Samsara Eco, Lululemon debut eco-friendly polyester apparel

Australian startup Samsara Eco is revolutionizing textile recycling with their enzyme-powered technology. This innovation has led to the creation of the world's first enzymatically recycled polyester apparel, a collaboration with athletic giant Lululemon.

The limited-edition Packable Anorak jacket is a testament to circularity. It incorporates mixed plastic waste, recycled Lululemon clothing, and even captured carbon emissions. Samsara Eco's secret lies in their low-temperature process that utilizes enzymes to break down various textiles, including polyester, nylon, and even blends with cotton and elastane.

This technology is a game-changer for the textile industry, dominated by polyester (accounting for 80 per cent of the synthetic fiber market) but suffers from abysmal recycling rates (only 13 per cent overall, and a mere 1 per cent for fiber-to-fiber). To address this issue, the European Union is mandating separate textile waste collection by 2025 and requiring minimum recycled content in textiles by 2030.

The Samsara Eco-Lululemon partnership extends beyond polyester. They've also introduced the first enzymatically recycled polyamide apparel, another significant step towards a circular fashion industry.

Lululemon acknowledges this as the initial step in their journey towards complete supply chain circularity. They view this collaboration as a learning experience that paves the way for a more sustainable future, not just for the apparel industry, but for all industries striving towards circular models.

This breakthrough is further fuelled by the recent formation of the Alliance of Chemical Textile Recycling (ACTR) and advancements by companies like BASF and Carbios in PET and PA6 fiber recycling, respectively. Celanese is also contributing by developing a recyclable alternative to elastane. These combined efforts signal a promising shift towards a more sustainable textile landscape.