Colorado Partners Team Up to Fast Track Circular Plastics

A 2026 Colorado hub seeks to streamline recycled plastic adoption for manufacturers

7 Dec 2025

A new partnership between Circular Colorado and Direct Polymers is taking shape with a clear mission: make recycled plastics easier and faster for manufacturers to use. Their joint venture, called NextRun, is set to open its first phase in 2026 as a regional hub designed to expand access to high quality recycled materials and streamline the process of bringing them into new products.

The timing is significant. Companies across the country are scrambling to meet sustainability goals while struggling with limited supplies of reliable recycled feedstock. Early reactions suggest NextRun could help fill that gap. By combining material sourcing, processing, and product development under one roof, the hub promises to cut costs, shorten testing cycles, and simplify what has long been a fragmented supply chain.

Analysts see its regional focus as key. Recycling infrastructure varies widely across the United States, and many communities still lack the capacity to turn collected plastics into usable materials. That often means higher transport costs and unpredictable supply. If NextRun succeeds, it could strengthen local markets by keeping materials within the region and giving nearby manufacturers more stable access to recycled inputs.

Industry leaders are cautiously optimistic. A senior advisor from the US Plastics Pact called the collaboration a meaningful step toward solving the performance and supply issues that have dogged recycled plastics for years. The addition of rapid testing and prototyping capabilities, they said, could make it easier for manufacturers to experiment with new formulations and product designs.

Challenges remain. Material consistency and coordination between design and production teams continue to slow progress across the sector. Yet the enthusiasm around NextRun reflects a shift in mindset, treating recycled plastics not as second tier substitutes but as viable materials for modern manufacturing.

As states weigh new circular economy policies and companies double down on waste reduction, all eyes will be on NextRun’s launch in 2026. Whether it meets expectations or not, its arrival marks an important step in the growing effort to make recycled plastics a central part of regional innovation.