In Delaware, DuPont unveiled its newest fiber innovation called Apexa, a biodegradable polyester fiber. The material decomposes through industrial composting and breaks down into carbon dioxide and water which limits textile waste. The fiber can be blended with other natural fibers like wool or cotton enhancing its durability. DuPont is also partnering with other fiber brands like Lenzing’s Tencel and Toray Primeflex to create new blends for sportswear and outdoor fabrics. As reported in NUU in June, Dupont won the European Bio-based Materials Company of the Year for Biomaterial Innovations award for its Sorona fiber which is 37% made from a renewable plant-based ingredient.
Renee Henze, Marketing Director of DuPont Biomaterials and Sorona, told Innovation Textiles “Environmentally unfriendly consumer habits, including the rise of fast fashion and a growing throwaway culture, further fuel negative ecological impact. According to a 2009 United States Environmental Protection Agency study on municipal solid waste, textile waste has nearly doubled in the past two decades, accounting for about 21 billion pounds per year and 5 percent of all municipal waste generated in the United States.”