Nike Inc. has announced a strategic partnership with Syre, the Swedish textile recycling company, to accelerate the production and adoption of circular polyester. The collaboration aims to reduce the industry’s reliance on virgin materials and enable large-scale fiber-to-fiber recycling.
Nike Inc. and Syre, the textile impact company founded by Vargas Holding, have entered into a strategic partnership to expand the use of circular polyester in Nike’s global supply chain. The move marks a significant step in Nike’s broader sustainability strategy to decouple growth from resource consumption and promote a circular materials economy.
Textile-to-Textile Recycling Technology
Under the partnership, Syre will supply Nike with circular polyester made through advanced textile-to-textile recycling technology, designed to recover polyester fibers from discarded garments and textile waste. The collaboration will help Nike integrate recycled fibers into its performance and lifestyle apparel lines, aiming to drastically reduce the brand’s carbon footprint and dependency on virgin polyester, one of the most widely used materials in sportswear.
Industry Leaders React
Noel Kinder, Chief Sustainability Officer at Nike, said the company is “committed to scaling circular solutions that keep materials in play and out of landfills,” whilst Patrik Frisk, CEO of Syre, highlighted the partnership as “a defining moment for circularity in the global textile industry.”
Global Expansion Plans
Syre operates with a mission to establish a network of textile recycling plants worldwide, starting with its first facility in North Carolina. The Nike partnership is expected to accelerate that global rollout, advancing both companies’ shared goals of achieving net-zero emissions and closing the loop in textile production.
