Toray Industries, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, has created a nylon 510 fiber that incorporates 100% biobased synthetic polymer content as defined under ISO 16620-1: 2015, the international standard for the biobased content of plastics.
Encoder N510 will be the first 100% plant-based nylon fiber in Toray’s Ecodear lineup.
The company has created diverse potential applications for Ecodear N510 as a sustainable offering for high-end markets. While primarily for sports and outdoor fabrics, they extend to lightweights, cut-and-sew fabrics, and innerwear lace materials.
Toray plans to begin Ecodear N510 textile sales for Autumn/Winter 2023 with an initial production volume to be 200,000 meters by the end of March 2023 growing to 600,000 meters in March 2026. Encoder N510 fiber sales are targeted for Autumn/Winter 2023 2024, with an expectation of a monthly supply of three metric tons monthly in the year ending March 2024.
In the early 1950s, Toray became the first Japanese company to manufacture nylon. Apparel and other wide-ranging applications over the years have reflected the fiber’s excellent flexibility, durability, wrinkle resistance, and washability.
Toray already offers partially plant-based polyester, nylon, and other polymers. It developed Ecodear N510 by polymerizing sebacic acid from castor-oil plants and pentamethylenediamine from corn and spinning waste.
Unlike other wholly plant-based nylons, Ecodear N510 has a high melting point and outstanding dimensional stability. It is as strong and heat-resistant as nylon 6, the company says.
Toray is looking to combine various proprietary technologies to drive further fiber advances including making them thinner and lighter or adding functionality by changing cross-sectional shapes.
