Page 58 - TEXtalks International October/November 2022

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The LYCRA Company

announces

collaboration with

Qore to use QIRA
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for next generation

bio-derived LYCRA
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The LYCRA Company signs an agreement with Qore LLC to enable large-scale production of fiber at scale
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bio-derived spandex. Pictured – Julien Born, CEO of The LYCRA Company (left), and Jon
Veldhouse, CEO of Qore LLC (right), at The LYCRA Company’s headquarters in
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Wilmington, DE, USA.
The LYCRA Company, a global leader in developing to help develop a bio-derived LYCRA fiber at
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innovative fiber and technology solutions for the commercial scale.”
textile and apparel industry, today announced it has
entered into an agreement with Qore to enable the “We are proud to partner with The LYCRA Company
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world’s first large-scale commercial production of on bringing this sustainable material solution to the
bio-derived spandex using QIRA , the next market. This collaboration demonstrates that QIRA
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generation 1,4-butanediol (BDO), as one of its main directly replaces conventional BDO and thus
ingredients. This will result in 70% of the LYCRA fiber significantly improves the fiber’s sustainability AD
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content being derived from annually renewable profile,” said Jon Veldhouse, CEO of Qore . “QIRA is
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feedstock. This change could potentially reduce the an innovative platform chemical that can be used in
carbon footprint of LYCRA fiber by up to 44%* various applications across industries.”
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versus equivalent product made from fossil-based The first generation of renewable LYCRA fiber made
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resources, while maintaining the same high-quality with QIRA * will use feedstock from field corn grown
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performance parameters of traditional LYCRA fiber. by Iowa farmers and will enable a significant
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reduction in CO footprint. In addition to replacing a
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QIRA will be produced at Cargill’s biotechnology finite resource with an annually renewable one,
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campus and corn refining operation in Eddyville, another benefit for mills, brands and retailers is that
Iowa. The facility, which is currently being built, will there is no change in fiber performance, eliminating
commence operations in 2024. The first renewable the need for any re-engineering of fabrics, patterns,
LYCRA fiber made with QIRA will be produced at or processes. Equivalent performance was
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The LYCRA Company’s Tuas, Singapore demonstrated in 2014 when the world’s first
manufacturing site in 2024. The LYCRA Company is bio-derived spandex was launched under the LYCRA
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currently seeking commitments with brand and retail brand. The LYCRA Company has since been granted
customers who are pursuing bio-derived solutions for a patent for the process used to make renewable
their apparel. elastane from bio-derived BDO.
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“As part of our sustainability goals, we are committed For additional information on renewable LYCRA fiber,
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to delivering products that support a more circular The LYCRA Company and Qore invite interested parties
economy while helping our apparel and personal to contact The LYCRA Company sales representatives.
care customers reduce their footprint,” said Julien
Born, CEO of The LYCRA Company. “We are *Estimate from Cradle-to-Gate Screening LCA for a
especially pleased to collaborate with Qore , a representative LYCRA fiber manufacturing facility,
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company that shares our vision for innovative, June 2022, prepared by Ramboll US Consulting, Inc.
sustainable solutions. Their expertise in operating
fermentation processes and understanding of the *LYCRA is a trademark of The LYCRA Company.
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chemical value chains makes them the ideal partner *Qore and QIRA are trademarks of Qore LLC.
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October/November 2022