Shein announces development of new polyester recycling process

Shein has developed a new polyester recycling process in collaboration with Donghua University, a research institute specializing in textile innovation.

Part of Shein’s ongoing multi-year partnership with the research institute, the new recycling process is another key step in Shein’s evoluShein strategy, a framework launched by the Chinese fashion giant that focuses on three pillars (equitable empowerment, collective resilience, and waste-less innovation) and serves as a guide for the company’s sustainability efforts.

The new polyester recycling process is applicable for a broader range of materials, such as pre-and post-consumer polyester stock, textile waste as well as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, providing more versatility when it comes to the sourcing of polyester suitable for recycling. In turn, this innovative process is said to be more cost-effective than the current recycled polyester processes used in Shein’s products.

In addition, the recycled polyester fabrics manufactured using this new process can reportedly be recycled time and time again without “significant impact on the material properties of the resulting fabric, as the inputs are chemically broken down, refined, and reconstituted at the polymer level,” according to a press release from Shein.

Shein is currently partnering with selected fiber manufacturers in order to scale up the technology used for this polyester recycling process from a laboratory setting to ensure it is viable at producing recycled polyester fibers at a larger commercial scale. Shein expects that its facility will be able to begin large-scale production of polyester fibers in June 2025, with an annual target production output of 3,000 metric tons.

"Our goal is to leverage innovation and technology to help solve industry-wide challenges,” said Leonard Lin, president of EMEA, global head of public affairs, and general manager of Singapore, in a statement. “We have invested in the research and development of a new polyester recycling process that allows us to incorporate a broader variety of feedstock, achieve better cost efficiencies, and recycle polyester multiple times without compromising the material properties of the polyester produced.”

“This will be a critical step towards our goal of reducing our reliance on virgin polyester and supporting a broader industry transition. Shein will continue to look for more opportunities to partner with ecosystem players to accelerate the use of recycled polyester,” added Lin. The Chinese e-commerce company’s partnership sits in line with its commitment to transition 31 percent of the polyester used in its own branded products to recycled polyester by 2030.

The announcement comes as Shein reveals the launch of the Shein Foundation, a non-profit organization that aims to “support more inclusive and sustainable communities in the areas where Shein operates,” and its ongoing adoption of next-generation fibers.