Nibertex raises $11M Series A to scale PFAS-free membranes
What's the deal? Nibertex, a Singapore-registered maker of PFAS-free nanofiber membranes, has raised $11 million in a Series A round backed by the Asian Development BankDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and TNB AuraDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The company will use the funds to scale industrial production and grow its customer base across Asia, Europe, and North America.
Why now? Regulators are moving fast against PFAS, the synthetic "forever chemicals" that accumulate in water, soil, and living organisms. The EU REACH rules restricting PFHxA take effect in October 2026, alongside France's Law 2025-188 and various US state-level regulations.
What's the endgame? Founded in 2019 by the Park brothers, Nibertex scaled electrospinning technology from the lab into an industrial manufacturing platform, with production and R&D facilities in the Philippines. Its membranes are PFAS-free by design, aiming to give apparel brands compliant alternatives without sacrificing breathability, water resistance, or weight.
The company claims to be the first manufacturer in Southeast Asia to reach industrial-scale production of PFAS-free electrospun nanofiber membranes. It has demonstrated the technology in an outdoor jacket prototype built with BASF's TPU material, which BASF will exhibit at CHINAPLAS 2026 in Shanghai.
Key hire: Nibertex named Jochen Lagemann as chief commercial officer, effective August 1, 2026. Lagemann, who brings over 25 years of experience building ingredient brands in functional apparel and textiles, will lead global go-to-market efforts from Munich, the company's first European office.
The signal: The round sits in the smaller tier of deals, at roughly the 31st percentile by size. Yet with regulation tightening across major markets, capital is flowing toward materials startups positioned to supply compliant alternatives before the rules bite.
Read more: Wedoany
Image credit: USDAgov
