Global sports brand Nike has spoken of a “shift in materials strategy” after securing a multi-year partnership with textiles-to-textiles recycler Syre.
Syre’s mission is to accelerate the use of more circular materials in fashion, and Nike will now focus on integrating its “circular polyester” into core Nike performance lines. The first products made with the recycled material are expected to be available in the medium-term, but Syre will be Nike’s lead strategic supplier for textile-to-textile recycled polyester.
Ultimately, the two companies share a vision that end-of-life textiles become the feedstock for the next generation of performance gear.
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.”
Dennis Nobelius, CEO of Syre, added that the Nike partnership “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,” he remarked.
“It’s a proud day for Syre, and for everyone working to make textile circularity the new normal.”
Syre’s growing list of customers includes H&M Group, and launch partners Gap Inc, Houdini Sportswear, and Target.
“Together, we are demonstrating how true collaboration and commitment can unlock circularity at scale,” argued Nobelius.
“Every new partnership helps accelerate the buildout of regional supply chains – enabling brands, suppliers, and consumers alike to take part in the great textile shift.”
Syre is planning for a global network of recycling plants – and its first large-scale facility is intended to start construction in 2027 in Vietnam.
Retailers are addressing their materials as part of wider sustainability planning. H&M, for example, is among the retailers working with another circular materials provider, Circulose.
There is ongoing talk about what will make a real difference in terms of environmental impact and fashion. Anthony Mellor, director at design & manufacturing house Onflair Group, said on LinkedIn this week that too much attention is placed on fabric choice per se.
He claimed overproduction from poor planning, last-minute design changes, rushing sampling to hit marketing dates, inconsistent sizing or poor grading, and having no process for using leftovers are five key drivers of waste and, consequently, profit erosion.
“Most brands don’t have a sustainability issue; they have an operational discipline issue,” he wrote.
[image credit: Green Retail World]
