The Canadian sportswear supplier Lululemon Athletica Inc. is pushing ahead with its sustainability efforts. On Thursday, the Vancouver-based yogawear specialist announced the acquisition of a minority stake in Australian textile manufacturer Samsara Eco.
The investment was made as part of a multi-year partnership between the two companies, according to a statement. Lululemon is therefore participating in a recycling company for the first time, for Samsara Eco it is the most important collaboration with a well-known clothing supplier to date. Financial details of the transaction were not released.
Samsara Eco specializes in recycling nylon and polyester fibers. These materials are “core components of Lululemon’s products,” the company said. Together with the new partner, the sportswear supplier now wants to develop and use fibers made from recycled textile waste.
Ted Dagnese, Lululemon’s Chief Supply Chain Officer, hailed the partnership as a “fundamental step toward a comprehensive circular model.” The aim is to offer the entire sporting goods industry more environmentally friendly alternatives to important conventional materials through the targeted innovations.