The LYCRA Company Announces Collaboration With Qore® to Use QIRA® for Next Generation Bio-derived LYCRA® Fiber at Scale
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
Biocytogen and Acepodia Expand Collaboration Through Option-based Evaluation Framework for First-in-Class Bispecific and Dual-Payload ADCs (BsAD2C)9.1.2026 14:00:00 EET | Press release
Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (Biocytogen, SSE: 688796; HKEX: 02315) and Acepodia (6976:TT), today announced that the companies have entered into an option and license agreement designed to enable the structured evaluation of bispecific antibody-drug conjugate (BsADC) programs to further advance the development of dual-payload bispecific antibody-drug conjugates (BsAD2Cs). The agreement grants Acepodia an option to obtain an exclusive worldwide license from Biocytogen for two BsADC programs. Under the terms of the agreement, Biocytogen is eligible to receive an upfront option fee and, upon Acepodia’s exercise of the option, additional payments including option exercise fees, development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, as well as royalties on future product sales. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. “This new agreement builds upon our recent co-development collaboration with Acepodia, which has focused on the evaluation and selection
Blockstream Capital Partners Announces Strategic Acquisition of Derivatives Trading Team from Numeus Group, Leveraging Strategic Partnership with Komainu9.1.2026 12:08:00 EET | Press release
Blockstream Capital Partners (“BCP”) today announced that it has entered into a strategic agreement to acquire a division within Numeus Group’s digital asset trading and investment business. The transaction includes the absorption of select Bitcoin focused trading strategies with a focus on yield generation as well as a ten person derivatives trading team led by Chief Investment Officer Deepak Gulati, a specialist in volatility and derivatives markets. Deepak Gulati, appointed Co-Chief Investment Officer of Blockstream Capital Management alongside Rodrigo Rodriguez, previously served as Global Head of Proprietary Trading at JPMorgan, before founding Argentiere Capital, a multibillion-dollar volatility-focused hedge fund. With a thesis that derivatives would drive Bitcoin and digital asset market maturity, he co-founded Numeus Group in 2021 to develop institutional-grade trading, risk management and market-structure capabilities. Komainu, an existing BCP strategic investment, has played
Autel Unveils Strategic Shift at CES 2026: Building the AI-Powered Infrastructure of Future Cities9.1.2026 11:44:00 EET | Press release
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Autel Energy is presenting its latest AI-driven smart hardware and software systems for the future of intelligent urban operations. This year’s showcase highlights Autel’s shift from AI concept validation to scenario-based engineering deployment, emphasizing closed-loop execution across real-world infrastructure. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260101511436/en/ Autel Energy New Product Debut at CES 2026 Focusing on two key domains — Smart Energy and Smart Inspection — the company is unveiling a range of new products. In Smart Energy, Autel is introducing V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) AC charger for homes and DC charging solution for fleets, strengthening its multi-tier energy touchpoint strategy from households to commercial operations. Live demonstrations at the booth will feature a smart charging robot showcasing automated plug-in capabilities. In Smart Inspection, Autel will
Allianz and Anthropic Forge Global Partnership to Advance Responsible AI in Insurance9.1.2026 11:00:00 EET | Press release
Allianz SE and Anthropic today announced a global partnership to accelerate the adoption of responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) at Allianz. The collaboration centers on three transformative projects within Allianz Group designed to empower Allianz employees and accelerate operations, while setting new benchmarks for accuracy. “With this partnership, Allianz is taking a decisive step to address critical AI challenges in insurance. Anthropic’s focus on safety and transparency complements our strong dedication to customer excellence and stakeholder trust. Together, we are building solutions that prioritize what matters most to our customers while setting new standards for innovation and resilience,” said Oliver Bäte, CEO of Allianz SE. “Insurance is an industry where the stakes of using AI are particularly high: the decisions can affect millions of people. Allianz and Anthropic both take that very seriously, and we look forward to working together to make insurance better for those w
MRM Health Secures FDA IND Clearance to Launch its Phase 2b Trial of MH002 in Mild-to-Moderate Ulcerative Colitis9.1.2026 08:00:00 EET | Press release
MRM Health NV, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering microbiome-based therapeutics for inflammatory diseases and immune-oncology, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted clearance of its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its lead program MH002. This enables the initiation of the STARFISH-UC Phase 2b clinical trial in patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis, marking a significant step forward in the development of next-generation therapies for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). About the STARFISH-UC Phase 2b Trial The STARFISH-UC trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study designed to confirm the promising efficacy signals and favorable safety profile previously observed in MH002’s Phase 2a studies. MH002, a rationally designed live microbial consortium, is the most advanced Live Biotherapeutic Product (LBP) of its kind, targeting disease-specific mechanisms through a synergistic combination of
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