A partnership between Mitsubishi Corporation and Goldwin, the Japanese operator of the North Face brand, is leading the effort to create a sustainable PET polyester fiber supply chain. Credible material stream traceability will be ensured across the supply chain with a mass balancing technique.
As part of this endeavor, polyester will be made from biobased and renewable resources, and the essential monomer paraxylene will come from carbon capture and utilization (CCU). Mitsubishi, Goldwin, Chiyoda Corporation, Toyobo, Indorama Ventures, SK Geocentric, India Glycols, and Neste are among the consortium members.
These new fibers will be used in sports uniforms by Goldwin, a company well-known for high-performance sportswear and outdoor apparel, with ambitions to develop other products.
Chiyoda will supply CCU paraxylene made from CO2, while Neste will supply renewable naphtha made from bio-based waste. Additionally, SK Geocentric will provide renewable paraxylene. Using these monomers, Indorama Ventures will make PTA; India Glycols will supply bioethylene glycol; and Toyobo will develop the biodegradable bio-CCU PET polyester.
