VELOR has announced the launch of its first fully circular cycling jersey made entirely from recycled textile waste.
Launched on June 3, 2026, VELOR notes that its garments are transformed into new fibres without compromising technical performance. The product line is designed, recycled and manufactured entirely in Europe.
According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), every European citizen throws away an average of 19 kg of textiles each year. Sportswear presents a specific recycling challenge as cycling jerseys are made from technical blends combining polyester and elastane, making them difficult to recycle.
The new product line, named RELOV, is the result of five years of research, testing and industrial partnerships across Europe. By the end of 2025, the company had collected 1.5 tonnes of textile waste to feed its recycling process.
The technology relies on glycolysis, a chemical recycling method capable of breaking polyester down into its core molecules before recreating fibres with a quality equivalent to virgin polyester. Unlike traditional mechanical recycling, this approach can process complex blended technical textiles.
The waste is prepared by Nouvelles Fibres Textiles to remove contaminants, and then transformed through the network of partner firm Antex in Spain before being reintegrated into the production chain.
Florian Jardin, Founder of VELOR, said “After five years of research, testing, and partnerships built across Europe, we are proud to launch the first truly circular cycling jerseys on the market, entirely manufactured in Europe from textile waste. For a long time, recycling high-performance technical apparel seemed impossible. Today, we are proving that it can be done at scale.”
The company relies on a traceable European supply chain from collection to manufacturing. According to the company, a VELOR jersey has an estimated footprint of approximately 0.9 kg CO2e. This is nearly 70% lower than a conventional virgin polyester cycling jersey produced in Asia, based on estimates aligned with ADEME methodologies.
The jersey has been tested in real-world conditions by experienced cyclists, such as Anthony Roux, Steven Le Hyaric, and Nathalie Baillon, to ensure breathability, elasticity and durability meet performance standards.
The company has priced the jersey at €139, positioning it below many premium cycling jerseys currently available on the market.
Florian Jardin added “The real challenge was not creating a recycled jersey. The real challenge was building a supply chain capable of transforming textile waste into high-performance technical products entirely in Europe. Today, that supply chain exists.”
The brand intends to expand this manufacturing model across its entire product range in the future. Jardin noted “RELOV is not a capsule collection or a marketing operation. It is the first step in a deep transformation of VELOR. Starting in 2028, our ambition is for all of our jerseys to be made from recycled textile waste. We want circularity to become the new standard in cycling.”
Founded in 2021, VELOR is a French cycling apparel brand specialising in technical and sustainable cycling wear. The company generates nearly 50% of its sales through pre-orders to help reduce overproduction and waste.
