The Lycra Company has reached commercial-scale production of its Renewable Lycra fibre, a spandex containing 70% plant-based material that cuts carbon footprint by up to 45% versus conventional Lycra, according to a 2026 comparative life cycle assessment by Ramboll.

The company will present the fibre, plus a pilot-stage textile-to-textile spandex recycling system, at the Textile Exchange Conference in Vancouver, Canada, from October 12-16, at stand 18. The conference theme this year is The Implementation Era, focused on moving established sustainability technologies toward wider commercial adoption.

What is the renewable fibre made from?

The feedstock is dent corn grown primarily in Iowa, USA, replacing a significant share of the petroleum-derived raw materials traditionally used in spandex production. Ramboll's assessment specifically compares fibres made with bio-derived and fossil-derived polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG), a key component in spandex production.

According to the company, the bio-based fibre maintains stretch and recovery properties equivalent to conventional Lycra — a critical claim for mills and brands, since any performance regression in elastane directly affects garment fit claims and return rates.

Where does elastane recycling stand?

Behind the renewable fibre headline, Lycra's textile-to-textile recycling programme remains at pilot stage. Spandex is widely used in blends with polyester, nylon and other fibres to provide stretch and shape retention, but its presence complicates conventional textile recycling processes — a persistent compliance and cost problem for brands facing extended producer responsibility rules and recycled-content targets.

Over the past few years, Lycra has collaborated with recycling companies worldwide to develop methods of separating spandex from other fibres in pre-consumer textile waste and processing the recovered material into new spandex fibres. The result so far is a pilot-stage recycling system. Lycra fibre containing recycled spandex cannot yet be manufactured commercially; further investment in infrastructure and processing capacity is required first.

That gap separates two very different maturity levels within the announcement: the renewable fibre is a commercial product available today, while recycled-spandex fibre remains a development programme with no commercial timeline disclosed.

What did Lycra say?

"Bringing more recycled and renewable materials to commercial scale is essential to turning the industry's ambitions into action," said Alistair Williamson, vice president of product sustainability at The Lycra Company. "At Textile Exchange, we'll feature how Renewable Lycra fibre is making that progress possible today, while delivering the stretch, fit and comfort consumers expect."

Williamson added that developing commercially viable textile-to-textile recycling systems would depend on cooperation across the supply chain, particularly in recovering spandex from end-of-life textiles — a signal that recovery logistics, not just separation chemistry, will shape the cost structure of any future recycled-elastane supply.

What should sourcing teams watch?

For sourcing and materials managers, the confirmed facts are concrete: a 70% plant-based spandex at commercial scale, an up-to-45% carbon reduction benchmarked by Ramboll, and a corn-based feedstock with a defined US geographic origin. The recycling track is announced capability only, with no commercial volumes, pricing or capacity figures disclosed.

Lycra will discuss both technologies with brands, mills and recycling partners at stand 18 during the Vancouver conference, where conversations about offtake and collaboration on end-of-life spandex recovery are likely to shape how quickly the recycled fibre moves from pilot to commercial production.