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The LYCRA Company and Qore® Collaborate on Next-Gen Bio-Derived Materials

Our Collective Call to Action

The fashion industry and its supply chain are responsible for ten percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions every year* – representing a significant call to action for manufacturers and brands to find solutions for better practices.

As part of our commitment to significantly reducing our environmental footprint, The LYCRA Company is embarking on a visionary new collaboration with Qore® to help develop a bio-derived LYCRA® fiber at commercial scale.

*Source: World Economic Forum, September 22, 2021

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Collaborating together for more sustainable solutions

Product Highlights

Results from two previous life cycle assessments on LYCRA® fiber showed that its greatest environmental impact – nearly 60% – comes from its ingredients.

Converting a key ingredient from fossil-based to renewable field corn may reduce the carbon footprint of LYCRA® fiber by up to 44%**.

Our collaboration on renewable LYCRA® fiber made with QIRA® will deliver more sustainable solutions at scale to brands and retailers focusing on reducing their own products footprints.

About QIRA®

QIRA® is made by Qore®, a joint venture between Cargill, a leader in agricultural and fermentation technologies, and HELM, a leading marketer and distributor of chemicals. QIRA® is their brand of a chemical known as BDO. Unlike standard BDO, which is fossil-fuel based, QIRA® is derived from field or dent corn, an annually renewable resource which is not for direct human consumption. The bio-derived QIRA® will be converted into PTMEG, the key ingredient used in LYCRA® fiber.

Learn More About Renewable LYCRA® Fiber

Renewable LYCRA® fiber with QIRA® can be used in a wide variety of applications from denim to swimwear, intimates to diapers. The fiber will be made with 70% renewable content, derived from field or dent corn. Discover how we transform corn into fiber.

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**Estimate from Cradle-to-Gate Screening LCA for a representative LYCRA® fiber manufacturing facility, June 2022, prepared by Ramboll US Consulting, Inc.
 
QIRA® is a trademark of Qore®.