Asahi Kasei started reusing polyurethane elastic fiber “Roica” from this spring. Although polyurethane is hardly recycled, Asahi Kasei developed a new process to reduce polyurethane elastic fiber to resin by adjusting temperature and time. Almost same quality of polyurethane elastic fiber is obtained by spinning the resin. This new process could reduce the consumption of fossil fuel more than 50 %, but the cost will increase about 30 %. Asahi Kasei intends to sell this elastic fiber as the sportswear and underwear materials to the apparel manufacturers in the US and Europe which have high environmental mind. Asahi Kasei’s ultimate goal is to increase the world-market share of polyurethane elastic fiber from the present 4 % on the basis of this strategic environmental-friendly regenerated elastic fiber.

JCFA News Letter (No.12) May, 2016/Japan Chemical Fibers Association