cycora®

Imagine a world where yesterday’s discarded textiles transform into tomorrow’s high-performance fashion. cycora®’s material achieves this with its innovative molecular regeneration technology, turning end-of-life garments into premium-quality polyester that rivals virgin materials. Backed by testing and adoption by leading brands, cycora® sets a new standard in sustainable fashion while showcasing the power of circularity.

hube: Cycora® represents a significant innovation in sustainable fashion by turning end-of-life textiles into high-performance regenerated polyester. What inspired the development of this material, and how did you overcome the challenges associated with creating a circular polyester that matches the quality of virgin materials?

Nava Esmailizadeh: The inspiration for this journey began with our co-founders, Shay Sethi and Moby Ahmed, during their studies in chemistry and engineering at UC Davis. They were shocked to discover that polyester comprises 54% of all fibre production, while less than 1% of our clothing gets recycled back into clothing today. This realisation struck them as fundamentally illogical: so much creativity and value are poured into clothing, only for it to be discarded and landfilled at the end of its life.

Driven by their scientific backgrounds, Shay and Moby developed a new chemistry capable of breaking down mixed-blend garments and regenerating them into high-quality yarn and fabric. However, the journey was not without challenges.

The first challenge was developing the molecular regeneration technology, which took five years of R&D to achieve lab-scale success. The second challenge was equally difficult – building the infrastructure to collect and divert end-of-life garments from landfills into a circular system. This required not only scientific innovation but also fostering collaboration to ensure these materials could be gathered and transformed, preventing them from going to waste.

Through perseverance and a commitment to circularity, we’ve turned these challenges into opportunities, paving the way for a new era in fashion that honours both the creativity behind clothing and the planet we cherish.

h: Your collaboration with leading fashion brands, including the recent partnership with Inditex, highlights cycora®’s potential to scale. How do you see these partnerships driving the adoption of circular materials across the fashion industry?

NE: For too long, sustainable material innovations have been limited to theory or stuck at lab scale, unable to create real-world impact. But now, we’re entering a new era where these materials can scale and significantly reduce the carbon footprint of clothing production.

Partnerships with leading fashion brands are essential for driving the adoption of circular materials across the industry. By committing to these innovative solutions at scale, brands can help drive a transformative shift in fashion.

Inditex has committed to a significant $75 million contract to utilise cycora® materials at a commercial scale, marking a pivotal moment in our journey. This partnership not only validates our technology but also exemplifies the potential of circular materials to meet the demands of the fashion industry. Additionally, GANNI has recognised cycora® as a key material for their Fabric of the Future program, integrating it into their collections and amplifying our mission further.

h: Cycora® made a groundbreaking debut at Paris Fashion Week in collaboration with designer Tommy Bogo. What did this experience mark for you?

NE: The debut of cycora® at Paris Fashion Week, in collaboration with designer TOMBOGO, marked a significant milestone for us. Beyond our partnerships with larger brands, we are excited to work with independent designers, expanding access to these next-generation materials.

This collaboration proved that cycora® not only meets high performance and environmental standards but also has the potential to power designs worthy of an esteemed stage. It was a pivotal moment for our team, showing that circularity can excel in both quality and aesthetics – demonstrating that sustainable materials can compete with traditional fabrics in the fashion world.

Building a community of designers is essential to us, and events like Paris Fashion Week provide the platform to showcase that these next-gen materials are becoming the new standard for future collections. We believe materiality is as important as design, and we’re dedicated to making that vision a reality as we continue introducing the next generation of materials.

h: The fashion industry has historically been slow to adopt sustainable practices due to concerns about quality and cost. How does cycora® address these concerns, and what strategies are you using to change industry perceptions?

NE: Our team is truly committed to demonstrating that circularity and high performance can harmoniously come together at scale.

At the core of this commitment is our groundbreaking molecular regeneration technology, ensuring that cycora® materials not only match but exceed the quality of traditional recycled options. Earlier this year, we partnered with CETI (Centre of Innovation and Technology in Textiles) to validate that cycora® can perform at the same quality level as virgin materials. This third-party validation reinforces our commitment to quality and provides confidence to brands and consumers alike.

In addition to upholding this standard, we’re working closely with leading fashion brands and independent designers to develop a scalable infrastructure for cycora®. By integrating our materials into their production processes, we can demonstrate the economic viability of circular solutions. These partnerships not only enhance visibility but also encourage brands to see cycora® as a long-term, sustainable investment.

h: Your technology allows for the regeneration of textiles that would otherwise end up in landfills. What impact do you hope cycora® will have on reducing textile waste globally, and how do you measure this impact?

NE: This is a great question – measuring impact is central to our mission because it’s what inspired the founding of cycora® in the first place. We are dedicated to diverting two types of textile materials from landfills: post-consumer and post-industrial. By focusing on these streams, we aim to address the significant issue of textile waste head-on.

To track our impact, we measure the total volume of material diverted from landfills. Additionally, we partner with third-party organisations to conduct Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) that compare cycora®’s production process with traditional methods. This analysis gives us critical insights into cycora®’s carbon footprint and broader climate impact.

Our goal is for cycora® to make a significant contribution to reducing global textile waste and to shift the industry’s perspective on end-of-life materials. By offering a viable solution that regenerates textiles, we aim to inspire a shift toward a more circular economy in fashion – proving that waste can be transformed into opportunity, rather than being a burden.

h: Innovation in sustainable materials often faces trade-offs between environmental benefits and material performance. How does cycora® manage to maintain the high performance required by fashion brands while staying true to its sustainability goals?

NE: Material performance is one of the most exciting aspects of cycora® material. Traditionally, purchasing fabrics made from recycled materials often meant compromising on quality. But through our molecular regeneration technology, we are able to purify and restore the material back to its original, virgin-grade quality. This high standard ensures that once a garment made with cycora® reaches its end-of-life – hopefully many, many years from now – it can re-enter our process, allowing for a true circular lifecycle.

Earlier this year, we partnered with CETI (The Center for European Textile Innovation) to validate that cycora® performs at the same quality level as virgin-grade materials. This validation is crucial for us, as it empowers designers to confidently incorporate these innovative materials into high-performance garments while knowing they are contributing to a better climate impact.

Moreover, cycora® regenerated material offsets nearly half of the CO2 emissions associated with virgin polyester production. By bridging the gap between circularity and performance, we show that fashion brands no longer have to choose between quality and sustainability – they can have both.

h: Consumer awareness and demand for sustainable fashion are growing. How do you educate consumers about the benefits of circular materials like cycora®, and what role do you see consumers playing in the future of sustainable fashion?

NE: Education around circular materials like cycora® is a core focus for us. Tackling clothing waste is complex, and we believe that technology and innovation alone aren’t enough – community and collective activism are crucial to making sustainable fashion a reality. While people care about fashion waste, many aren’t aware of the solutions available or don’t understand the power that their voices and choices hold. That’s why we prioritise hands-on educational initiatives to bring our mission of ending fashion waste to life.

We kicked off our journey locally by opening our doors to host a series of recurring events that invite designers and community members into our laboratory in Los Angeles. These sessions offered an immersive experience, allowing people to learn firsthand about our regeneration process and what it takes to build true circularity in fashion. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, revealing a genuine interest in understanding how clothes are made and how they can be part of the solution.

As we look to the future, we are exploring ways to scale these educational efforts to reach beyond our local community and make this information more accessible. We’re actively collaborating with brand partners on campaigns while also expanding our storytelling across our own channels. We invite everyone to follow us on Instagram at @cycora.la to join our universe and be a part of the movement toward circularity in the fashion industry.

Community is vital to changing the future of fashion. Our power of choice and ability to collectively demand change is what will inspire a new era of material consciousness where our clothing can be made in harmony with our Earth.

h: The fashion industry is known for its rapid cycles and trends. How does cycora® fit into the fast-paced nature of fashion, and what role do you see it playing in making fashion more sustainable long-term?

NE: Cycora® thrives in the dynamic landscape of fashion by embracing the community of designers and brands eager to explore next-gen materials. What’s truly exciting is that with material innovation comes design innovation. We collaborate with designers to encourage a mindset of ‘designing for circularity’, which focuses on the longevity, durability, and end-of-life solutions for each product.

Circularity is not just about the materials we choose; it’s about rethinking the entire design process. We ask ourselves critical questions: How long is this item intended to last? What is the versatility of this product? Will it withstand the rapid shifts of trends? By embedding these considerations into the design phase, we challenge the creation of garments – pushing their design, quality, and sustainability to withstand the test of time.

This holistic approach to circularity impacts every facet of the design cycle, including production, purchase, consumer use, and end-of-life management. By fostering a culture that values longevity and adaptability, we aim to shift the paradigm of fast fashion toward a more sustainable model.

Ultimately, cycora® plays a pivotal role in making fashion circular long-term by inspiring brands and designers to rethink their processes and invest in quality, regenerative materials.

h: Looking forward, what are the next steps for cycora® in terms of technology development and new collaborations, and what impact do you hope to achieve in the coming years?

NE: Looking ahead, cycora®’s universe is expanding in exciting ways. We’re growing our network of forward-thinking brand partners, making our breakthrough materials more accessible and pushing the boundaries of circular fashion.

At the heart of our vision is community. Our mission is bold, and we know it takes collective effort. Through workshops, events, and collaborations, we empower designers, brands, and individuals to embrace sustainable practices and champion the movement toward circularity.

Innovation will always remain central to our mission. We’re constantly refining cycora® to enhance its quality and reduce its environmental footprint through cutting-edge technology and continued advancements.

As we scale the production of cycora®, we aim to establish it as the standard in a circular fashion. Our goal is to drive widespread adoption of next-gen materials, creating a future where we rely on what’s already above ground – turning fashion waste into an opportunity rather than continuing to rely on our Earth’s finite resources.