In a joint statement, both companies said that their collaboration would expand upon their separate commitments to rethinking how “truly circular materials” are sourced, used and recycled.

With this partnership, the focus will be on high-durability performance materials for the activewear arena.

NFW founder and chief executive, Dr Luke Haverhals, commented: “When it comes to performance, we’ve learned that nature does it best. Not only can natural materials perform just as well as synthetics, but unlike plastic-based materials they can also sustainably scale.

“That’s why we’re thrilled to collaborate with Patagonia, who has long been a leader in demonstrating both the importance and the power of nature.”

Specifically, NFW’s patented “fibre welding” technology, Clarus, will be central to this mission.

From locally-sourced raw materials to end product, Clarus uses a closed-loop, “green” chemistry process to engineer nature-based, recycled yarn structures at molecular level, in a way that enables them to “compete with synthetics on every attribute customers care about”.

Composites of 100% natural materials, these fibres - including what NFW described as “performance cotton” - are therefore “entirely” recyclable and designed for “endless circulation”, as the company put it.

On behalf of Patagonia, the brand’s director of materials development, Sara Hayes, stated: “The ability to incorporate recycled natural fibres in a textile that is durable and has enhanced performance is an exciting and very innovative technology, with potential for high impact in the industry.

“NFW’s fibre welding technology enables entirely natural materials to provide synthetic-equivalent performance properties, such as abrasion resistance and moisture management.”

Image: NFW.