The Lycra Company develops sustainable corn-based spandex

The Lycra Company is creating a more sustainable alternative to traditional spandex, which is typically made from petroleum, by using corn-based fiber technology. In a discussion, Lycra’s sustainability director Jean Hegedus and Qore’s technology and sustainability director Andrea Vanderhoff talked about their collaboration on a renewable fiber made with Qira, a bio-derived material.

Their partnership aims to produce bio-derived spandex, with 70 percent of the fiber content derived from renewable sources, potentially reducing the carbon footprint of Lycra fiber by up to 44 percent, according to a life cycle assessment.

Qore plans to produce 65,000 tons of bio-derived material annually, starting either by the end of this year or the beginning of 2025, using almost entirely renewable wind power for production.

Qira, made from renewable dent corn grown in Iowa, is 100 percent biobased. The corn is sourced locally from farmers using regenerative farming practices, such as crop rotation and cover crops, and requires no irrigation due to the region’s abundant rainfall.

The corn undergoes a process where starch is extracted and fermented to produce BDO, which is then converted into microfiber by Lycra. While 70 percent of the fiber is derived from this process, Lycra is actively exploring ways to further reduce petroleum-based ingredients in the remaining 30 percent.