Company presents scalable bio innovation derived from sugarcane at
Textile Exchange Conference and Performance Days Munich
The next step in sustainable materials is making innovation work at scale. Hyosung is doing just that with a major advancement designed to reduce reliance on fossil fuels in elastane production, new bio-BDO derived from sugarcane. At its fully integrated production facilities in Vietnam, sugarcane-derived raw sugar, verified through the VIVE Sustainable Supply Program, is fermented into bio-BDO, a primary elastane ingredient, then transformed into Bio-PTMG and ultimately regen™ BIO Elastane for apparel applications.
Commercial production of its Bio-BDO (Butanediol and primary building block of elastane) capable of producing 50,000 tons is officially underway. Backed by a total investment of $1 billion, the project is equipped with the infrastructure to expand its production capacity up to 200,000 tons annually in line with future market growth.
“Sustainability is no longer just about setting goals, it’s about having technologies that can deliver at scale,” said Simon Whitmarsh-Knight, Hyosung Marketing and Sustainability Director-Textiles. “Our focus is on making bio-based elastane a viable choice for the industry today, with a scalable system that can help move renewable resources from an alternative to a more mainstream material solution.”
Identical to conventional BDO, bio-BDO is a drop-in elastane component, allowing regen™ BIO Elastane to be identical to conventional elastane regarding performance and quality over time including elongation and recovery. The material’s drop-in compatibility also allows both Hyosung and its customers to use existing manufacturing processes and infrastructure. Keeping production in Vietnam creates an integrated vertical supply chain, helping to reduce transportation requirements across the supply chain. This localization also builds in risk mitigation and speed, helping to prevent supply disruptions.
Hyosung’s developments with regen™ BIO Elastane will be its focus during the Textile Exchange Conference in Vancouver, this October 12-16, and Performance Days Munich, October 13-14.
Underneath the Textile Exchange Conference theme, The Implementation Era, the Hyosung team will join leaders and experts from across the fashion, textile and apparel industries for three days of collective learning and present its latest sustainable textile solutions in its exhibition booth. Whitmarsh-Knight will join a panel discussion titled Common Ground: Unlocking Learning Across Production Systems on Tuesday, October 13 during the afternoon 2B block sessions.
The theme of forthcoming Performance Days Munich taking place this October 13-14, is Bio-Based Materials: From Fiber to Fabric. Hyosung is the sponsor of the new Biosynthetics Innovation Hub curated by Future Fabrics Expo and will be speaking on a panel titled Bio Synthetics and Innovations about the importance of bio-based materials at the show.
The company will display a collection of concept garments made with its performance fibers designed by its Fashion Design Center along with curated fabrics to touch and feel at its stand located in Hall A5, booth H24.
https://www.hyosung.com
