Nike announced new agreements to source recycled polyester with circular-economy cleantech companies Syre and Loop industries,
Circular economy-focused cleantech companies Syre and Loop industries announced new multi-year agreements to supply Nike with recycled polyester made using textile waste, forming part of the athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories giant’s efforts to scale the use of sustainable materials.
Nike has set goals to reduce carbon emissions from its operations by 65% and across its supply chain by 30% by 2030, on a 2015 basis, and has targeted addressing the materials used in its products as one of the key action areas to reach its targets. Raw materials represented 34% of the company’s carbon footprint in 2024.
Nike recently announced the launch of its new performance cooling technology, Aero-FIT, the company’s first elite performance apparel made from 100% textile waste.
Founded in 2024, Syre was launched by fashion and design brands company H&M Group and impact-focused venture investor Vargas, to enable the mass production of textile-to-textile recycled materials, and provide a closed loop solution for the clothing industry. Syre aims to support the decarbonization and waste reduction efforts of the textile industry through recycling, starting with Polyester, which accounts for up to 40% of the sector’s emissions. The company recently announced agreements with Gap, Houdini Sportswear and Target as launch partners.
Syre CEO Dennis Nobelius said:
“Having Nike, the global leader in sportswear and innovation, commit to textile-to-textile generated polyester sends a powerful signal to the entire industry. This is not a one-off initiative or capsule collection, this is a moment when circular materials move from concept to commercial reality at scale and wider adoption.”
Under the new agreement, Syre will be Nike’s lead strategic supplier for textile-to-textile recycled polyester. The agreement will focus on step-by-step integration of Syre’s circular polyester into core Nike performance lines, with the first products expected within the next few years.
Sitora Muzafarova, VP Materials Supply Chain at Nike, said:
“Our partnership with Syre represents a shift in our materials strategy and how we source. Innovation is at the heart of Nike’s DNA and textile-to-textile recycled polyester is essential in our ambition to design and produce breakthrough products that both perform to the highest standards that our athletes expect and are more sustainable at the same time.”
Canada-based Loop utilizes technology that depolymerizes waste PET plastic and polyester fiber, including plastic bottles and packaging, garments, carpets and textiles to create virgin-quality “Loop” branded PET resin suitable for use in food-grade packaging and “Twist” branded PET resin suitable for use in textiles applications.
Daniel Solomita, Founder and CEO of Loop Industries, said:
“The commitment from this iconic global brand is a powerful validation of our strategy to provide a verifiable textile-to-textile polyester resin and advancing circular fashion for our apparel customers.”
Under the agreement, Loop will supply Nike with its Twist virgin-quality circular polyester resin, and Nike will become the anchor customer for Infinite Loop, a new India-based manufacturing facility. Compared with fossil fuel-based polyester, the new facility The facility is expected to achieve an 81% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and an annual savings of up to 418,600 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Muzafarova said:
“Our agreement with Loop Industries marks a pivotal step toward transforming textile waste into high-performance materials. This partnership exemplifies our commitment to scaling sustainable solutions that deliver both environmental impact and product excellence.”
