From the Sector

Goldwin Inc., Neste, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., and Toray Industries, Inc. have established a supply chain for nylon fiber made from renewable raw materials. Neste supplies Neste RE™, a renewable raw material that enables the production of high-performance renewable nylon fiber and reduces the reliance on fossil feedstocks. The nylon fiber produced through this project is scheduled to be used by Goldwin for a part of THE NORTH FACE products in August 2026. 

Renewable naphtha, or Neste RE, is made from bio-based raw materials such as used cooking oil and other renewable raw materials. It is a lower-GHG-emission alternative to conventional fossil feedstocks. With the use of neat (i.e., unblended) renewable Neste RE, over 85%* of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the raw material are reduced compared to the use of virgin fossil raw materials. Bio-based plastics derived from Neste RE are of identical quality to those made from virgin fossil feedstocks and can be turned into exactly the same products and used for the same applications.

“Renewable materials made from Neste RE meet the performance standards of global brands like THE NORTH FACE operated by Goldwin Inc. This project with Goldwin, Idemitsu, and Toray shows how the fashion industry's dependence on fossil resources can also be reduced for high-performance products. It demonstrates how our drop-in solutions can rapidly transform complex value chains to help brands work towards their climate targets,” says Maiju Helin, Director of Polymers and Chemicals at Neste.

Fossil-based feedstocks, like naphtha, can be replaced with Neste RE without changes to the polymers and chemicals manufacturing infrastructure or processes; it is a seamless drop-in solution. In building this supply chain, the participating companies utilized existing facilities and applied the mass balance** approach.

Mitsubishi Corporation coordinated the participating companies in establishing the supply chain for renewable nylon fiber in Goldwin's products.

This collaboration marks Neste’s second supply chain collaboration for THE NORTH FACE products, following a similar partnership in July 2024.

On 29 April 2026, ITA student Tobias Dickmeiß was awarded a sponsorship prize by the Wilhelm Lorch-Stiftung for his innovative approach, to replacing conventional elastane with elastic yarns made from thermoplastic copolyester elastomers (TPC). Thanks to their thermoplastic nature and compatibility with typical polyesters used in the textile industry, elastic TPC yarns offer improved recyclability. Furthermore, the use of the melt-spinning process in yarn production eliminates the need for solvents that are harmful to the environment and human health.

Elastic textiles have become an integral part of our everyday lives, as they ensure comfort, a good fit and freedom of movement. At the same time, the increasing use of traditional elastic yarns, known as elastanes, significantly complicates textile recycling. Even small amounts of elastane can impair thermomechanical recycling processes and prevent a closed recycling loop.

As part of his bachelor’s thesis, Tobias Dickmeiß carried out extensive empirical process studies on a pilot-scale melt-spinning line. By systematically analysing the influence of various process parameters on yarn properties, he succeeded in specifically improving the properties of the resulting TPC yarns. The findings of his bachelor’s thesis thus provide a promising basis for the further development of recyclable elastic yarns and textiles.

Tobias Dickmeiß was granted a sponsorship prize of EUR 5,000 for specific further training in recognition of his outstanding bachelor’s thesis, ‘Development of a melt spinning process for elastic yarns made from thermoplastic copolyester elastomers at pilot scale’.

During his bachelor’s thesis, hr was supervised by ITA PhD student Ricarda Wissel.