Latest news with #PaulRiley
Fashion United
2 days ago
- Business
- Fashion United
Lululemon to source 20 percent of fibre needs through Samsara Eco
Canadian sportswear, footwear and accessories brand Lululemon Athletica Inc. has entered into a 10-year agreement with Australian recycling company Samsara Eco. Through this partnership, Lululemon aims to source approximately 20 percent of its future nylon and polyester needs from Samsara's circular materials. The agreement forms part of Lululemon's broader sustainability strategy. The Canadian athleisure brand has faced scrutiny regarding the environmental impact of its products. For instance, the brand uses nylon 6,6 as a base fibre in many of its best-selling products, such as the Align and Wunder Train leggings. This fibre is difficult to recycle. In recent years, the company has taken several steps towards greater sustainability. It has collaborated with organisations such as the Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA), the Asia Clean Energy Coalition (ACEC) and material innovation companies like Geno, ZymoChem and Samsara Eco. Samsara Eco developed a patented enzymatic technology called EosEco, which can break down synthetic fibres (including polyester and nylon 6,6) into their original raw materials. These can be reused in production processes without any loss of quality. The company was founded in 2020 at the Australian National University, with support from Main Sequence and W23, the venture capital arm of Woolworths Group. In 2023, Samsara Eco raised 100 million dollars in a Series A+ funding round led by investor Temasek. According to Samsara Eco founder and chief executive officer Paul Riley, the collaboration with Lululemon demonstrated that the technology for circular materials was ready for large-scale application. 'I am optimistic about what we can achieve together in the next ten years,' Riley told Forbes. On LinkedIn, Samsara Eco called the agreement 'one of the most significant offtake commitments for advanced recycled materials in recent years'. As part of the collaboration, Samsara Eco will expand its production capacity in Jerrabomberra, New South Wales, Australia. In addition, the opening of a commercial recycling plant is planned for 2028. Meanwhile, Lululemon continues to grow financially. The brand began in 1998 as a yoga label for women and has since grown into a global player. In the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, the company reported revenue growth of 17 percent to 2.37 billion dollars. Net profit decreased by over two percent to 314.6 million dollars. Lululemon has 711 stores worldwide, including locations in the Netherlands and Belgium. This article was translated to English using an AI tool. FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles. Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online. If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@
New York Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
NWSL Denver hires Curt Johnson as GM following stint with North Carolina Courage
NWSL Denver has tapped Curt Johnson, known in the league for his stint at North Carolina Courage, as its inaugural general manager, the team announced Thursday. The veteran soccer executive, whose time at the Courage overlapped with the downfall of disgraced former head coach Paul Riley, will be tasked with building the team's sporting side. The team has a nine-month runway until its inaugural season in 2026, without the usual aid of an expansion or college draft to build out a roster. Denver controlling owner Rob Cohen credited Johnson with bringing 'championship-level experience, a collaborative spirit, and a clear passion for growing the game.' Advertisement 'I'm fortunate to have been a part of the league since 2017 and, more broadly, been involved in women's soccer at all levels for many decades,' Johnson told The Athletic on Wednesday. 'So, I'm going to lean on that experience and the contacts that I have.' Johnson most recently served as the Courage's general manager and chief soccer officer until his resignation in December. He spent 14 years with the North Carolina Football Club, shifting to working directly with the Courage when the franchise relocated from Western New York in January 2017. During his tenure as GM, the team won three NWSL Shields and two NWSL Championships. But Johnson's tenure at the Courage is also marred by the final years of Riley's career in the NWSL. Riley was fired from the Courage in 2021 following allegations of sexual misconduct and player mistreatment, which were first reported by The Athletic. While Riley was swiftly removed after the allegations emerged, questions lingered over his hire in 2017. In 2023, following a pair of investigations, Riley was banned from the league for life. 'Societally, we have a problem with abuse of power, and I think it reared its head in NWSL,' Johnson said. 'I think everyone has learned a lot from that. The findings in the Yates report, I think, and the process that we all went through has been a net positive for the league, meaning we've learned a lot from that as a league and individual organizations. 'We have more resources now, and that's fantastic. The bottom line of that is, we've learned, we've grown, we've evolved, and we've identified where there was abuse of power, and we've created a lot more channels of communication and a lot more safe places for players to be able to honestly relay their views and their feelings and their experiences.' Johnson declined to share whether this period at the Courage was discussed in his interview process. He said, 'This is something that's a part of every day, is making sure that we eradicate abuse of power at every level of the league, (and) of the sport. That's how I live every day. There's no tolerance for anyone who creates anything but an excellent environment for players, staff, fans, etc.' When asked about their confidence in Johnson, Cohen said by email, 'Player safety, an inclusive welcoming environment, and a championship mentality are all core facets of the club we want to build. We believe Curt shares these same values.' Denver marks Johnson's fourth GM role in 30 years. He's enjoyed stints in MLS and lower-division men's leagues. He is Denver's second front office hire, following Jen Millet, who was named president in April. Advertisement While he has no personal ties to Denver, Johnson said he was drawn to the level of investment Denver has made so far and the hotbed that is Colorado soccer. 'Having had some time to kind of reflect after leaving The Courage, I was just blown away by the work that's already been put in by Rob and his investor group,' Johnson said. 'In terms of the facility news, in terms of the 10,000+ season ticket commitments, there's just so much wind in the sails behind the organization.' Denver said it worked with its investor group and a search firm to find its first GM. They interviewed 'multiple qualified candidates' from a 'diverse and talented pool,' the team said. The ownership group eventually zeroed in on Johnson, who was first approached in March. He quickly began putting together a 'target list' of potential head coaches, players and support staff, and is keeping tabs on the NWSL, the Champions League and upcoming national team camps and college games for potential signings. 'It was kind of a leap of faith in December when I resigned,' Johnson said. 'I didn't know for sure where my career would go. I just knew it was time to regroup and reset. I didn't know that I would end up in NWSL.'
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
KBR Selected as Key Commercialization Partner for Samsara Eco's First-of-a-Kind Enzymatic Recycling Plant
HOUSTON, April 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KBR (NYSE: KBR) announced today it will support biotech innovator, Samsara Eco, to design its first-of-a-kind plastics and textile enzymatic recycling plant, due for completion in early 2028. Samsara Eco's enzymatic recycling technology aims to create a continuous recycling loop for some of the most common types of plastic and synthetic fiber – materials that have traditionally been difficult or impossible to recycle. Powered by Samsara Eco's proprietary AI platform, the company's patented enzymes break down plastic to its original building blocks (monomers) which aim to allow plastics to be continuously remanufactured into new products without degradation in quality and with a low carbon footprint. Unlike other recycling methods, Samsara Eco's technology has demonstrated the recycling of notoriously difficult plastics, including nylon 6,6 and mixed fibers, as well as colored and dyed fabric blends. This breakthrough technology is expected to be critical towards achieving the goal of creating a circular loop for all plastics recycling, helping companies utilize resources and divert waste otherwise destined for landfills. Under the terms of the agreement, KBR will perform a pre-FEED (front-end engineering design) of the project by the end of Q2 2025. KBR's technical and commercial experts will then deliver a FEED engineering package for the process design to build a 20,000 metric tons per year commercial facility for nylon 6,6. 'KBR is uniquely equipped to deliver world-class solutions that help our customers bring sustainable technology to market, and we are thrilled to support Samsara Eco on this unique opportunity,' said Jay Ibrahim, President, KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions. 'With this award, KBR continues to solidify our commitment to sustainability and technological innovation.' Paul Riley, Founder and CEO of Samsara Eco commented, 'We are charging full speed ahead to deliver our first-of-a-kind plant to fuel a circular economy and support our brand partners' ambition to create more circular products from low-carbon recycled materials. KBR brings unmatched engineering expertise. This will ensure we can design and build our facility with speed and precision. We're proud to have KBR in our corner, helping to bring our technology to industrial scale.' Samsara Eco is already working with leading brands including lululemon to swap virgin materials for recycled materials. Last year, it debuted the world's first enzymatically recycled nylon 6,6 product. It also launched the first product made from enzymatically recycled polyester, creating lululemon's limited edition Packable Anorak jacket. At KBR, a more sustainable future begins now. About KBRWe deliver science, technology and engineering solutions to governments and companies around the world. KBR employs approximately 38,000 people worldwide with customers in more than 80 countries and operations in over 29 countries. KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long-term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver. Visit About Samsara EcoSamsara Eco is an Australian biotech on a mission to repair our planet through infinite plastic recycling. With our enzymatic recycling technology, EosEco™, we break down plastics and textiles to their original building blocks so they can be recreated into new products, infinitely. Our aim is to create a truly circular loop for plastics and textiles to reduce waste and the world's reliance on climate-damaging fossil fuels. Samsara Eco launched in 2021 in partnership with the Australian National University (ANU), and with backing from Main Sequence and the Woolworths Group. It has raised over AUD $150M from its growing supporters including Temasek, Breakthrough VIC, Greycroft, DCVC, CEFC, lululemon, Hitachi Ventures, Titanium Ventures and Wollemi. In 2024, Samsara Eco created apparel with lululemon, including the world's first enzymatically recycled nylon 6,6 product. In 2025, it was named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies. Visit Forward Looking Statements The statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding future effectiveness and adoption of technologies or processes and project outcomes, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions, many of which are beyond the company's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those set forth in the company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Form 10-Qs and 8-Ks and other U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which discuss some of the important risks, uncertainties and assumptions that the company has identified that may affect its business, results of operations and financial condition. Due to such risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, the company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason. For further information, please contact: Jamie DuBrayVice President, Investor Relations713-753-5082Investors@ Philip IvyVice President, Global Communications and Marketing 713-753-3800MediaRelations@ in to access your portfolio
