The secret to feeling good? It’s got nothing to do with kale smoothies. But a lot to do with corn.
Traditional activewear is made predominantly from plastic-based nylon. While that’s good for performance, nylon is prone to unwanted side effects— itchiness, odours and poor breathability.
So, we created BioFlex™. Made from 50% recycled corn stalks, our bio-based material uses an innovative process that extracts starch glucose from straw and regenerates it into a nylon fibre.
Transforming wasted corn stalks into breathable, flexible fabric? We know you’ve got questions. That’s why we picked the brains of Paire’s co-founder and textile expert Rex Zhang to dive into the details of BioFlex™.
So, what exactly is BioFlex™?
It’s an innovative material and a sustainable alternative to conventional nylon.
How is it made?
From wasted corn stalks! We extract starch glucose from the stalks and transform it into a nylon fibre material. This glucose is then converted into lysine through a biological fermentation process. Then, the lysine is transformed into pentanediamine, which reacts with adipic acid. The result is a bio-based nylon fibre material — of which around 50% is derived from recycled corn.
Watch the process here.
Why did Paire decide to do this? What sparked this idea?
The idea for this fabric actually came to me when I visited my father’s hometown in rural China. Their village had an excess of corn stalks. They couldn’t be burned, as that would cause air pollution and a burning ban was in place. No one knew what to do with them, so as textile experts we started thinking about the possibility of turning these corn stalks into fabric. That was the spark that led to the development of this innovative material.
How does the BioFlex ™ fabric compare to traditional activewear?
Nylon is itchy, odour-producing and has poor breathability. On the other hand, our bio-based material is an ultra-soft and breathable fabric. BioFlex™ has a moisture-wicking ability that surpasses cotton. It has superior temperature regulating properties so you’re always feeling fresh no matter how hard you’re going at the gym. And most importantly, it’s a more environmentally sustainable alternative as it’s made from renewable resources and can be more easily recycled.
How does the process differ from creating traditional activewear?
It’s a more energy efficient production. The manufacturing process for bio-based nylons requires less energy than fossil fuel-based nylons, resulting in fewer emissions. Plus, bio nylon typically has fewer additives and stabilisers than conventional nylon, which can complicate recycling. As a result, bio-based nylons are easier to process and reuse.
Overall, the full supply chain and process of creating BioFlex™ is much more expensive than traditional nylon. But the cost to the environment is much less. So, we think it’s worth it.
Given our success in recycling corn into fabric, is Paire exploring other unique materials for future products?
Yes! We are applying similar tech to other natural fibres to try and turn them into sustainable textile products. We’re hoping to reduce the use of traditional poly or nylon and achieve different benefits from new fibres.
At the same time, we’re always trying to improve our current product range. For example, we’re working to apply the BioFlex™ yarn to our Foundation Thermals.
Right now our BioFlex™ yarn is made from around 50% recycled corn stalks. Our aim is to eventually have that yarn be made completely from recycled resources.
