A cold-active α-amylase, Amy_I3C6, identified by a functional metagenomics approach was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. Sequence analysis showed that the Amy_I3C6 amylase was similar to α-amylases from the class Clostridia and revealed classical characteristics of cold-adapted enzymes, as did comparison of the kinetic parameters K_m and k_cat to a mesophilic α-amylase. Amy_I3C6 was shown to be heat-labile. Temperature optimum was at 10-15 °C, and more than 70 % of the relative activity was retained at 1 °C. The pH optimum of Amy_I3C6 was at pH 8-9, and the enzyme displayed activity in two commercial detergents tested, suggesting that the Amy_I3C6 α-amylase may be useful as a detergent enzyme in environmentally friendly, low-temperature laundry processes.