Stella McCartney, the British fashion designer known primarily for her fur-free and leather-free apparel as well as for her celebrity-studded clientele, has partnered with recycling start-up Protein Evolution Inc (PEI).
Together they will work on transforming transform nylon and polyester waste into ‘good-as-new’ fibres. It is one of the major challenges for the fashion industry.
The PEI will use its proprietary recycling technology to process leftover mixed nylon and polyester from Stella McCartney’s collections into new material for use in new clothing, footwear or other products, which PEI says can then be recycled again, indefinitely.
In a statement, Stella McCartney said, “Through our partnership with PEI, we hope to pioneer a new type of polyester from old materials. Establishing climate goals is one thing; taking meaningful steps toward a more sustainable future is what truly matters.”
Founded in 2021, PEI uses AI and synthetic biology to engineer enzymes, which are used to break down textiles and plastic into their basic chemical building blocks so that they can be used to make new materials, theoretically allowing the resources to become infinitely reusable.
Connor Lynn, Co-founder and Chief Business Officer, PEI said, “We’re honoured to partner with Stella McCartney on this ambitious and hopefully groundbreaking effort. Together we’re setting out to accomplish something that’s never been done at an industrial scale before, and we’re just getting started.”
