Matter’s breakthrough self-cleaning filter for homes and factories stops harmful microplastics from entering our rivers, oceans and water supplies.
Microplastic pollution is becoming one of the planet’s biggest environmental threats. Today, more than 171 trillion particles float in our oceans, disrupting the ocean’s blue carbon pump – the vital system that generates over half of the world’s oxygen and captures around 40% of global carbon.
Increasing evidence also shows that microplastics are infiltrating our bodies, with worrying links to reduced fertility, heart blockages, and other serious health risks.
The largest contributor to this pollution is microplastic fibres, released into waterways from washing machines in homes through to large-scale textile manufacturing. These are the most abundant form of microplastics in the environment.
With particles now turning up in our food, our organs, and even unborn children, the need for urgent action is clear – and Matter has stepped forward to lead the efforts in tackling this growing crisis.
Based in Bristol, a city known for green innovation, Matter has developed Regen.®, a breakthrough filtration technology designed to capture microplastics at the point of release.
Unlike traditional filters, the filter is self-cleaning, cost-efficient and hugely scalable, making it suitable for individual homes through to global supply chains. This perfect combination of environmental impact and commercial value means it has the potential to achieve widespread adoption.
In the textile industry, Regen.® is already making a difference. It is the first filter built specifically to target microplastic fibres, preventing them from entering our waterways, while at the same time reducing costs and carbon emissions. By 2030, Matter’s ambition is to deliver enough solutions across both textiles and laundry to capture 15,000 tonnes of microfibre.
At household level, Regen.® powers the Bosch and Siemens Microplastic Filter, which captures up to 97% of fibres without the need for replacement cartridges. This year, in collaboration with Bosch and Siemens, Matter launched a filter across 30 European markets. The filter can be integrated into new washing machines or retrofitted to existing ones, and Matter is working with manufacturers to incorporate filters into future models – a step that may soon be mandated by EU law.
Matter’s ambition is simple yet bold: to make a lasting global cut in microplastic pollution before it reaches our rivers and oceans. They’re working towards a future where clean water and sustainable production are the norm, not the exception.
Our mission is to create impact at a size and scale that meets the enormity of the microplastic pollution challenge.
Being named a 2025 Finalist – and potentially even a Winner – would solidify our position as a world leader in this space. Crucially, the additional funding would unlock our ability to deploy more industrial units more quickly, while also helping us accelerate impact in the UK and overseas.
