This sustainable fiber solution will be available in early 2025 and is the result of a unique collaboration with Qore®, producer of QIRA®, a key ingredient in LYCRA® fiber. QIRA® will be made from annually renewable dent corn at a state-of-the-art facility in Iowa. It will be used to make bio-derived LYCRA® fiber at scale, with The LYCRA Company setting a goal to replace up to 30% of its current annual production with the renewable QIRA® ingredient.
The new campaign will help inform the industry about some of the unique advantages of using dent corn grown in Iowa as feedstock for apparel. It features some of the farmers who are growing the corn that will help create the next generation of LYCRA® fiber. At the heart of the “FashionFarmers” campaign are four video documentaries covering various aspects of farming and their relevance to apparel: Regenerative Agriculture, Traceability, Multi-Generational Farming, and Collaboration.
WWD has created a customized digital content hub that showcases the farmers’ stories and related content. The videos will also be promoted on The LYCRA Company’s website and owned social media channels.
“This partnership with LYCRA® and QIRA® lives at the core of the Fairchild brand mission: delivering purposeful content to the fashion industry that will drive businesses forward,” said Amanda Smith, President of FMG. “We are thrilled to be using our global platform to collaborate with the LYCRA® and QIRA® brands to tell this innovation story, and to be able to showcase the impact this fiber technology will have on the future of the industry as a whole.”
The LYCRA Company will amplify its messaging with a six-month media buy across WWD’s network and other select global publications designed to reach sourcing industry leaders, fashion insiders, brands and retailers looking to reduce the environmental impact of their company’s products.
“Our collaboration with Qore® to develop bio-derived LYCRA® fiber made with QIRA® is an important part of our sustainability journey,” said Steve Stewart, The LYCRA Company’s Chief Brand and Innovation Officer. “We introduced the world’s first commercial bio-derived spandex back in 2014 and now, with Qore® as our partner, we’re excited to bring this to market at scale, reducing the carbon emissions of LYCRA® fiber by up to 44%*. This will likewise help our customers lower their carbon footprint.”
This sustainable solution will also deliver equivalent performance, eliminating the need for significant production changes or re-engineering of fabrics or patterns. To reinforce this point, test quantities of bio-derived LYCRA® fiber are currently available, allowing customers to confirm the fiber’s performance properties.
“We are excited to introduce the apparel industry to some of the farmers who are growing corn to help make fashion more sustainable,” said Jon Veldhouse, CEO of Qore® LLC. “This campaign highlights their roles as stewards of the land and reveals their passion for driving positive impact in their communities.”
The LYCRA Company is inviting customers who have expressed interest in adopting bio-derived LYCRA® fiber to Iowa this summer to visit some of the farms and tour the Qore® plant where QIRA® will be made.
Learn more about bio-derived LYCRA® fiber made QIRA® at LYCRA.com/QIRA.
*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 and owns the leading consumer brands: LYCRA®, LYCRA HyFit®, LYCRA® T400®, COOLMAX®, THERMOLITE®, ELASPAN®, SUPPLEX® and TACTEL®. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., The LYCRA Company is recognized worldwide for its sustainable products, technical expertise, and marketing support. 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 lycra.com.
About Qore® LLC
Formed through a joint venture by Cargill and HELM AG, Qore® helps 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 86% 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. Qore® and QIRA® are trademarks of Qore® LLC. For more information and inquiries visit https://www.myqira.com/
LYCRA® is a trademark of The LYCRA Company.
QIRA® is a trademark of Qore®.
