Ambercycle

Ambercycle is a pioneering materials science company revolutionizing the fashion industry through molecular regeneration technology. Founded in 2015 by UC Davis alumni Shay Sethi and Moby Ahmed, the company has developed a breakthrough process called Ambercycling™ that transforms end-of-life textile waste into premium regenerated materials at the molecular level. Their flagship product, cycora®, represents the world's first commercial-scale textile-to-textile regenerated polyester that meets virgin-grade quality standards.

The Los Angeles-based company addresses one of fashion's most pressing environmental challenges: textile waste. With the fashion industry producing massive amounts of waste annually, Ambercycle's molecular regeneration technology offers a scalable solution that separates and purifies post-consumer textiles at the molecular level, removing dyes, finishes, and additives to create virgin-equivalent materials. This process offsets nearly half the CO2 emissions associated with virgin polyester production, and industry-wide adoption could potentially offset more than 15% of apparel's overall global emissions.

Ambercycle has secured major partnerships with leading global fashion brands including Inditex (Zara), Athleta, REI, Reformation, and GANNI, along with manufacturing agreements with MAS Holdings and strategic investments from companies like Shinkong Synthetic Fibers. The company's three-year agreement with Inditex alone is valued at over €70 million. With plans to open a commercial-scale facility capable of processing the equivalent of 250,000 T-shirts per day by 2026, Ambercycle is rapidly scaling from innovation to industrial implementation. The company has raised approximately $44 million in funding and earned recognition including Time Magazine's Best Inventions of 2024 for cycora®, positioning itself as a leader in the circular fashion movement.