CHITOSE Group (Head Office: Singapore, CEO: Tomohiro Fujita), the managing company of the cross-industry initiative to promote the bioeconomy, MATSURI, has achieved the world’s first*1 successful development of PET*2 resin (hereafter, “microalgae-derived PET resin”)  made entirely from bio-derived materials, using hydrocarbons sourced from microalgae. This breakthrough opens a sustainable, fossil-free production pathway for PET resin.

*1 As of June 3, 2025. Based on the internal data.
*2 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

The large-scale cultivation of microalgae and the production of PET resin from the obtained biomass, is a groundbreaking initiative with no precedent worldwide. The completed microalgae-derived PET resin is on display at the Japan Pavilion’s Factory Area, “ALGAL by MATSURI,” at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. For more detailed information about the Japan Pavilion and CHITOSE Group’s involvement, please visit the dedicated Expo website.

MATSURI’s Innovative Technology: Overcoming the Challenges of Bio-Based PET Resin Production

PET resin, the raw material for plastic bottles, is produced by polymerizing two components: ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. While the bio-based production of ethylene glycol has already been established, paraxylene, the precursor to terephthalic acid, is difficult to synthesize directly inside living organisms, making it extremely challenging to produce from bio-based sources even now. As a result, various approaches have been explored to generate bio-paraxylene by starting from biologically producible compounds and converting them through chemical processes. The currently dominant method uses alcohols derived from plant-based sugars. However, this method faces challenges such as reliance on edible biomass and the complexity of multiple chemical conversion steps.

CHITOSE Group has developed a technology to produce bio-based paraxylene through fewer chemical conversion steps, using a hydrocarbon called botryococcene, derived from microalgae cultivated solely with CO₂ and sunlight. This technology efficiently produces bio-paraxylene by thermally decomposing botryococcene with a specialized catalyst. To secure a sufficient amount of bio-paraxylene for PET resin production, a large biomass of hydrocarbon-producing microalgae is essential. CHITOSE Group has overcome this critical challenge through years of accumulated expertise in outdoor large-scale microalgae cultivation. Combining the advanced large-scale cultivation technology with a new method for extracting bio-paraxylene from microalgal hydrocarbons is what made this breakthrough possible.

Toward PET Resin That Reduces CO₂ the More It’s Used
This new technology paves the way for a sustainable manufacturing of PET resin products without relying on fossil resources. By harnessing abundant sunlight and the photosynthetic power of microalgae, this initiative offers a promising path away from the anxiety of resource depletion, marking an important step toward building a society where future generations can live securely and prosperously. The algae-derived PET resin will initially be molded into plastic bottles, with future applications envisioned in cosmetics, textiles, and more. CHITOSE Group also plans to further advance microalgae production, contributing to the creation of a sustainable society where the more PET resin is used, the more CO₂ is reduced.

About MATSURI
https://matsuri.chitose-bio.com/en
MATSURI, led by CHITOSE Group, was launched in 2021 to establish an advanced microalgae-based industry in collaboration with partner enterprises, government and academia institutions. By 2025, it had evolved beyond microalgae into a cross-industry initiative driving the global bioeconomy forward. With a vision to realize a society powered by biotechnology, our efforts continue to expand – from AI-driven bio-manufacturing and resource circulation to sustainable agriculture. As what MATSURI means in Japanese, it is a festival that will leave its mark on human history. We invite partners from all industries to join us in shaping the future together. Click here to contact us.

CHITOSE Group Overview
https://chitose-bio.com/
CHITOSE Group is a family of biotechnology companies leading the global bioeconomy.  To live in abundance beyond the next millennium using the ability of living things, CHITOSE pursues the possibilities of biotechnology through technological and business development collaborating with its business partners all over the world.

About CHITOSE BIO EVOLUTION PTE. LTD. (head office that oversees CHITOSE Group)
・Established in October, 2011
・Head Office located in Singapore
・CEO: Tomohiro FUJITA, Ph. D.

About CHITOSE Laboratory Corp. (a core company of CHITOSE Group that focuses on business and technological development)
・Established in November, 2002
・Head Office located in Kawasaki-city, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
・CEO: Tomohiro FUJITA, Ph. D.
・COO: Rie KUGIMIYA

Related Information
“ALGAL by MATSURI” Exhibition Unveiled! Realizing Circular Manufacturing with Algae at the Factory Area of the Japan Pavilion, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai
CHITOSE Launches “PET-MATSURI” Leading the World’s First Attempt to Create 100% Bio-PET Resin from Microalgae