PUMA and Carbios present the world's first T-shirt made entirely from biorecycled textile waste

TLDR: PUMA has collaborated with Carbios and a consortium of leading brands to develop a revolutionary T-shirt made entirely from textile waste. Using Carbios' enzymatic biorecycling technology, this project sets a new benchmark for circular fashion and high-quality “fibre-to-fibre” recycling solutions.

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PUMA and partners such as On, Patagonia, Salomon and PVH Corp. are celebrating a major milestone in sustainable fashion: the first T-shirt made entirely from biorecycled textile waste. Carbios' enzymatic biorecycling technology transforms textile waste into high-quality polyester with the same durability and quality as virgin materials. Unlike conventional recycling, which mainly recycles PET bottles, Carbios' biorecycling method recycles mixed and dyed textile waste directly into new fibres.

The T-shirt marks an important step towards a closed recycling loop in which used textiles are repeatedly converted into new fibres. This reduces dependence on petroleum-based materials and minimises the amount of waste. According to Anne-Laure Descours, PUMA's Chief Sourcing Officer, PUMA aims to source 100% of its polyester from textile waste in the future to support a circular industry.

Carbio's CEO Emmanuel Ladent describes the T-shirt as a ‘technological feat’ that reflects years of research and collaboration. The biorecycling process breaks down polyester into its basic building blocks, which are then repolymerised into new fibres. This sustainable process supports a lower carbon footprint and provides a solution for waste that would otherwise end up in landfill or incinerators.

The PUMA x Carbios biorecycled T-shirt was presented as a prototype and marks a future step towards fully circular fashion. Further applications of this technology are expected in future PUMA collections.

This first T-shirt is a prototype. However, PUMA plans to integrate biorecycled polyester into future products once the technology is available on an industrial scale. Stay tuned to Grailify for updates on PUMA's sustainable releases.