Progress is promising in the partnership between biotech firm Geno and sustainable textile company Aquafil, the company behind Econyl, to develop a plant-based version of nylon. A new plant-based nylon version could offer a commercial alternative to one of the fashion industry’s most problematic materials. Its developers — biotech firm Geno and textile company Aquafil — have announced the first demonstration production run at the scale of plant-based nylon-6, the building block for making nylon.
The fully plant-based alternative has been co-developed on a pilot scale by biotech company Genomatica (Geno) and Aquafil, the company behind Econyl, regenerated nylon used by Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, and others. According to the developers, the material is made from 100% plant-based feedstocks, such as sugar cane and industrial corn, which Geno converts to the nylon-6 polymer. It has the same chemical structure as its fossil fuel-derived counterpart. The next step is to transform the polymer into nylon applications, including yarn that can be used for textiles. Geno says the material can be biodegradable; whether it is or not will depend on the end manufacturer’s production process.
Long-time collaborators Geno and Aquafil first announced a deal to produce pilot-scale quantities of the nylon alternative in January 2020, signing a deal to scale production further in November 2020. The companies are yet to disclose a timeline for commercial-scale production.
The first industrial production of 100% plant-based Nylon hints toward a sustainable future
