In a world first for the textile-to-textile recycling industry, Australian start-up Samsara Eco has enzymatically recycled polyamide 66 (PA66), which athletic apparel brand Lululemon has turned into samples of its Swiftly Tech Long-Sleeve Top.
“Until now, textile-to-textile nylon 66 has been unrecyclable,” said Paul Riley, CEO and Founder of Samsara Eco. “The samples we have created with Lululemon represent a world-first breakthrough for the future of textile waste. Our work with Lululemon shows the potential to give clothes an infinite life,” Riley added.
PA66 is one of the most commonly used plastics in the textile industry due to its outstanding wear resistance and low frictional properties. Roughly 4 million tonnes are produced yearly. Textile waste is a major source of pollution, with synthetic textiles in particular being a major source of microplastics pollution. The European Union alone generates 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste per year.
Nylon 66 is made of two monomers each containing six carbon atoms molecules, making the depolymerisation process very difficult to achieve successfully. Samsara has developed a depolymerisation technology that uses plastic-degrading enzymes to break the PA66 down to its original monomers in a low-temperature process.
The start-up used Lululemon’s end-of-life nylon apparel, including leggings, and combined it other non-textile materials to create recycled nylon for use in new products. Over 90% of the nylon used in each of the Lululemon Swiftly top samples is produced using Samsara’s enzymatic recycling process, and the samples offer the same fit, feel, and quality, according to the companies.
“We’re committed to maintaining a low carbon footprint during our infinite recycling process,” said Riley. “Compared to the production of virgin nylon 66, Samsara Eco’s infinite recycling process reduces emissions and has the potential to save tens of millions of tonnes of CO2 entering our environment every year. We’ve started with nylon 66, but this sets the trajectory of what’s possible for recycling across a range of industries as we continue expanding our library of plastic-eating enzymes,” he concluded.
The plastics industry has recently started to give steps towards a circular economy for textiles. The Alliance of Chemical Textile Recycling (ACTR) was formed in September 2023. Companies like BASF and Carbios have developed technologies to recycle PA6 and PET fibres, respectively. Celanese has developed a recyclable fibre to replace elastane in stretch fabrics.