Business

Pangaia Invests In Bio-Based Compostable Yarns Producer

Pangaia, a direct-to-consumer materials science brand, is making an investment in Kintra Fibers, a material science company that makes high-performance, 100% bio-based, and compostable yarns for the fashion and apparel industry. Pangaia will help Kintra scale its patent-pending resin and yarn process through its supply chain and will develop 'first-of-its-kind' compostable fabric blends and apparel leveraging the Kintra technology, pioneering increased sustainability standards for synthetic materials. The material will be available to use by additional brand partners. According to Pangaia, the new Kintra material is positioned as an alternative to the global overuse of petroleum-based synthetic fabrics, as well as a powerful solution to harmful microplastic ocean pollution perpetuated by traditional, non-biodegradable synthetics. The Kintra resin and yarns can be seamlessly integrated into existing synthetic manufacturing and textile production supply chains at a competitive price point, providing a scalable and cost-effective sustainable alternative to synthetics such as PET, rPET, or nylon, the New York City based company explains. Instead of petroleum, the inputs used to make the Kintra resin are sourced from sugar. This, Pangaia says, offers brands the opportunity to set a new standard of transparency in the synthetic material supply chain: A 2019 survey by Textile Exchange of 170 fashion brands found that only 8% knew their polyester supply chain to the chemical supplier level, and none have made this information public. Yet polyester represents 52% of the global fibre market, the company adds. Pangaia invested alongside Tech Council Ventures, which focuses on science and technology companies, and FAB Ventures, which invests in the sustainable fashion and beauty sector and is founded by Odile Roujol, former CEO of Lancôme.