Samsara Eco, lululemon launch enzymatically recycled product
Make us a preferred source
Make us a preferred source on Google
The news: Sydney environment tech startup Samsara Eco and athletic clothes brand lululemon have launched the first product made from enzymatically recycled polyester.
The numbers: Samsara Eco launched in 2020 in partnership with the Australian National University, and raised $56 million in a Series A funding round in 2022. Last year the startup announced a multi-year partnership with lululemon to advance the Nasdaq-listed retailer's goal to make 100% of products with end-of-use solutions by 2030.
Samsara Eco said that polyester is the most widely used fibre worldwide, accounting for around 80% of the synthetic fibre market and equating to over 63 million tonnes made each year. However, the vast majority of discarded polyester items end up in landfills, incinerated or are leaked into the environment.
The context: The lululemon Packable Anorak jacket is made from a variety of inputs, including mixed plastic waste, lululemon apparel at the end-of-life stage, and converted carbon emissions.
Samsara Eco, a startup that primarily uses plastic-eating enzymes to produce recycled packaging, has worked with lululemon to develop a new technology that makes it possible to extract nylon 6,6 from end-of-life stage textiles and create a fully circular ecosystem for apparel.
Samsara Eco’s has created plastic-eating enzymes that break down waste into raw materials, which are then integrated into existing manufacturing processes to make new products.
What they said: Samsara Eco's CEO and founder Paul Riley said: "You can’t solve the climate crisis until you solve the plastics crisis and putting an end to fashion waste is critical. Over 90% of fashion waste is currently a one-way ticket to incineration or landfill. Our latest work with lululemon shows the potential to give clothes an infinite life and prevent textiles from ending up in landfills".
Yogendra Dandapure, VP of raw materials innovation at lululemon, said: "Our vision is to scale these technologies to address textile waste across our entire supply chain".
The source: Samsara Eco media release
