Inditex, Owner of Zara, Will Purchase Recycled Polyester From US Startup

The largest apparel company in the world, Inditex, which owns Zara, has committed to purchasing recycled polyester from a U.S. start-up in order to meet its 2030 goal of having 25% of its fibers come from «next-generation» materials.

Inditex is investing more than 70 million euros ($74 million) to secure supply of its recycled polyester derived from textile waste from Los Angeles-based Ambercycle, as fast-fashion retailers are under pressure to utilize recycled textiles and cut waste.

Because it dries quickly and is robust, polyester, a byproduct of the petroleum industry, is frequently used in sportswear.

During a three-year period, Inditex will purchase 70% of Ambercycle’s production of recycled polyester, marketed under the Cycora brand, according to an offtake agreement, announced by Inditex CEO Oscar Garcia Maceiras during a business gathering in Zaragoza, Spain.

According to Garcia Maceiras, Inditex’s innovation hub is a section that looks for ways to reduce the environmental impact of its products. It also collaborates with other businesses and startups.

In a speech during the event, the CEO stated, «The sustainable transformation of Inditex… is not possible without the collaboration of the different stakeholders.»

Ambercycle will be able to finance its first textile recycling factory on a commercial scale with the aid of the Inditex investment. The plant is anticipated to start producing cycora in 2025, and throughout the next three years, Inditex items will use the material.