lululemon has announced a multi-year collaboration with Australian enviro-tech startup, Samsara Eco, to scale circularity through textile-to-textile recycling. Through this innovative collaboration, lululemon is working towards making infinitely recycled nylon and polyester from its products using this circular process.
This partnership is the latest example of the Company’s Be Planet goals in action and an exciting step toward a circular ecosystem by 2030. Samsara Eco is a leader in infinite plastic recycling, and they can recycle high-performance nylon and polyester blends that are core to lululemon products.
“Nylon remains our biggest opportunity to achieve our 2030 sustainable product goals. This partnership demonstrates what’s possible through collective innovation to solve unmet needs. Through Samsara Eco’s patented enzymatic process, we’re advancing transforming apparel waste into high quality nylon and polyester, which will help us live into our end-to-end vision of circularity,” said Yogendra Dandapure, Vice President, Raw Materials Innovation at lululemon.
This represents lululemon’s first-ever minority investment in a recycling company, and Samsara Eco’s largest partnership within the apparel industry. Together, the two companies will create new recycled nylon and polyester made from apparel waste, bringing to life lower-impact alternatives to important materials in the performance apparel industry.
Ted Dagnese, Chief Supply Chain Officer at lululemon, said, “Our collaboration with Samsara Eco is a foundational step toward a circular ecosystem. We’re driving innovation across our value chain, and we’re excited about what this means for the global performance apparel industry and our journey to net zero.”
Circularity will play a key role in the future of retail and apparel. lululemon is making advancements across its value chain, including –
Sustainable materials: lululemon launched its first products made from renewably sourced, plant-based nylon this April, as part of a multi-year collaboration with sustainable materials leader Geno.
Guest experience: Continued strong performance and high engagement in lululemon’s Like New re-commerce program, extending the life of product that has been designed to last.
Textile-to-textile recycling: Together with Samsara Eco, lululemon is progressing recycling its apparel back into new products, harnessing waste to remake recycled nylon and polyester.
“We’re proud that this partnership is disrupting the apparel industry. Samsara Eco's ability to infinitely recycle blended textiles including nylon, provides an important solution to tackle the challenge of textile waste. This has never been achieved before, and partnering with lululemon is a significant milestone that will accelerate the journey to closing the loop on textile recycling.” said Paul Riley, CEO and Founder of Samsara Eco.
lululemon is committed to making products that are better in every way, by setting science-based targets that are the foundation of the climate action goals outlined in the brand's Impact Agenda. To learn more about lululemon's Impact Agenda and Be Planet actions, visit corporate.lululemon.com/our-impact.
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