The Lycra Company and bio-based intermediates supplier Qore have partnered to enable the world’s first commercial high-volume production of organically-derived elastane. This is done using Qira, the next generation 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) as one of the key ingredients. The first renewable Lycra fiber is expected to be available in 2024.
The goal is for 70 percent of Lycra fibers to be made from annually renewable raw materials, which could equate to a reduction in their ecological footprint of up to 44 percent compared to equivalent products made from fossil-based raw materials. The high performance of traditional Lycra fibers is intended to be retained, so that no revision or new development of fabrics, patterns or processes is required.
“As part of our sustainability goals, we are committed to delivering products that support a more circular economy while helping our customers in the apparel and hygiene industries reduce their environmental footprint,” comments Julien Born, CEO The Lycra Company, in a message.
“We are particularly excited to be working with Qore, a company that shares our vision of innovative, sustainable solutions. Their expertise in running fermentation processes and understanding the chemical value chains make Qore the ideal partner to develop a commercial-scale organic Lycra fiber,” added Born.
Qira will be manufactured at Cargill’s biotech campus and corn refinery in Eddyville, Iowa using raw materials from processed corn grown by Iowa farmers. The production facility, which is currently under construction, is scheduled to start operations in 2024.
“The first renewable Lycra fiber made with Qira will be produced in 2024 at The Lycra Company’s manufacturing site in Tuas, Singapore. The Lycra Company is currently in discussions with retail partners who will commit to offloading this new fiber as we move toward organically-produced solutions in apparel,” the statement said.
“We are proud to partner with The Lycra Company and bring this sustainable material solution to market. Thanks to this collaboration, Qira will directly replace the conventional BDO and thus significantly improve the sustainability profile of the fiber. Qira is an innovative platform chemical that can be used in various applications across industries,” explains Qore CEO Jon Veldhouse.
The Lycra Company demonstrated an equivalent feat back in 2014 when they introduced the world’s first organic spandex under the Lycra brand. The company has now received the patent for the process of making renewable elastane from bio-derived BDO. It has been experimenting with fibers from textile waste for years.