Dive Brief:
- Renegade Plastics, a maker of recycled polypropylene textiles for items like tarps and reusable shipping boxes, has received a loan from Closed Loop Partners’ Catalytic Capital & Private Credit group.
- Renegade makes a line of monomaterial polypropylene textiles, which are designed to be recycled through takeback programs across the U.S. CLP aims for this loan to support Renegade Plastics’ Denver pilot production line and its plans to build a commercial-scale manufacturing facility.
- CLP did not disclose the loan amount. It is provided in conjunction with a separate $5 million grant from Colorado Circular Communities to support Renegade’s commercial facility plans, Closed Loop said in a statement.
Dive Insight:
The loan agreement aims to strengthen responsible end markets in the state as Colorado works to implement its extended producer responsibility program for packaging and overhauls its statewide recycling systems. Closed Loop also sees Renegade as an important driver for domestic supplies of recycled PP.
"These opportunities have increasingly become a priority for investors, as demand for supply chain resilience and material security continues to rise," said Tazia Smith, CEO of Closed Loop Capital Management, in a statement.
Renegade also aims to become a notable end market for recycled PP in Colorado. Its tarp and fabric products are meant to replace harder-to-recycle, multi-material items.
Renegade focuses on manufacturing coated textiles, sometimes referred to as technical or industrial fabrics. These materials are often used for signage, construction and agricultural applications. Renegade has used its PP-only textile materials for ski lift seats, climbing gym gear holders and tarps. Renegade has also provided its material for Returnity’s reusable shipping boxes for e-commerce applications.
The coated textile industry represents a market opportunity of more than $91 billion, Closed Loop says. Yet these materials are largely still made from PVC, which is not widely recyclable.
Renegade’s coated textiles are manufactured entirely from PP. They are made by laminating a PP coating over a woven PP scrim. Additional fasteners and grommets are also made of PP. The company can also incorporate recycled PP resins into both the coating and scrim.
“Across every industry that we serve, we are seeing increasing demand for an alternative product that provides the durability and circularity required for coated commercial and industrial fabrics,” said Tony Ehrbar, co-founder and CEO of Renegade Plastics.
During a 2024 pitch presentation for business development organization NextCycle Colorado, president and co-founder Curran Hughes said it was also important for Renegade’s fabrics to avoid added PFAS and phthalates, which he said are commonly found in PVC products. “Products made with these chemicals are toxic, unrecyclable and carbon intensive,” he said.
The company works with a network of plastic recyclers that take back used tarps and fabrics and reprocess them into an rPP resin. Renegade then incorporates that resin into new products. Renegade is currently partnering with companies such as CT Polymers, RC Plastics, Becher Plastics and AgriPlas. Renegade has a goal to reach 25% recycled content in its finished fabrics, according to the news release.
First founded in 2021, Renegade has undergone a few fundraising and grant rounds. In 2024, it announced a pre-seed investment from private equity firm Schneider Resources Holding. It also received grant support from the Colorado Office of Economic Development to help launch its pilot facility. In 2025, Colorado Circular Communities provided a $50,000 grant for testing equipment.
