Lycra to present new bio-derived fiber innovations

The Lycra Company, known for its innovation in sustainable fiber solutions, will participate in the 63rd Dornbirn World Fiber Congress (GFC) in Austria and will showcase updates to its sustainability platform, “The Planet Agenda,” and share its 2030 sustainability goals.

Jean Hegedus, The Lycra Company’s director of sustainable business development, and Andrea Vanderhoff, director of technology and sustainability at Qore, will discuss the commercialization of bio-derived Lycra fiber made with Qira, a next-generation butanediol (BDO) produced from non-food corn.

Hegedus noted that soon 70% of Lycra fiber content will come from annually renewable raw materials, potentially reducing the carbon footprint of traditional Lycra fiber by up to 44%, based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

The bio-derived BDO is combined with MDI, which currently comes from fossil-based sources and makes up 30% of the fiber’s weight. The fiber is then polymerized and spun, with its sustainability claims certified by an independent body.

Hegedus emphasized that this new sustainable fiber will offer the same performance as the original Lycra fiber, helping reduce environmental impacts for both the company and its users.

Ceria mentioned that spandex is often seen as a contaminant in the textile industry, but The Lycra Company is committed to developing circular solutions to address this issue.