and expand their operations."

Assemblymember Harry Bronson said, "I am proud to welcome Reju to Rochester and thank them for choosing Eastman Business Park for their North American textile regeneration hub. With this significant investment, they are not only contributing to our legacy as a city of innovation in arts and technology but helping to advance NY's green economy. In giving textiles a new purpose, Reju is demonstrating that the future of good jobs in New York is in renewable resources."

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said, "Reju's $390 million investment is a significant milestone for Monroe County, creating high-quality green jobs and positioning our region as a global leader in the sustainable circular economy. By choosing Eastman Business Park for its first North American hub, Reju is building on our community's rich legacy of innovation and proving that Rochester remains a premier destination for advanced manufacturing. Thank you to Governor Hochul for her steadfast support and continued leadership in bringing transformative projects like Reju to our community."

City of Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans said, "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. I look forward to welcoming the Reju team to Rochester and seeking opportunities to expand their local presence even further. I am also grateful to Governor Kathy Hochul, Empire State Development Commissioner Hope Knight and all the partners who helped make this tremendous investment in our city possible."

Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce President and Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chair CEO Bob Duffy said, "Thank you to Patrik Frisk and the whole Reju team for this significant and transformative investment in Greater Rochester. Innovations like those pioneered by Reju have always been in our community's DNA, and we are proud to welcome this cutting-edge global company into our region. Their decision to revitalize and reuse space in Eastman Business Park is representative of a broader transformation happening in Rochester, paying homage to our historical legacy and signaling a bright future rooted in 21st-century jobs and opportunities. Thank you to Governor Hochul and all other partners who helped make this possible. We are excited to welcome Reju to Rochester and continue to support their growth and success."

Greater Rochester Enterprise President & CEO Matt Hurlbutt said, "We are pleased that Reju chose Rochester, NY for its first North American operation, drawn by the region's exceptional assets and advantages. GRE played an important role by connecting Reju leadership to state and local partners and identifying regional assets to accelerate the company's growth plans. The unique infrastructure assets at Eastman Business Park, delivered by Kodak and RED Rochester partners, will support Reju's technology and future innovations."

View additional information about Eastman Business Park.

About RejuReju is a textile-to-textile materials regeneration company focusing on creating innovative solutions for recycling post-consumer polyester textiles and PET waste. Owned by Technip Energies and utilizing technology developed with IBM research, Reju aims to establish a global circular textile system to address PET plastic found in post-consumer textile waste. Learn more at https://www.reju.com.

Accelerating Economic Development in the Finger Lakes
Today's announcement complements "Finger Lakes Forward," the region's comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture‎ and food production, and advanced manufacturing. More information about the strategic plan is available here.​

About Empire State Development
Empire State Development is New York's chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state's 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development. The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state's world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook and X.

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