February 6, 2025
Sustainability

SHEIN Partners With Donghua University To Develop Innovative Polyester Recycling Process

SHEIN, the global online fashion retailer, has achieved a significant milestone in its evoluSHEIN strategy by developing an innovative polyester recycling process in collaboration with Donghua University, a leading research institute specializing in textile innovation. This multi-year partnership aims to address sustainability challenges by expanding the range of materials that can be recycled, including pre- and post-consumer polyester feedstock like textile waste and PET bottles.

The new recycling process offers improved cost efficiency and flexibility in sourcing feedstock, surpassing current recycled polyester options used in SHEIN products. Donghua’s researchers have demonstrated that the recycled polyester produced can be repeatedly recycled without compromising the material’s quality, as the inputs are chemically broken down, refined and reconstituted at the polymer level.

To scale up the technology, SHEIN will partner with selected fibre manufacturers to transition from laboratory testing to large-scale production. The facility is slated to begin producing recycled polyester fibres in June 2025, with an annual production target of 3,000 metric tonnes.

Leonard Lin, President of EMEA and General Manager of Singapore at SHEIN, said, “Our goal is to leverage innovation and technology to address industry-wide challenges. This new recycling process allows us to incorporate a broader variety of feedstock, achieve better cost efficiencies, and recycle polyester multiple times while maintaining material properties. This initiative will be a key step toward reducing our reliance on virgin polyester and accelerating the broader industry transition to sustainability.”

This collaboration is part of SHEIN’s commitment to transition 31% of polyester used in its products to recycled polyester by 2030. The company is also driving innovation in circular solutions and promoting next-generation fibres. In September 2024, SHEIN launched the evoluSHEIN x Anitta collection, featuring garments made from Regracell, a fibre derived from recycled textile waste and FSC-certified wood. Additionally, SHEIN has been working with Aloqia (formerly Queen of Raw) since 2022 to incorporate deadstock fabrics into exclusive designs. A limited-edition SHEIN X Rescued collection, featuring designs by SHEIN X designers using deadstock materials, was launched in May 2024.

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