Australian biotech firm Samsara Eco has developed enzymes capable of recycling nylon 6 - a synthetic fibre commonly used in apparel, hosiery and automotives.
This milestone forms part of an overall plan by Samsara Eco to recycle plastic waste, and comes 10 months after debuting the world’s first enzymatically recycled nylon 6,6 product, backed by Lululemon. The athleticwear brand then launched a second capsule using enzymatically recycled nylon 6,6 in April.
According to Samsara Eco, its latest innovation can allow brands to use what they’ve already created to make new products. The newest enzymes can break down nylon 6 into its original building block that can be reused repeatedly without losing quality.
Citing research from global impact organisation Circle Economy, Samsara Eco reported that almost two-thirds of the 3.25 billion tonnes of textiles produced each year end in landfill or incineration. In Australia, over 200,000 tonnes of clothing is disposed of each year, according to the Australian Fashion Council.
Currently, less than 1 per cent of textiles are made from recycled textiles.
“The current take-make-waste economy is incredibly damaging to our planet,” Samsara Eco CEO Paul Riley said. “We must reduce our reliance on carbon-intensive fossil fuels and instead, use what’s already in circulation.
“Our latest breakthrough makes it possible to believe future textiles will be made from waste and excess, not fossil fuels. We are now able to give new life to nylon 6 and continue to recycle the typically unrecyclable, infinitely.”
Riley said Samsara’s ability to recycle nylon 6, nylon 6,6, polyester and mixed fibres - including coloured and dyed blends - is a gamechanger for the textile and fashion industry.
“Apparel is very rarely made from a single fibre so being able to recycle mixed fibres is the only way we can create true circularity for the industry,” Riley added.
“Pushed by incoming regulation, industries are becoming increasingly mindful of the entire lifecycle of their products and their carbon impact. We’re providing a way to address both concerns with a real scalable textile-to-textile recycling solution.”
Samsara Eco will collaborate with customers in textiles and automotive – two industries where nylon 6 is prevalent – as well as its partners to trial the new enzymes on nylon 6 products and blended materials from its campus in Jerrabomberra, New South Wales, set to open mid-2025.