Sportswear giant PUMA upscales its textile recycling innovation, Re:Fibre, replacing recycled polyester with Re:Fibre technology in Puma football club and Federation replica jerseys from 2024 onwards. This initiative has potential to transform the sportswear industry’s approach to a circular business model. 

Through Re:Fibre, PUMA is addressing the challenge of textile waste

Following the successful pilot in 2022, where PUMA produced recycled training jerseys for their sponsored football clubs, official PUMA football replica jerseys including those for the Euro and Copa América tournaments will now be manufactured using Re:Fibre recycled materials made of old garments and factory waste, shaping the way fashion is consumed and appreciated.

Through Re:Fibre, PUMA is addressing the challenge of textile waste and is diversifying the fashion industry’s source of recycled polyester in garments from being less reliant on clear plastic bottles. The Re:Fibre process uses polyester material from factory offcuts, faulty goods and pre-loved clothes. To make upscaling possible, PUMA is exploring diversified ways to recycle polyester, such as thermo-mechanical and chemical recycling techniques, enabling it to significantly increase its capacity to recycle textile waste. By embracing circularity, the sportswear giant encourages a more conscious and sustainable fashion industry.

“Re:Fibre gives football fans a tangible example of how PUMA is working towards creating a Forever Better”, said Anne-Laure Descours, Chief Sourcing Officer at PUMA. “Our wish is to have a hundred per cent of product polyester coming from textile waste… Textile waste build-up in landfills is an environmental risk. Rethinking the way we produce and moving towards a more circular business model is one of the main priorities of our sustainability strategy.”

The four-step process of Re:Fibre includes collecting and sorting textile waste and other waste materials; shredding and mixing the collected materials; melting down the shredded polyester and ridding them of previous dyes through a chemical recycling process; spinning and sewing into shape to create good as new Re:Fibre fabric which can be recycled again and again.

In response to increasing consumer demand for sustainability and heightened regulatory pressure on the apparel industry to reduce its environmental footprint, PUMA’s ambitious initiative, Re:Fibre, appeals to a growing segment of environmentally conscious consumers. By scaling up the Re:Fibre technology for football jerseys, PUMA is setting a precedent for the sports apparel industry to contribute to a more circular economy.

To help make the technical process of Re:Fibre more digestible for the consumer who wants to know more, PUMA is using Computer Generated Imagery to take them through the process, right down to the molecular chemistry at work. This comes after research conducted by PUMA found that 71 per cent young people would like to see brands making more commitments, communicating their goals better and being more transparent.

PUMA named in the World’s Most Sustainable Companies by TIME and Statista

PUMA has been named in the “World’s Most Sustainable Companies” ranking by TIME and Statista, which takes into account a company’s environmental data as well as its transparency and the assessment by external organizations. The sportswear giant was the best-ranked company in the Apparel, Footwear and Sporting Goods sector.

PUMA has been named in the “World’s Most Sustainable Companies” ranking by TIME and Statista

“Being ranked among the most sustainable companies by such a prestigious publication is a great recognition of our Forever. Better. sustainability strategy, for which we achieved important milestones last year,” said Anne-Laure Descours, Chief Sourcing Officer at PUMA. “We will take this as an incentive to work even harder and continue to reduce our environmental footprint.”

Appreciating the importance of reaching out to a wider audience and influencing mainstream brands with a global reach to adopt more sustainable practices, PUMA set ambitious targets across different segments including climate, circularity and human rights. The choice of materials in its products is an integral part of its sustainability strategy. In 2023, the company produced eight out of ten PUMA products with a significant part of recycled and certified materials. 

Interestingly, PUMA has already reached two of these targets ahead of schedule, including “Plastics and the Oceans” by eliminating plastic carrier bags from its owned and operated stores and researching biodegradable plastic options. PUMA has also met its “Human Rights” target by training over 220,000 factory workers on women’s empowerment and mapping human rights risks. PUMA also reached its science-based CO2 reduction target seven years ahead of schedule. The sportswear giant has also focused on introducing renewable electricity at its core suppliers, using materials that are less carbon intensive, opting for low-carbon shipping tariffs and investing in electric vehicles. For its owned and operated buildings, PUMA buys renewable energy tariffs and renewable energy attribute certificates.

PUMA witnesses strong growth trajectory in Q1

PUMA is one of the world’s leading sports brands, designing, developing, selling and marketing footwear, apparel and accessories. For seventy-five years, PUMA has relentlessly offered performance and sport-inspired lifestyle products for Football, Running and Training, Basketball, Golf and Motorsports. It also collaborates with fashion designers and brands to bring sport influence into street culture and fashion. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf and stichd. The company distributes its products in more than 120 countries, employs about 20,000 people worldwide, and is headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany. 

PUMA witnessed a strong growth trajectory in Q1.

PUMA witnessed a strong growth trajectory in Q1. Sales increased by 0.5% to € 2,102.3 million from a strong quarter in the previous year. Currencies have continued to be a major headwind since Q2 2023, negatively impacting sales in euro terms by approximately € 100 million in Q1 2024. The Americas region recorded positive sales growth for the first time in four quarters, growing by 1.0% to € 790.0 million, with the U.S. showing a sequential improvement. Sales in the Asia Pacific region increased by 0.6% to € 456.6 million, driven by continued growth in Greater China. In the EMEA region, sales were flat at € 855.7 million, with Europe coming in better than expected.

“While the market continues to be volatile, we delivered growth and gross profit margin improvement despite significant currency headwinds and high prior year comparables… Our strong momentum in performance categories driven by exciting innovations and newness is ongoing and we are further growing our market shares… We are focusing our efforts on building the foundation for the next chapter of growth based on increased brand desirability. The launch of our first brand campaign in a decade was an important first step and the first results came in above our expectations. I could not imagine a better year than the 2024 Year of Sport to advance PUMA’s brand elevation journey,” says Arne Freundt, Chief Executive Officer of PUMA SE.