TEXTILES.ORG
Evrnu®, a B-corp-certified materials science company based in Seattle, Wash., has developed Nucycl®, an alternative to cotton, nylon and polyester, created from cotton production waste.
Nucycl technology breaks down used materials such as worn-out clothing and fabric scraps and extracts the raw cellulose to make new fibers and yarns. First, the materials are sorted by fiber content; then trims and accessories are removed. Afterward, the fabric is shredded and liquefied, and contaminants are removed. The purified pulp is put into r-lyocell fiber, which can be tailored to specific consumer needs, such as abrasion resistance, stretch and absorption.
The fiber is either woven or knitted and is equal to or stronger than its alternatives, including cotton and polyester. It also comes in two forms: 100% Nucycl, which consists of 100% cotton textile waste; and 31% Nucycl, which consists of 31% cotton and 69% wood pulp.
In March, the company launched its first direct-to-consumer product made from Nucycl, the 360 Hoodie, with fashion designer Christopher Bevans of Portland, Ore.-based Bevans Creative Studio. The hoodie was constructed using 3D modeling software and is fully recyclable. It can also be returned to Evrnu to be re-formed into a new garment up to five times as part of a take-back program.
Evrnu has partnered with other companies, including Danish fashion brand Object, to create a collection of clothing made from 100% Nucycl, featuring a shirt, a dress and a pair of pants, and Pangaia, a New York-based materials science company, to create the Renu jacket, a denim jacket made from 100% Nucycl.
Evrnu was founded in 2014. Nucycl was launched in 2022 and was recognized in Time magazine’s Best Inventions of 2022 list. It was also one of 250 companies named in the magazine’s America’s Top GreenTech Companies 2024 list in the circular economy category. In June, Evrnu was recognized as a 2024 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum.