January 23, 2025 – Fashion Industry Witnesses Major Sustainability Breakthrough with SHEIN and Donghua University’s Innovative Polyester Recycling Technology
Global fashion giant SHEIN has joined forces with Donghua University to successfully develop a groundbreaking polyester recycling technology, marking a significant milestone in the fashion industry’s journey towards sustainability. This innovative technology not only effectively processes pre- and post-consumer polyester waste, such as textile residuals and PET bottles, but also enables multiple recycling cycles without compromising material performance, significantly enhancing raw material utilization efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Under SHEIN’s evoluSHEIN strategy, this technological advancement stands as another pivotal achievement, resulting from the long-standing collaboration between SHEIN and Donghua University dedicated to textile innovation research. The uniqueness of this recycling process lies in its ability to accommodate a broader range of polyester feedstocks, providing SHEIN with more flexible sourcing options and subsequently reducing costs. Notably, rigorous testing by Donghua University’s research team has confirmed that recycled polyester fabrics produced using this process maintain their original material properties even after multiple recycling cycles, thanks to the chemical decomposition, refinement, and reconstruction process at the polymer level.
According to the Color Masterbatch Industry Network, SHEIN is currently working with selected fiber manufacturer partners to scale up this technology from laboratory to mass production. A factory with an annual capacity of 3,000 tons of recycled polyester fibers is expected to commence operations in June 2025. Leonard Lin, President of SHEIN’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa region, emphasizes that this innovative initiative aims to address industry challenges through technological innovation, reduce reliance on virgin polyester, and drive the sustainable transformation of the entire fashion industry.
SHEIN’s exploration in the realm of sustainable fashion doesn’t stop there. The company has pledged to convert 31% of the polyester in its branded products to recycled polyester by 2030. Additionally, SHEIN actively supports innovation in circular solutions and promotes the use of next-generation fibers. For instance, the evoluSHEIN x Anitta collection launched in September 2024 features Regracell® fiber made from a blend of recycled textile waste and FSC-certified wood raw materials. Furthermore, SHEIN’s collaboration with Aloqia incorporates unsold fabrics from other brands into exclusive limited-edition designs, as exemplified by the SHEIN X Rescue limited-edition series released in May 2024, showcasing SHEIN’s continuous innovation and commitment to sustainable fashion.