Lululemon Launches Recycled Polyester Run Shorts
A limited capsule in Australia and New Zealand uses enzymatically recycled polyester developed with Samsara Eco.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Running
Lululemon has launched a limited capsule of two run shorts made with enzymatically recycled polyester, sold exclusively through its e-commerce site in Australia and New Zealand. The capsule became available beginning November 10, 2026, in the Canyon Rock colourway.
Why it matters
The capsule builds on lululemon's first enzymatically recycled polyester product, the Packable Anorak introduced in 2024, and is intended to show how the new material performs in finished products. It offers an early look at how textile recycling technology may move from development into everyday apparel.
The shorts are made with at least 50% enzymatically recycled polyester by weight, with a 2.5-inch inseam on the Hotty Hot High-Rise Lined Short and a 7-inch inseam on the Pace Breaker Linerless Short. Pricing, sales volumes and any plans beyond the two launch markets were not disclosed.
The players
Lululemon
Lululemon is a Canadian athletic apparel company known for performance activewear, and this capsule extends its recent push into recycled-material products.
Samsara Eco
Samsara Eco is an Australian company that develops enzyme-based technology to recycle plastic and textile waste into new polyester.
The details
Samsara Eco, an Australian company, uses enzymes to break down plastic and textile waste into molecular building blocks that can be used to make new polyester. The capsule was developed through lululemon's long-term work with Samsara Eco and uses the recycled polyester in the body material of both shorts.
Timeline
2024: lululemon introduced its first enzymatically recycled polyester product, the Packable Anorak.
November 10, 2026: The run short capsule became available on lululemon's e-commerce site in Australia and New Zealand.
Season Trajectory
The capsule extends lululemon's 2024 Packable Anorak, its first enzymatically recycled polyester product, from outerwear into running apparel. It signals that enzymatic recycling is moving beyond a single jacket into a product category where performance fabrics are central to competition.
Runners who buy the capsule will get shorts with at least 50% enzymatically recycled polyester in the body, in 2.5-inch or 7-inch inseam options. The capsule is only sold through lululemon's e-commerce site in Australia and New Zealand, so shoppers elsewhere cannot currently purchase it.
The takeaway
Recycled performance fabrics are reaching running gear, so runners shopping for apparel may see more products built from materials recovered from textile waste. Checking material composition on product pages can help compare these options.
Further reading
For more on the sport these shorts are built for, see Running.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Textile World.
