Without®, an impact-first deep-tech material science enterprise, has officially launched its First-Of-A-Kind (FOAK) Demonstration Plant in Pune. This cutting-edge facility is one of India’s first integrated recycling plants designed to process up to 5 tons per month of traditionally “unrecyclable” plastic waste — a major leap forward in sustainable manufacturing and circular innovation.

Spanning 1,030 square meters, the facility integrates the entire recycling workflow: material intake, separation, chemical transformation, purification, and product manufacturing. It also features an in-house chemical lab for quality control and material testing — making it a fully operational proof-of-concept ahead of a commercial-scale rollout planned for next year.

The milestone follows the successful close of a $1.9 million (?16.8 crore) seed funding round led by Rewilding Wealth, with participation from actor-environmentalist Dia Mirza, Spectrum Impact, former Unilever packaging lead Veena More, and Acko co-founder Vishwanath Ramarao. Dia Mirza also joins Without® as a strategic advisor, investor, and advocate.

“This raise is not just about scale—it’s about shifting paradigms,” said Anish Malpani, Founder and Director of Without®. “We’re combining science, systems thinking, and inclusivity to build a new model for ethical and scalable recycling. This capital enables us to industrialise our patented IP, expand our plant network, and position India as a global leader in circular innovation.”

Unlike conventional processes like pyrolysis or co-processing, Without®’s patented chemo-mechanical process retains material value, uses lower energy, and is modularly scalable. It extracts high-grade polyolefins (VERDiFLX™) and terephthalic acid (VERDiTPA™) from hard-to-recycle multilayer plastics (e.g., chip packets, chocolate wrappers) and soiled textiles — enabling true circularity.

“What sets Without® apart is its systemic approach to both innovation and justice,” said Dia Mirza, who has invested in multiple green ventures. “By formalizing waste labor and building globally relevant IP, Without® shows that climate action can be rooted in science and equity. I’m proud to support this journey.”

Between 2021–2024, Without® has already processed over 765,000 pieces of complex plastic waste. Its vision goes far beyond product innovation: the company aims to create a network of decentralized recycling hubs across India and globally, with each facility creating dignified employment opportunities for informal waste workers — embedding social impact into the heart of its model.