Samsara Eco and Lululemon Sign 10 Year Agreement to Meet 20 Percent Fiber Demand

June 12, 2025 – Australian startup Samsara Eco has signed a decade-long agreement with Lululemon to supply chemically recycled Nylon 66 and polyester fibers, furthering their shared commitment to circular fashion.

This partnership builds on prior collaborations where Samsara Eco’s enzyme-recycled Nylon 66 was used in Lululemon’s Swiftly Tech long-sleeve top prototype, followed by recycled polyester materials in the limited-edition Packable Anorak jacket. Under the new deal, Samsara Eco’s materials will fulfill approximately 20% of Lululemon’s total fiber needs.

Nylon 66 and polyester dominate textiles, making up 60% of global fiber production. As one of the most durable textile materials, Nylon 66 is highly resistant to wear but poses a significant environmental challenge due to its complex depolymerization process and contribution to microplastic pollution. In the EU alone, an estimated 12.6 million tons of textile waste is produced annually.

Samsara Eco has developed a breakthrough enzyme-based depolymerization technology, capable of breaking down polymers like Nylon 66 into their original monomers at low temperatures. This innovation allows for the recycling of complex materials, including polyester-cotton blends, nylon-elastane combinations, and even airbags and carpet fibers.

Polyester, the most widely used synthetic fiber globally, accounts for 80% of the synthetic fiber market. However, less than 13% of textile waste is recycled, and only 1% is recycled back into fibers. To combat this, the EU will mandate textile waste separation starting January 2025 and introduce minimum recycled fiber content requirements by 2030.

Samsara Eco’s multi-disciplinary approach, combining biochemistry, computing, and low-temperature enzymatic processes, enables large-scale recycling of complex materials. CEO Paul Riley stated: “This collaboration represents a major step toward a fully circular ecosystem. With Lululemon, we aim to transform the apparel industry over the next decade.”