Long-term material shift: lululemon to source up to 20% of its fibres from enzymatically recycled nylon and polyester via Samsara Eco.
Circular innovation scaled: Agreement follows world-firsts in enzymatically recycled textiles, advancing industry-wide circularity.
Infrastructure expansion: Samsara Eco to open new facilities in Australia and internationally to meet rising demand.
Lululemon has entered a 10-year offtake agreement with recycling innovator Samsara Eco to source recycled nylon 6,6 and polyester, aiming to meet 20% of its overall fibre needs with circular materials by 2030.
The strategic move reinforces lululemon’s shift away from fossil-fuel-derived fibres and accelerates its 2030 impact goals, centered on circularity and sustainability in high-performance apparel.
“Scaling circular materials requires bold partnerships and a shared commitment to rethinking how our industry operates,” said Ted Dagnese, Chief Supply Chain Officer at lululemon. “Together with our partners, including Samsara Eco, we’re helping to turn our vision of a circular model into a reality.”
This agreement builds on a long-standing collaboration. In 2023, lululemon and Samsara Eco launched:
The world’s first enzymatically recycled nylon 6,6 product sample
lululemon’s first enzymatically recycled polyester garment: a limited-edition Packable Anorak
These products matched lululemon’s quality and performance standards, proving that enzymatic recycling is not only viable—but scalable.
RELATED ARTICLE: lululemon, Samsara Eco unveil world’s first enzymatically recycled nylon product
“The technology to make circular materials is not a pipe dream – it is here, ready for adoption by forward-thinking companies,” said Paul Riley, Founder and CEO of Samsara Eco. “I’m incredibly optimistic about how we will help fuel circular apparel over the next decade with lululemon.”
Polyester and nylon comprise ~60% of global textile fibres. Samsara Eco’s enzymatic process breaks down these materials into their original building blocks, allowing seamless reintegration into existing manufacturing.
To meet anticipated volume and scale:
Samsara Eco will open a new plant in Jerrabomberra, NSW, focused on scaling its proprietary EosEco™ enzyme platform.
An international commercial facility is set to launch in 2028, expanding global supply capacity.
“Our expanded partnership with lululemon represents a strong step forward to help create a fully circular ecosystem,” Riley added.
This partnership signals a growing trend among major brands to adopt scalable, science-based recycling solutions—and marks lululemon as a frontrunner in circular fashion innovation.
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