The LYCRA Company Announces Collaboration With Qore® to Use QIRA® for Next Generation Bio-derived LYCRA® Fiber at Scale
29.9.2022 03:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
The LYCRA Company, a global leader in developing innovative fiber and technology solutions for the textile and apparel industry, today announced it has entered into an agreement with Qore® to enable the world’s first large-scale commercial production of bio-derived spandex using QIRA®, the next generation 1,4-butanediol (BDO), as one of its main ingredients. This will result in 70% of the LYCRA® fiber content being derived from annually renewable feedstock. This change could potentially reduce the carbon footprint of LYCRA® fiber by up to 44%* versus equivalent product made from fossil-based resources, while maintaining the same high-quality performance parameters of traditional LYCRA® fiber.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928005020/en/
The LYCRA Company signs an agreement with Qore® LLC to enable large-scale production of bio-derived spandex. Pictured – Julien Born, CEO of The LYCRA Company (left), and Jon Veldhouse, CEO of Qore® LLC (right), at The LYCRA Company’s headquarters in Wilmington, DE, USA. (Photo: Business Wire)
QIRA® will be produced at Cargill’s biotechnology campus and corn refining operation in Eddyville, Iowa. The facility, which is currently being built, will commence operations in 2024. The first renewable LYCRA® fiber made with QIRA® will be produced at The LYCRA Company’s Tuas, Singapore manufacturing site in 2024. The LYCRA Company is currently seeking commitments with brand and retail customers who are pursuing bio-derived solutions for their apparel.
“As part of our sustainability goals, we are committed to delivering products that support a more circular economy while helping our apparel and personal care customers reduce their footprint,” said Julien Born, CEO of The LYCRA Company. “We are especially pleased to collaborate with Qore®, a company that shares our vision for innovative, sustainable solutions. Their expertise in operating fermentation processes and understanding of the chemical value chains makes them the ideal partner to help develop a bio-derived LYCRA® fiber at commercial scale.”
“We are proud to partner with The LYCRA Company on bringing this sustainable material solution to the market. This collaboration demonstrates that QIRA® directly replaces conventional BDO and thus significantly improves the fiber’s sustainability profile,” said Jon Veldhouse, CEO of Qore®. “QIRA® is an innovative platform chemical that can be used in various applications across industries.”
The first generation of renewable LYCRA® fiber made with QIRA® will use feedstock from field corn grown by Iowa farmers and will enable a significant reduction in CO2 footprint. In addition to replacing a finite resource with an annually renewable one, another benefit for mills, brands and retailers is that there is no change in fiber performance, eliminating the need for any re-engineering of fabrics, patterns, or processes. Equivalent performance was demonstrated in 2014 when the world’s first bio-derived spandex was launched under the LYCRA® brand. The LYCRA Company has since been granted a patent for the process used to make renewable elastane from bio-derived BDO.
For additional information on renewable LYCRA® fiber, The LYCRA Company and Qore® invite interested parties to contact The LYCRA Company sales representatives.
*Estimate from Cradle-to-Gate Screening LCA for a representative LYCRA® fiber manufacturing facility, June 2022, prepared by Ramboll US Consulting, Inc.
About The LYCRA Company
The LYCRA Company innovates and produces fiber and technology solutions for the apparel and personal care industries. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, The LYCRA Company is recognized worldwide for its innovative products, technical expertise, sustainable solutions, and unmatched marketing support. The LYCRA Company owns leading consumer and trade brands: LYCRA®, LYCRA HyFit®, LYCRA® T400®, COOLMAX®, THERMOLITE®, ELASPAN®, SUPPLEX®, and TACTEL®. The LYCRA Company’s legacy stretches back to 1958 with the invention of the original spandex yarn, LYCRA® fiber. Today, The LYCRA Company focuses on adding value to its customers’ products by developing unique innovations designed to meet the consumer’s need for comfort and lasting performance. For more information, visit www.thelycracompany.com.
LYCRA® is a trademark of The LYCRA Company.
About Qore® LLC
Formed through a joint venture by Cargill and HELM, Qore® will help leading brands replace fossil-based chemistries with bio-derived intermediates. At the heart of the joint venture is the production of QIRA®, the next-generation bio-derived 1,4-butanediol (BDO). Made biologically through the fermentation of plant-based sugars, QIRA® can save up to 93% of greenhouse gas emissions when replacing today’s widely used chemical intermediates made from traditional fossil sources. Bio-derived QIRA® can be used the same way as its fossil counterpart but with significantly better environmental performance.
For more information, visit www.myqira.com.
Qore® and QIRA® are trademarks of Qore® LLC.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928005020/en/
Contact information
Karie J. Ford karie.j.ford@Lycra.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Mundipharma Announces Further Phase III ReSPECT Results Presented as a Late-Breaking Oral Presentation at IDWeek 202622.10.2026 20:03:00 EEST | Press release
Today Mundipharma announced additional results from the global Phase III ReSPECT clinical trial evaluating REZZAYO®(rezafungin acetate) for prophylaxis of invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) in adult patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The Phase III findings were presented today as a late-breaking oral presentation at IDWeek 2026. The presentation provides additional detail following the top line ReSPECT results announced in April 2026, including further endpoint analyses, the components contributing to fungal-free survival (FFS), pre-specified sensitivity analyses and detailed safety outcomes. The additional analyses were consistent with the previously announced topline findings. ReSPECT was a global, multicentre, randomised, double-blind Phase III study in which 402 patients were randomised to rezafungin and 200 to the standard antimicrobial regimen. As previously announced, the study met its primary endpoint, demonstrating non-inferiority
Tigo Energy Improves Installer Choice via Fronius Compatibility with TS4 Product Line22.10.2026 19:02:00 EEST | Press release
Tigo Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: TYGO) (“Tigo” or “Company”), a leading provider of intelligent solar and energy software solutions, today announced a manufacturer declaration of compatibility from Fronius International GmbH, documenting compatibility between Tigo Flex MLPE products and multiple Fronius inverter families. The letter covers Tigo TS4-A-F, TS4-A-2F, TS4-A-O, and TS4-X-O products and the Fronius Primo GEN24, Primo GEN24 208-240, Symo GEN24, Verto, Tauro, and Tauro ECO inverter families, when configured according to the requirements specified by Fronius and Tigo. Building on established compatibility in Europe, the declaration extends manufacturer-confirmed compatibility to markets worldwide, including the United States and Canada, giving solar professionals greater flexibility to design high-quality systems using manufacturer-confirmed technology combinations. Fronius develops solar technologies and solutions for residential, commercial, and large-scale applications, with a port
Saudi Maritime & Logistics Congress Highlights Maritime Sector Integration and Opportunities for Trade and Investment Growth in the Kingdom22.10.2026 17:52:00 EEST | Press release
The Saudi Maritime & Logistics Congress highlighted Saudi Arabia’s role in supporting the continuity of trade flows and strengthening supply chain resilience as it opened at Jeddah Superdome, bringing together representatives of government entities, maritime transport and logistics leaders, and the business community. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261022362613/en/ The Congress takes place as rapid changes in trade and shipping prompt companies to reassess transport routes and operational and investment choices. It provides a platform for dialogue among stakeholders to explore opportunities for cooperation and strengthen integration between ports and maritime, land transport and logistics services, supporting operational efficiency and supply chain reliability. In his opening address, His Excellency Eng. Fawaz Alsahli, President of the Transport General Authority in Saudi Arabia, emphasised that the Kingdom’s
Ministerial Roundtable Discusses Mobilising Green Investments for a Resilient and Inclusive Global Economy22.10.2026 17:49:00 EEST | Press release
HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of the World Green Economy Organization, opened the Ministerial Roundtable titled "From Ambition to Bankable Action-Mobilising Green Investments for a Resilient and Inclusive Global Economy," during the 12th World Green Economy Summit (WGES), held on 21-22 October 2026 at the Dubai World Trade Centre under the theme "From Success to Scale: Showcasing the Green Economy." This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261022803264/en/ Ministerial Roundtable Discusses Mobilising Green Investments for a Resilient and Inclusive Global Economy (Photo: AETOSWire) The session was attended by HE Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, the United Arab Emirates; HE Aliou Gori Diouf, Minister of Environment and Ecological Transition, Senegal; HE Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Minister of Environment, Nigeria; HE Steven Victor, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and the En
Andersen Consulting Adds Collaborating Firm TechSparq22.10.2026 16:30:00 EEST | Press release
Andersen Consulting broadens its technology and business transformation capabilities through a Collaboration Agreement with TechSparq, a U.S.-based firm that combines strategy, commerce engineering, and AI with hands-on implementation. TechSparq is a digital consulting firm providing strategy and advisory, commerce engineering, and AI and agentic commerce services to organizations across retail and consumer goods, luxury and fashion, and eCommerce and direct-to-consumer markets. Headquartered in Oregon, the firm combines strategic planning with hands-on delivery to help clients advance digital initiatives, customer experience, and operating models. “We built our firm to close the gap between the people who develop the strategy and the people responsible for making it work,” said Dedrick Boyd, founder and CEO of TechSparq. “Our collaboration with Andersen Consulting gives us an opportunity to bring that execution-focused model to a broader range of organizations while combining our appr
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom