Lululemon backs Syntetica’s $30M push to recycle hard-to-reuse nylon

Activewear company Lululemon invested in Syntetica’s $30 million Series A, backing the French startup’s approach to recycling nylon. The round also included support from apparel manufacturer MAS Holdings, while the Ecotechnologies 2 fund managed by Bpifrance’s Green Venture team led the Series A. The deal places Syntetica at the intersection of climate tech, fashion supply chains and startup fundraising.

Syntetica says it can recycle two types of nylon, Nylon 6 and Nylon 6,6, which are difficult to sort from consumer textile waste. Nylon’s useful material properties make it hard for brands to abandon, but the article notes it is also hard to reuse. The company’s pitch is focused on circularity for apparel brands facing customer pressure, regulatory tailwinds and volatility tied to petrol-sourced synthetics.

Syntetica does not plan to make textiles or introduce a new material. Instead, its recycling process is designed to produce pellets that other supply chain players can turn into yarn. Partners named in the article include Lululemon, Victoria’s Secret, Etam, MAS Holdings and Michelin’s Center for Sustainable Materials, with a recycling project that could go to market early next year.

The startup plans to use its funding to demonstrate that it can produce hundreds of tons of pellets per year and deliver them to clothing supply chain customers. CEO Marco Bertone said the company later aims to build facilities around the world, near waste sources and textile production. The competitive backdrop includes enzymatic recycling startups and chemical giant BASF, which has developed recycled nylon.