Samsara Eco, based in Canberra, Australia, has announced plans to explore the construction of a nylon 6.6 textile-to-textile recycled polymer production site in South East Asia with leading Israel-headquartered polyamide manufacturer Nilit.

A patented enzymatic recycling method for breaking down plastics to their core molecules, which can then be used to recreate brand-new plastic called EosEco, has been developed by Samsara Eco. EosEco can recycle a range of feedstock inputs, including coloured and blended textiles like nylon 6.6 with spandex.

Launched in 2020 in partnership with the Australian National University (ANU) and the backing of Main Sequence and Woolworths Group, Samsara Eco has so far raised more than A$160 million in funding from local and global investors including Breakthrough Victoria, DCVC, Hitachi, lululemon, Temasek, Wildcard Ventures and Wollemi Capital.

Roughly four million tons of nylon 6.6 is currently created every year and it is one of the most widely used fibres in the performance apparel and fashion industries. However, it is notoriously difficult to recycle, especially when commonly blended with other fibres – and especially spandex.

Together, Samsara Eco and Nilit are seeking to address this issue head-on.

Aiming to be operational by late 2026, the anticipated new plant will be uniquely capable of recycling textile waste, producing high-quality recycled nylon 6.6 polymers for textile brands and manufacturers to seamlessly use in their existing supply chains to create new textile fabrics.

“Our vision is to deliver climate repair through infinite recycling,” explains Paul Riley, CEO and founder of Samsara Eco. “One of the ways we’re achieving this is by creating the first circular pathway for nylon 6.6.

“Discarded clothing made from nylon 6.6 such as activewear and even products like car interiors typically end up in landfill or are incinerated at the end of life, which has dire consequences for our planet. By working with Nilit, we can reverse this trend and give apparel a new life.”

“Nilit’s partnership with Samsara Eco is a critical step in our multi-pronged strategy to provide the apparel market with premium nylon 6.6 products that have lower environmental impact,” adds Ilan Melamed, general manager at Nilit. “Implementing textile-to-textile recycling solutions will substantially decrease global carbon emissions and reduce the 92 million tons of textile waste added to landfills annually.”

Nilit will add EosEco yarn to its Sensil portfolio.

www.samsaraeco.com

www.nilt.com