BASF and Lindex Bring Recycled Nylon 6 to Lingerie
BASF and Swedish fashion brand Lindex have partnered to introduce loopamid®, a recycled polyamide 6 made entirely from textile waste, into selected lingerie products. The first products are expected to appear in selected Lindex collections in early 2027.
Developed by BASF, loopamid® uses chemical recycling to convert PA6 textile waste into new polyamide 6. The technology is designed to process challenging nylon-based materials, including certain fabrics blended with elastane—materials commonly used in lingerie, sportswear and swimwear.
According to BASF, loopamid® can deliver material characteristics comparable to virgin PA6 and can be used to produce new fibers, yarns and fabrics. However, detailed independent test data covering all performance indicators, such as abrasion resistance, colorfastness and laundering durability, has not been publicly disclosed.
Commercial production in Shanghai
The partnership follows BASF's start-up of its first commercial loopamid® plant at the company's Caojing site in Shanghai. The facility has an annual capacity of approximately 500 tonnes, and both the plant and product have received Global Recycled Standard certification.
The facility marks a move from laboratory and pilot-scale development toward commercial production. Nevertheless, its current capacity remains small compared with the global volume of textile waste. Wider adoption will depend on the availability of post-consumer textile feedstock, efficient sorting systems and further production expansion.
What the technology means
The phrase "made entirely from textile waste" refers to the recycled origin of the PA6 raw material. It does not necessarily mean that every component of a discarded garment is recovered with zero material loss. Elastane, dyes, coatings, sewing threads, zippers and other accessories may still require separation or additional processing.
GRS certification verifies aspects such as recycled content and supply-chain traceability, but it does not by itself prove 100% recovery of every input garment or identical performance in every application.
The BASF–Lindex cooperation is therefore best understood as a significant development in circular nylon, rather than a universal solution for all mixed textile waste. Its long-term impact will depend on actual recycled content, process yields, product performance and the ability to collect and process post-consumer garments at scale.