Tensor envelopes of regular categories

We extend the calculus of relations to embed a regular category A into a family of pseudo-abelian tensor categories T(A,δ) depending on a degree function δ. Assume that all objects have only finitely many subobjects. Then our results are as follows:1.Let N be the maximal proper tensor ideal of T(A,δ). We show that T(A,δ)/N is semisimple provided that A is exact and Mal'cev. Thereby, we produce many new semisimple, hence abelian, tensor categories.2.Using lattice theory, we give a simple numerical criterion for the vanishing of N.3.We determine all degree functions for which T(A,δ)/N is Tannakian. As a result, we are able to interpolate the representation categories of many series of profinite groups such as the symmetric groups Sn, the hyperoctahedral groups , or the general linear groups GL(n,Fq) over a fixed finite field. This paper generalizes work of Deligne, who first constructed the interpolating category for the symmetric groups Sn.