The LYCRA Company, a global leader in developing innovative,
sustainable solutions for the apparel and personal care industries, announced today that it has signed a
letter of intent with Dairen Chemical Corporation (DCC) to convert QIRA®—a brand of BDO (1,4-
butanediol)—into low-impact PTMEG, the main ingredient in patented bio-derived LYCRA® fiber. Dairen will
be the first company in the world to mass produce this low-impact bio-PTMEG at scale.
In September 2022, The LYCRA Company and Qore® announced they were joining forces to enable the
production of bio-derived LYCRA® fiber made with QIRA®. Now, DCC joins this distinctive collaboration,
converting QIRA® into bio-PTMEG. This unique PTMEG will make up the renewable portion of LYCRA® fiber,
accounting for 70% of the fiber’s content. It is being made exclusively for The LYCRA Company to its
stringent specifications. With its low-impact allyl alcohol process, DCC has pioneered a technology that
creates the lowest-impact PTMEG available, which is cleaner and has a lower carbon footprint than product
produced with natural gas or coal*.
The LYCRA Company, Qore®, and DCC are united by a shared
commitment to R&D, health and safety, sustainability, and
conservation. To mark this event, Steve Stewart, The LYCRA
Company’s chief brand and innovation officer, presented DCC
with a Green Partner Award. The award acknowledges DCC’s ongoing sustainability efforts and commitment to creating low-
impact products.
“Our collaboration heralds a brand-new era of environmentally
conscious production activities, fueled by our shared
commitment to reducing carbon footprints and developing
world-leading eco-friendly solutions,” said DCC’s chairman, Lin Shean-Tung. “Sustainability is not merely
a trend, but an imperative for the future of our planet. We are honored to receive the Green Partner Award
and embark on this journey alongside The LYCRA Company, advancing sustainable practices in the
industry.”
Available in early 2025, patented bio-derived LYCRA® fiber made with QIRA® will be the world’s first
renewable spandex available on a large scale. By using annually renewable field or dent corn, an initial
screening calculation indicates that the carbon footprint of LYCRA® fiber potentially could be reduced by
up to 44 percent**.
compared to LYCRA® fiber without bio-derived materials. Further, the fiber will offer
equivalent performance to traditional LYCRA® fiber, making it an easy replacement for mills, brands and
retailers.
“We are excited to collaborate with DCC to bring bio-derived LYCRA® fiber made with QIRA® to market
and realize our shared vision for a more sustainable value chain,” said Stewart. “Given the combination
of using bio-derived input from corn, plus conversion at a state-of-the-art QIRA® BDO facility run on
wind power, and transformation to PTMEG using DCC’s low-impact process, we anticipate the potential
for additional reductions as we go into production.”
For many years, Dairen has demonstrated its sustainability efforts in raw materials management, waste
elimination, process enhancement, innovations, and more. It has also achieved significantly lower
carbon emissions in its product offerings than its competition.
“Sustainability has evolved from fulfilling requirements to being a competitive advantage,” said Simon
Chuang, vice president of global sourcing and procurement at The LYCRA Company. “We’re committed
to selecting, promoting, and expanding our business with supply partners like DCC who embrace and
drive meaningful sustainability efforts.”
Visit lycra.com/qira to learn more about bio-derived LYCRA® fiber made with QIRA®.
* Estimate from Cradle-to-Gate Screening PCF for a representative DAIREN PTMEG manufacturing facility, year
2023, prepared by DNV Business Assurance Co., Ltd.
** Estimate from Cradle-to-Gate Screening LCA for a representative LYCRA® fiber manufacturing facility, June 2022,
prepared by Ramboll Americas Engineering Solutions, Inc.