News / Environmental

Environmental company ‘blown away’ by Kickstarter campaign support

By Rachel Sutherland  Monday Oct 24, 2022

A company, which looks at ways technology can capture and recycle microplastics, smashed its Kickstarter campaign target within half an hour of launching.

Matter, which operates from Avon Trading Estate, strives to stop plastic pollution reaching the natural environment.

The innovation company has secured over £100,000 in funding for a product called Gulp, which filters microplastics from laundry.

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According to the company, every time we do our laundry, thousands of microplastics are released from our washing machines and pumped into our waterways.

Matter strives to stop plastic pollution reaching the natural environment. Photo: Zzzone Commercial Studios Limited

One of the biggest sources of microplastics entering our ecosystem comes from microfibres in our clothes which are released during a washing machine cycle.

Each time we do our laundry, up to 700,000 microplastic particles from our clothes can be released from our washing machine.

These tiny plastic particles are the largest source of primary microplastic pollution entering our oceans, causing damage to our planet and people.

Gulp, which is self-cleaning and never needs its filter changing, has been created to put an end to this form of pollution.

Matter was founded in 2018 by Adam Root – a keen scuba diver and former Engineer working in product innovation at Dyson. On a mission to change our relationship with water and the environment, Adam left his job at Dyson and set-up Matter to provide solutions to the colossal challenge of microplastic pollution and this is where Gulp was born.

Adam was awarded Innovate UK’s Innovator of the Year in 2018 and 2019 and represented the UK at the G7 Summit in Canada.

Gulp, which is self-cleaning and never needs its filter changing, has been created to put an end to this form of pollution. Photo: Zzzone Commercial Studios Limited

A spokesperson for Matter, said: “We have been blown away by the support we have received for our mission to end plastic pollution from laundry so far and thrilled to have reached our initial Kickstarter goal within the first thirty minutes of our campaign launch.

“However, reaching our initial funding goal is just the beginning for us. The more we can raise awareness of microplastic pollution from laundry, and the more Gulps we can get in homes, the bigger impact we can make.”

Early backers that make a pledge through Kickstarter will receive a discount and will be the first to receive Gulp which will be delivered in July 2023.

Gulp is available to pre-order through the Kickstarter platform.

Photos: Matter and Zzzone Commercial Studios Limited

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