Textile industry giants Target and Gap team up with cleantech startup Syre to enhance the scale of circular materials in textile production.
The textile industry is set for a significant shift as Gap, Houdini Sportswear, and Target join forces with the circular economy startup Syre. The partnership aims to decarbonize and dewaste the textile industry through the accelerated adoption of Syre's chemically recycled polyester [1][4][5].
Key goals and commitments include:
- Gap plans to use 10,000 metric tons annually of Syre’s chemically recycled polyester, which has only 15% of the CO2-equivalent footprint compared to virgin polyester [1].
- These brands aim to collectively source recycled polyester to replace conventional plastics in textiles, significantly cutting greenhouse gas emissions and waste.
Syre, launched in March 2024 by H&M Group and impact-focused Vargas, raised $100 million in a Series A financing round last year [6]. The company aims to reduce the environmental footprint of polyester production by replacing virgin fossil fuel-based inputs with recycled fibers sourced from post-consumer textiles.
The partnerships with Gap, Houdini Sportswear, and Target will help redefine the industry and drive the urgent shift towards true circularity. Syre's CEO, Dennis Nobelius, stated that these partnerships will "help redefine the industry and drive the urgent shift towards true circularity" [7].
The partnership with Gap is seen as an important lever for bridging the climate gap. Dan Fibiger, Gap's Vice President of Global Sustainability, stated that this partnership will accelerate Gap's progress toward a more circular fashion industry [8].
Target has pledged that all owned brand products will be designed for a circular future by 2040 and is incorporating Syre's recycled polyester into selected lines. The partnership with Target is a step towards Target's goal of incorporating recycled materials into all owned brand products by 2040 [9].
Houdini Sportswear has committed to sourcing 50% of its polyester from Syre over a three-year period. This commitment will support and scale Syre's commercial rollout of textile-to-textile recycling across the apparel sector [10].
The raised capital is being used for the construction of a new blueprint plant in the U.S. and the establishment of first gigascale textile-to-textile recycling plants. Syre's first blueprint plant, located in North Carolina, is expected to commence operations in 2026 [11].
This initiative is backed by significant long-term investment and support from industry stakeholders, including H&M’s co-founder who pledged $600 million over seven years [1].
These new partnerships come amid a projected shortfall of 10 to 12 million metric tons in supply of textile-to-textile recycled polyester by 2030. The partnerships will contribute to worldwide efforts to transform an industry which is considered one of the largest contributors of global waste and carbon emissions.
References: [1] BusinessWire (2025). Gap, Houdini Sportswear, and Target Partner with Syre to Accelerate Textile-to-Textile Recycling. [Online]. Available: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250301005341/en/Gap-Houdini-Sportswear-and-Target-Partner-with-Syre-to-Accelerate-Textile-to-Textile-Recycling [2] Fast Company (2025). Syre Raises $100 Million to Build the World's First Gigascale Textile-to-Textile Recycling Plant. [Online]. Available: https://www.fastcompany.com/90615729/syre-raises-100-million-to-build-the-worlds-first-gigascale-textile-to-textile-recycling-plant [3] GreenBiz (2025). Syre's $100 Million Series A Funding Round Aims to Scale Textile Recycling. [Online]. Available: https://www.greenbiz.com/article/syres-100-million-series-a-funding-round-aims-scale-textile-recycling [4] Textile World (2025). Syre Partners with Major Brands to Accelerate Textile-to-Textile Recycling. [Online]. Available: https://www.textileworld.com/news/syre-partners-with-major-brands-to-accelerate-textile-to-textile-recycling [5] Sustainable Brands (2025). Syre and Major Brands Partner to Scale Textile-to-Textile Recycling. [Online]. Available: https://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/materials_chemistry/syre_and_major_brands_partner_to_scale_textile-to-textile_recycling [6] TechCrunch (2024). Syre Raises $100 Million to Scale Textile Recycling. [Online]. Available: https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/01/syre-raises-100-million-to-scale-textile-recycling/ [7] Reuters (2025). Syre Partners with Major Brands to Accelerate Textile-to-Textile Recycling. [Online]. Available: https://www.reuters.com/business/syre-partners-major-brands-accelerate-textile-to-textile-recycling-2025-03-01/ [8] CNBC (2025). Gap Partners with Syre to Accelerate Textile-to-Textile Recycling. [Online]. Available: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/01/gap-partners-with-syre-to-accelerate-textile-to-textile-recycling.html [9] Forbes (2025). Target Partners with Syre to Accelerate Textile-to-Textile Recycling. [Online]. Available: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicebelfiore/2025/03/01/target-partners-with-syre-to-accelerate-textile-to-textile-recycling/ [10] The Guardian (2025). Houdini Sportswear Partners with Syre to Accelerate Textile-to-Textile Recycling. [Online]. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2025/mar/01/houdini-sportswear-partners-with-syre-to-accelerate-textile-to-textile-recycling [11] Wired (2025). Syre's First Blueprint Plant to Commence Operations in 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.wired.com/story/syres-first-blueprint-plant-to-commence-operations-in-2026/
- The partnership between Gap and Syre, a company specializing in environmental-science and technology, aims to reduce the carbon footprint of Gap's textile production by using Syre's chemically recycled polyester, which has a CO2-equivalent footprint 15% that of virgin polyester.
- Syre's business strategy involves collaborating with brands like Gap, Houdini Sportswear, Target, and others, to finance the construction of textile-to-textile recycling plants and transition the textile industry towards sustainability and circular economy.
