Because change starts with knowledge. Discover the stories, innovations, and insights leading the way to a better planet.
Posted: November 12, 2025
Nike has signed a multi-year agreement with Swedish circular polyester producer Syre, marking a major step toward scaling textile-to-textile recycled polyester. The deal arrives as Syre builds commercial-scale facilities and Nike shifts its materials strategy amid rising regulatory pressure and growing demand for circular fibers across the textile industry.
Nike has entered a multi-year agreement with Swedish circular polyester producer Syre, signaling a significant commitment to advancing textile-to-textile recycled polyester at scale. While Nike has already incorporated more than 135 tons of internal polyester scrap into its products, this new partnership represents a much larger strategic shift. Syre, backed by H&M Group, has been working with Nike for more than two years to secure the deal, which positions Syre as the brand’s lead supplier of textile-to-textile recycled polyester. As Syre moves toward commercial-scale production, including its 10,000-metric-ton North Carolina plant and a planned gigascale facility in Vietnam, the collaboration aims to help Nike transition from bottle-based recycled polyester to truly circular inputs.
Nike’s decision comes at a time when industrywide concerns about a potential “sustainability retreat” continue to swirl amid economic uncertainty. Yet the company says the partnership marks a deeper shift in its materials sourcing strategy, especially as it used more than 183,000 metric tons of polyester in 2024, most of which still came from recycled plastic bottles. With upcoming regulations, from the EU’s ecodesign rules to extended producer responsibility schemes, poised to require higher levels of recycled content and end-of-life accountability, Nike is preparing to integrate circular polyester into core performance lines over the next several years. Syre describes the commitment as a long-term move that could accelerate material innovation across the industry, especially as it continues onboarding partners such as Gap Inc., Houdini, and Target.
Both companies acknowledge that shifting the industry toward circular polyester will require massive investment in new supply chains, long-term purchasing commitments, and global infrastructure. Syre aims to build a network of 12 giga-factories capable of producing more than 3 million metric tons of circular polyester within the next decade, volume needed to close the industry’s projected raw materials gap. For Nike, the partnership is a way to future-proof its supply chain while maintaining high performance standards. As initial integration moves forward step by step, the long-term goal is clear: to help scale circular materials so the industry can rely on recycled polyester that meets design requirements without compromising output. This ambition reinforces Nike’s belief that textile-to-textile recycled polyester is critical to staying competitive in the evolving regulatory and market landscape.
