Lululemon achieves ‘world first’ with emissions-derived polyester
Activewear brand Lululemon and biotechnology organisation LanzaTech recently collaborated on the creation of the “world’s first” yarn and fabric derived from recycled carbon emissions, a press release said.
If not upcycled into yarn and fabric, the emissions used would ordinarily be emitted into the atmosphere in the form of pollution, the release continued.
The biotech company described its process as one of harnessing “nature-based solutions” to produce the organic chemical compound ethanol from waste carbon sources. Through working with partners India Glycols and Far Eastern New Century, LanzaTech is then able to convert ethanol into polyester (as opposed to making the fibre from polluting fossil fuels).
Chief executive of the tech firm, Jennifer Holmgreen, commented: “[This kind of] carbon recycling enables companies like Lululemon to continue to move away from virgin fossil resources, bring circularity to their products and achieve their climate change goals around carbon reduction.”
“Lululemon is committed to making products that are better in every way - building a healthier future for ourselves, for our communities and for our planet,” chief supply chain officer for the sportswear maker, Ted Dagnese, added.
Mr Dagnese went on to elaborate on how his employer’s sustainable innovation efforts alongside LanzaTech would help it achieve its “impact agenda” goals (released in October 2020) and, by extension, help move the company towards what he described as a circular ecosystem by the year 2030.
