Australian textile recycling firm Samsara Eco has signed a decade-long offtake agreement with activewear brand Lululemon to supply recycled raw materials, marking a major step in the company’s push toward sustainable apparel production.
Under the terms of the deal, Samsara’s enzymatically recycled materials could account for over 20% of Lululemon’s total fibre usage, supporting its goal to increase the share of preferred materials in its products by 2030.
The agreement builds on an ongoing partnership between the two companies, which previously produced the world’s first enzymatically recycled nylon 6.6 sample and a limited-edition polyester Packable Anorak. Lululemon’s 2023 Impact Report showed polyester and nylon make up the bulk of its fibre use—33% and 31% respectively—followed by cotton (19%) and other materials.
The Samsara deal is expected to significantly shift the brand’s fibre mix, accelerating its adoption of recycled and ethically sourced materials. In 2023, recycled polyester comprised 61% of Lululemon’s polyester use, up from 36% in 2020, while ethically sourced cotton made up 46% of its cotton intake.
Samsara Eco uses proprietary enzyme technology, EosEco™, to break down polyester and nylon—including mixed plastics—into reusable building blocks for new textiles. The firm is set to open a new facility in New South Wales to scale production and plans to launch a global commercial plant by 2028.
