Lululemon partners with LanzaTech to turn carbon emissions into clothing

LanzaTech, a biotechnology firm, has collaborated with Lululemon Athletica Inc., a high-end sports apparel brand, to develop the world’s first yarn and fabric made from absorbed carbon emissions that would otherwise be released into the environment as pollution.

LanzaTech produces ethanol from waste carbon sources using natural methods and is converting ethanol to polyester alongside partners India Glycols Limited (IGL) and Far Eastern New Century.

For manufacturing polyester, recycling carbon is a fundamental element of the circular economy since it keeps fossil carbon in the ground, decreasing pollution and fossil fuel use. This invention, which has a smaller carbon impact, has the potential to change Lululemon’s goods and the garment industry.

Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech, said that they must drastically transform how they obtain, consume, and dispose of carbon. Carbon recycling allows firms like Lululemon to continue to move away from virgin fossil fuels, add circularity to their goods, and meet their carbon reduction targets. This is referred to as being ‘CarbonSmart.’

Chief Supply Chain Officer of Lululemon, Ted Dagnese, said that Lululemon is devoted to producing goods that are better in every aspect – building a healthier future for ourselves, our communities, and our planet. They recognize that sustainable innovation will be critical in the future of retail and clothing, and we are delighted to be on the cutting edge of this technology. Their collaboration with LanzaTech will help them achieve their Impact Agenda targets of using sustainable materials and end-of-life solutions in 100% of their products by 2030, bringing them closer to a circular ecosystem.

Lululemon announced its inaugural Impact Agenda in October, outlining its multi-year strategy to solve important social and environmental concerns through 12 targets. One of the numerous ways Lululemon is focusing on introducing new technology to the business is through its partnership with LanzaTech.

LanzaTech’s process sources its carbon from a variety of sources, including industrial emissions, syngas from gasified agricultural or domestic waste (including textile waste), and CO2 from the atmosphere. LanzaTech’s unique microorganisms convert the gas stream into ethanol or other compounds. The procedure is similar to classical fermentation, except that instead of sugars and yeast, the carbon contained in waste gases and microorganisms is used.

LanzaTech is working on a waste-gas-based polyester formation for the polyester sector alongside IGL and lululemon. LanzaTech’s Taiwanese joint venture has built a prototype plant to make polyester from waste gas in Taiwan.