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.
THE QORE® SITE
Now operational, the Qore® site is located in Eddyville, Iowa, America's heartland. Dent corn will be sourced from farms within a 100-mile radius.
MEET FASHIONFARMERS
Learn how dent corn farmers in Iowa are helping to make fashion more sustainable.
SEEDING A BOLD NEW SOLUTION
SUSTAINABLY GROWN
Made with 70% renewable content derived from field corn
LIGHTER IMPACT
Potentially reduces the carbon footprint of LYCRA® fiber by up to 44%*
RENEWABLE POWER
Grown predominantly on wind-powered farms
PERFORMANCE STRETCH
Delivers comparable performance to original spandex fiber
SEE HOW DENT CORN WILL HELP TRANSFORM FASHION
LEARN ABOUT BIO-DERIVED RESOURCES
Read our thought leadership posts on important sustainability topics.
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.
EXPLORE INFOGRAPHICS
READ OUR WHITE PAPER
Learn how we are accelerating the transition from fossil-based ingredients in the apparel and textile industry to renewable resources with bio-derived LYCRA® fiber made with QIRA®.
This report details the benefits of this sustainable and scalable solution, explains regenerative agriculture and how corn is transformed into spandex (elastane) fibers.
*Estimate from Cradle-to-Gate Screening LCA for a representative LYCRA® fibre manufacturing facility, June 2022, prepared by Ramboll Americas Engineering Solutions, Inc.
QIRA® is a trademark of Qore®.
