Synthetic Materials

Use at HUGO BOSS 

Polyester and polyamides are primarily used in functional garments like jackets and sportswear due to their moisture resistance and flexibility. In 2025, polyester and polyamides accounted for around 18% of all materials used at HUGO BOSS. We are continuously working to reduce this amount.

Impacts*

Synthetic materials such as polyester and polyamide are derived from non-renewable resources like crude oil and natural gas. It is a generally energy intensive production, and depending on the respective energy source can contribute to higher CO2 emissions. Another important aspect is that microplastics can be released during production and use, which can pollute water and put pressure on ecosystems. 
*Summary of our own analyses of available studies and scientific literature

Target

Our target is to source 100% of our polyester and polyamide from preferred sources* (*according to the HUGO BOSS Material Strategy) by 2030. This includes textile‑to‑textile recycled polyester and polyamides to reduce the use of non‑renewable resources. In 2025, 14% of our polyester and polyamide came from preferred sources. In addition, we are continuously working to reduce overall usage.

Measures

For textile-to-textile recycled materials, we rely on external standards such as the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) or the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS).

One example of this is our recycled polyester yarn NovaPoly, which we developed together with Jiaren Chemical Recycling and NBC LLC. NovaPoly is made from textile waste and contains an additive that can accelerate the breakdown of the fiber in certain actively anaerobic microbial environments. The effectiveness of this approach is assessed using standardized test methods under clearly defined conditions. 

We are also continuously searching for innovative, alternative materials: one example is our strategic partnership with AeoniQ, which uses cellulosic fibers in production, an alternative to petroleum-based synthetic fibers. Such alternatives can help reduce the potential risk of microplastic fibers from synthetic materials. Partnerships like this are important for us to gradually reduce the share of conventional synthetic fibers in our product range.