SHEIN's innovative recycled polyester technology takes sustainable fashion one step further

SHEIN, the world's leading online fashion and lifestyle retailer, has teamed up with Donghua University, a leading university in the industry, to develop a new generation of polyester mid-polymer recycling solutions . This innovative process can expand the scope of recycled materials, including waste textile materials and pre- and post-consumer polyester materials such as PET bottles, which provides greater flexibility in raw material procurement while reducing costs and improving efficiency. Donghua University tests have shown that this process can repeatedly recycle recycled polyester without significantly affecting the material properties of textiles.

The innovative new generation of recycled polyester technology, combined with its own on-demand flexible supply chain model, is expected to help the development of the fashion recycling industry while achieving the 31% recycled fiber replacement target by 2030. SHEIN's new generation of polyester fiber polymer recycling solution is expected to be promoted to industry suppliers for mass production in June 2025. SHEIN's textile technology research and development team and Donghua University are still stepping up the development of more innovative recycled polyester technologies.

SHEIN and Donghua jointly innovate recycled polyester technology to launch a new generation of polyester recycling solutions

Recycled polyester is an environmentally friendly textile material, which is mainly made by recycling waste polyester and reprocessing. Compared with virgin polyester, recycled polyester brings green, environmental protection and fashion "additions" to the industry. At present, the mainstream physical recycling method in the industry has a short process and low cost, but the recycling range is limited and belongs to a downgrade cycle; although the chemical method can achieve closed-loop recycling, the process is long and the recycling cost is extremely high, making it difficult to promote and apply on a large scale; in view of this, in September 2023, SHEIN and Donghua University, a leading university in the industry, began to develop innovative technologies for recycled polyester.

The new generation of polyester intermediate polymer recycling solution launched this time combines the advantages of physical and chemical methods to innovate recycled polyester technology . Compared with traditional polyester recycling technology, this innovative process can expand the scope of recycled materials, including waste textile materials and pre- and post-consumer polyester materials such as PET bottles, which provides greater flexibility for raw material procurement while reducing costs and improving efficiency. Tests at Donghua University have shown that this process can repeatedly recycle recycled polyester without significantly affecting the material properties of textiles.

It is reported that the new generation of polyester intermediate polymer recycling solution first launched by SHEIN will be promoted to industry suppliers in June 2025. It is expected that suppliers applying this solution will be able to achieve an industrial capacity of 3,000 tons of fiber per year in the initial stage. With the continuous research and development and innovation of SHEIN's textile technology research and development team and Donghua University in more recycling technologies, SHEIN hopes to completely realize the closed loop covering the recycling of pre-consumption and post-consumption polyester materials. In fact, with the formulation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), achieving the goal of replacing recycled materials has become a consensus in the global fashion industry, and markets such as the European Union have also increased the requirements for recycled components in textiles. The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology proposed in the "Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Recycling of Waste Textiles" that by 2025, a recycling system for waste textiles will be initially established; by 2030, a relatively complete recycling system for waste textiles will be built, the recycling rate of waste textiles will reach 30%, and the output of recycled fibers from waste textiles will reach 3 million tons.

As an industry-leading brand, SHEIN's research and development, innovation and industry promotion of recycled polyester technology will undoubtedly further promote the recycling of waste textiles and the realization of the goal of replacing recycled materials.

SHEIN continues to increase the proportion of recycled materials used to promote sustainable fashion innovation

SHEIN has always been using an innovative digital flexible supply chain model to produce and supply on demand based on market and user needs, based on real-time analysis of fashion trends, thus reducing overproduction and waste at the source. SHEIN's innovative recycled polyester technology is a major innovation in the field of recycled raw materials and an important measure to achieve the company's 2030 carbon reduction target.

As a leader in sustainable fashion, the SHEIN brand is accelerating the use of more responsible raw materials. Before SHEIN developed innovative recycled polyester technology, SHEIN had already begun applying recycled fiber materials to SHEIN brand products. The goal is to achieve 31% of virgin fibers into recycled fibers by 2030 and 50% of SHEIN brand products meet the "evoluSHEIN by Design" standard. According to this standard, clothing products must use at least 30% of preferred materials such as recycled fibers, forest-safe viscose fibers and recycled waste.

In addition, SHEIN has also established a partnership with sustainable fashion company Aloqia (formerly Queen of Raw) to purchase excess inventory fabrics from other clothing brands for reuse and reduce the consumption of new fabrics. The "SHEIN X Rescued" sustainable clothing series is to reproduce by reusing high-quality excess fabrics in the industry. SHEIN has also joined the two core programs of CanopyStyle and Pack4Good, promising to completely ban the purchase of viscose fibers from ancient and endangered forest resources by 2025; set up the SHEIN EPR Fund, Revolving Fund, etc., committed to global textile waste management and the development of a circular economy, and support start-ups engaged in related fields such as textile and recycled material innovation, and establish procurement or other business partnerships with companies with mature capabilities.

The innovative recycled polyester technology in collaboration with Donghua University is the latest important progress SHEIN has made in promoting the application of recycled materials. With SHEIN's strong brand and industry influence, it will undoubtedly accelerate the application of recycled polyester technology and work with industry partners to provide global consumers with more green, low-carbon and "circular economy" fashion products.

SHEIN

Recycled Polyester Technology