Disrupting The Apparel Industry? Lululemon Partners With Australian Startup To Launch World's First Enzyme-regenerated Nylon 6,6 Tops

On 20 February, lululemon launched the world's first enzymatically recycled nylon 6,6 product in partnership with Australian eco-tech startup Samsara Eco, marking an important milestone in textile-to-textile recycling and lululemon's work to create a recycled ecosystem. lululemon used recycled nylon 6,6 made from Samsara Eco lululemon used recycled nylon 6,6 made with Samsara Eco technology to create samples of its signature Swiftly Tech long-sleeve top, the first time this type of nylon has been recycled in this way.
Approximately 4 million tonnes of nylon 6,6 is produced each year, one of the most commonly used plastics in the textile industry and the base fibre used by lululemon to make many of its best-selling products, such as Align and Wunder Train leggings. Nylon 6,6 is notoriously difficult to recycle and has been used in a wide range of industries such as fashion, automotive and electronics due to its tough and durable properties. Today, recycled nylon is often made from post-industrial material waste, and there are limited recycled alternatives that meet lululemon's product performance criteria. samsara Eco's technology uses engineered enzymes to break down a synthetic blend of nylon 6,6 to recreate it, which can then be turned back into apparel.
lululemon Swiftly top samples go beyond material innovation - they represent the exciting possibilities and impact that can be achieved through collaboration and cross-industry cooperation," said Yogendra Dandapure, vice president of lululemon raw materials innovation. possibilities and impact. This breakthrough marks a turning point in sustainable innovation not only for apparel, but for all industries looking to move to a more circular model. We look forward to continuing to work with Samsara Eco to help promote this new technology in the months and years to come. "
More than 90 percent of the nylon used in each lululemon Swiftly top sample is produced using Samsara Eco's enzymatic recycling process, and these samples provide the same fit, feel and quality that guests have come to expect from lululemon products. lululemon's Swiftly samples also demonstrate the company's end-to-end recycling vision, with lululemon nylon garments (which are not available for sale in the U.S.) used in the end-of-life phase of the lifecycle. The Swiftly samples also demonstrate the company's vision of end-to-end recycling by taking lululemon nylon garments, including lululemon leggings, at the end of their life cycle and combining them with other non-woven materials to create recycled nylon for use in new lululemon products.
Our partnership with lululemon represents a groundbreaking step in addressing the textile waste challenge and demonstrates the potential to create a fully recycled ecosystem for apparel," said Paul Riley, CEO and founder of Samsara Eco. We started with nylon 6,6, but as we continue to expand our arsenal of edible enzymes for plastics, this sets the trajectory of possibilities for recycling across a range of industries. This is a very important moment for the future of sustainable fashion and recycling. "
Previously reported:
lululemon announces multi-year collaboration with Australian eco-tech startup Samsara Eco to expand the cycle through textile-to-textile recycling. Through this innovative partnership, lululemon is working to create infinitely recyclable nylon and polyester from its products using this recycling process.
This partnership is the latest example of the company's Be Planet goal and an exciting step towards a circular ecosystem by 2030. samsara Eco is a leader in the field of unlimited plastics recycling, allowing them to recycle the high-performance nylon and polyester blends that are at the heart of lululemon's products.
"Nylon remains our greatest opportunity to achieve our 2030 sustainable product goals. This partnership demonstrates the possibilities for addressing unmet needs through collective innovation." Yogendra Dandapure, vice president of raw material innovation at lululemon, said, "Through Samsara Eco's patented enzyme treatment process, we are advancing the conversion of apparel waste into high-quality nylon and polyester, which will help us realise our vision of end-to-end recycling."
This is lululemon's first minority investment in a recycling company and Samsara Eco's first partnership in the apparel industry. Following a $56 million initial round of funding last year, lululemon's partnership and investment comes at a time when Samsara Eco is poised to commercialise the potential of unlimited recycling for the fashion industry. This is a major milestone in Samsara Eco's roadmap to recycle 1.5 million tonnes of plastic per year by 2030. Together, the companies will use apparel waste to create new recycled nylon and polyester, bringing low-impact alternatives to critical materials for the performance apparel industry.
Ted Dagnese, Chief Supply Chain Officer at lululemon, said, "Our partnership with Samsara Eco is a foundational step toward a circular ecosystem. We are driving innovation across the entire value chain and we are excited about what this means for the global performance apparel industry and our zero energy journey."
Circulation will play an important role in the future of retail and apparel. lululemon is advancing its value chain to include
Sustainable materials:Last April, lululemon launched its first products made from renewably sourced plant-based nylon as part of a multi-year partnership with sustainable materials leader Geno.