Kintra Fibers

Kintra Fibers is a New York-based company developing bio-based and biodegradable polyester utilizing 100% bio-based inputs sourced from corn glucose to produce its patented resin.

In 2022, Kintra joined Fashion for Good’s Global Innovation Programme and developed its first fabric prototype. As of August 2023, the company had 250 kg of resin production on a pilot line. In the preliminary environmental impact analysis conducted, Kintra Fibers demonstrated that its resin production reduces emissions by 95% and consumes 20% less energy compared to PET resin production.

The Kintra material also underwent yarn testing, demonstrating parity in strength and durability with traditional polyester (PET) while being 10x softer. Kintra's material also exhibits a stretch recovery of 10%–15%. The company has tested these properties in various yarn and fabric constructions, including knit fabrics made from air jet-textured and draw-textured yarns, as well as twill, satin, and plain woven fabrics made from fully-drawn yarns.

Key customers and partnerships

Kintra’s Series A funding round in April 2023 led by H&M Group also helped brand partners such as Reformation, Inditex, H&M, and BESTSELLER to incorporate Kintra's materials into their products.

Funding and financials

In April 2023, Kintra Fibers secured USD 8 million in Series A funding from H&M Group to expand its manufacturing facility, aiming to produce its first ton of resin in 2023 and increase production capacities.