Kintra envisions a future for the fashion industry that is free from fossil fuels. Their inputs are derived from sugar instead of petroleum and designed the materials to fit industrial composting. Kintra materials are “leased” from nature to humans and formulated to return to the soil from which they originate.

Petroleum-based synthetics represent 63% of total global fiber production, yet the 2019 Textile Exchange Material Change Insights Report shows that only 8% of brands know their supply chain to the chemical supplier level. The option of using recycled or bio-based versions of PET and nylon does not provide a truly circular solution as it does not solve the pervasive microfiber pollution issue. The traditional synthetic materials that enable our outdoor adventures are the ones that pollute the very planet. Microfibers from PET, nylon, and their recycled or bio-based versions get through wastewater facilities and pollute the oceans with tiny plastic particles, equivalent to 50 billion plastic bottles per year.

Instead of petroleum, Kintra sources corn and wheat-derived sugar to produce its resins and fibers, which undergo a melt-spinning process similar to polyester, nylon, and other synthetic materials, providing a comparable look, feel, and performance without contributing to the problem of microplastic pollution. These materials naturally degrade in the aerobic environment of a wastewater treatment facility, keeping our oceans and soil clean. Kintra materials can fit chemical and mechanical recycling schemes and industrial compost. Kintra makes proprietary bio-based and compostable polyester resin and yarn in-house and has production partners to make larger quantities for customers.

By leveraging renewable, toxin-free chemistries and utilizing a cradle-to-cradle mindset during resin development, Kintra’s proprietary materials eliminate petrochemicals and microfiber pollution from the fashion industry.  As a solution for microfibre pollution and textile waste, the material has an inherently compostable structure. This means that similar to natural fiber, the company has designed its material to safely return to the environment with no harm within wastewater treatment and industrial compost facilities.

Picture from Flickr by Steve Jobs