Collaborating on sustainable solutions
The LYCRA Company is embarking on a visionary new collaboration with Qore® to help our industry become more sustainable. Qore® is the maker of QIRA®, the brand name for a next-generation 1,4-butanediol (also known as BDO). QIRA® is an innovative, bio-derived BDO made from dent corn. By using this renewable feedstock, we can help reduce CO2 emissions compared to materials made using fossil fuels.
This renewable fiber will be commercially available at scale in late 2025. We are excited about the opportunity to help reduce our impact as well as those of our customers who are focused on sourcing more sustainable materials for their offerings.
Seeding a bold new solution
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Made with 70% renewable content derived from field corn
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Potentially reduces the carbon footprint of LYCRA® fiber by up to 44%*
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Grown predominantly on wind-powered farms
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Delivers comparable performance to original spandex fiber
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.
https://www.thelycracompany.com/
