About this episode

Vanessa Vongsouthi discusses the innovative use of engineered enzymes and AI in recycling textiles and plastics.

Vanessa Vongsouthi, Research Founder and Head of Bioengineering at Samsara Eco, joins host Erum on the Grow Everything Podcast to discuss how engineered enzymes and AI are making it possible to recycle textiles and plastics repeatedly. Vanessa explains how Samsara uses AI-assisted protein design and ancestral sequence reconstruction to create enzymes that break down complex polymers, including Nylon 6,6, into their original chemical building blocks. Those materials can then be returned to existing supply chains and used to create virgin-equivalent products that are indistinguishable from materials made from petrochemicals. She also shares the story behind the world’s first enzymatically recycled Nylon 6,6 jacket, created in partnership with Lululemon, and explores how Samsara Eco was built through Main Sequence Ventures’ orchestration model alongside partners such as Woolworths and the Australian National University. The conversation also looks at what a future built around distributed, local recycling infrastructure could mean for designers, manufacturers, consumers, and the global circular economy. Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum…

People in this episode

Host: Erum Azeez Khan

Guest: Vanessa Vongsouthi

Topics covered

• recycling
• bioengineering
• circular economy
• textiles
• AI
• enzymes

Keywords

• recycling
• Nylon 6,6
• enzymes
• AI-assisted protein design
• circular economy
• bioengineering
• sustainable fashion

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Samsara Eco, Lululemon, Main Sequence Ventures, Woolworths, Australian National University

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