Arc’teryx Is the Latest Ambercycle Aficionado
Ambercycle isn’t slowing down.
Hot on the heels of a new ongoing partnership with It girl brand Reformation, the textile-to-textile recycled polyester maker revealed Tuesday that it has entered into a “strategic” relationship with Canadian outdoor-wear purveyor Arc’teryx to “drive material innovation in the performance apparel sector” using its Cycora fiber.
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“As an innovation-driven company, Ambercycle is always exploring new frontiers in material regeneration and circularity,” Shay Sethi, CEO of Ambercycle, said in a statement. “Partnering with a forward-thinking leader like Arc’teryx allows both teams to challenge conventional approaches and drive even greater impact. Together, we are exploring the potential for a truly circular future.”
Like Reformation—and Ganni and Athleta—before it, Arc’teryx will be incorporating Cycora, which is “molecularly regenerated” from textile waste such as castoff clothing into its product lines. The Anta Sport subsidiary has committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, which it says requires a 90 percent reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions and a 42 percent reduction in absolute Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Ambercycle touts its material as offering the same versatility and strength as fossil-fuel-based materials but at a “fraction of the environmental cost.”
“Arc’teryx is committed to disruptive evolution,” said Katie Becker, the brand’s chief creative officer. “Through the continual pursuit of perfection in design, we believe there’s always a better way forward. Ambercycle shares our vision for evolution through circularity, and we’re excited to explore the use of Cycora regenerated materials in our product line.”
Ambercycle, which is based in Los Angeles, is gearing up to build its first commercial-scale facility, though it has yet to announce where or when. It’s part of a new breed of companies pursuing textile-to-textile recycled polyester, also known as circular polyester, as an on-ramp to the circular fashion economy that has so far proven elusive, particularly among companies that rely on synthetics. Among already buzzy companies like Circ, Reju and Syre, it’s been on a streak for the past couple of years, inking a 70 million-euro ($75.7 million) offtake agreement with the world’s largest apparel company, Zara owner Inditex, and securing commercialization agreements from manufacturing giants like Far Eastern Group, MAS Holdings, Shinkong Synthetics and Hyosung. Incoming environmental legislation, plus growing consensus that used plastic bottles aren’t as “green” a feedstock as previously thought, is part of textile-to-textile recycled polyester’s appeal.
In February, Ambercycle received a vote of confidence from the European Center for Innovative Textiles (CETI), which said that Cycora exceeds the quality and performance of other recycled materials, setting a “new standard.”
“We believe that sustainability should never come at the cost of quality,” Sethi said at the time. “The recognition from CETI reaffirms our mission to redefine industry norms and prove that excellence and environmental responsibility can coexist seamlessly.”
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