Athletic apparel brand Lululemon has announced a multi-year partnership with California-based biotechnology firm ZymoChem to advance the use of sustainable bio-based nylon in its products.

The next phase of the collaboration will focus on scaling ZymoChem’s technology to support the commercial production of bio-based nylon, Lululemon stated.

Yogendra Dandapure, Vice President of Raw Materials Innovation at Lululemon, highlighted the significance of this partnership, emphasizing that ZymoChem’s innovative technology can create a bio-based nylon that maintains the look, feel, and quality expected from lululemon’s high-performance products. He added that by working with forward-thinking companies like ZymoChem, Lululemon is actively expanding pathways toward sustainable material alternatives across its product lineup.

According to Lululemon’s latest impact report, nylon is the company’s second most-used material, making up 31% of its textiles by weight. The brand has set a target to introduce alternative nylon solutions by 2025 and transition to 100% renewable or recycled nylon by 2030.

Harshal Chokhawala, Co-Founder & CEO of ZymoChem, stated that after years of perfecting the company’s patented Carbon Conserving process, this partnership will help bring bio-based, decarbonized nylon to the global market.