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benefit from stretch and durability, and outerwear benefits from shape retention and insulation. Royal Robbins, a travel and outdoor apparel outfitter, uses Sorona® in its line of Merinolux® and Diablo® t-shirts, flannels and outerwear for added softness and durability in addition to Sorona's® inherent eco-conscious attributes. Other brands using Sorona® to enhance the performance of their apparel while also reducing environmental impact include: Millet, The North Face, L.L. Bean and KÜHL. The science behind the sustainability: Complementing Sorona's® performance attributes is its sustainable sourc- ing. The polymer is derived from renewable plant-based resources and offers a reduced environmental footprint throughout its development process. Producing Sorona® uses 30 percent less energy and releases 63 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to the production of nylon 6. From polymer production to extrusion at lower temperatures, to lower dyeing temperatures to easy care for consumers, Sorona® provides environmental efficiency benefits throughout the value chain. It doesn't compromise on its performance benefits with its eco-efficient innovation – enabling end-users to live sustainably without interrupting their daily routines. Since its creation in the early 1990s, DuPont™ Sorona® has received numer- ous certifications from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Oeko-Tex™, demonstrating its environmental recognition and impact globally. DuPont™ Sorona® was one of the first 11 products certified as a bio- based product by the USDA The science behind what's next: DuPont™ continues to push the limits of sustainable textiles through the development of another breakthrough fiber – Apexa®, a biodegradable poly- ester that decomposes and breaks downs into simple CO2 and H2O through industrial composting. Like Sorona®, Apexa® blends with natural fibers – such as cotton, wool, or silk – to add enhanced strength, softness and durability. DuPont's textile innovations, including Sorona® and Apexa®, emphasize bio- technology's positive impact on the textile industry, specifically in improving sustainability and reducing environmental impact to help solve the growing textile waste problem. With the discovery of bio-enhanced fibers like Sorona® and Apexa®, performance and sustainability need-not be mutually exclusive. Q September/October 2017 ~ Textile Insight • 45 textileinsight.com SMOOTHER FEEL STRETCH & RECOVERY FADE RESISTANCE SOFTNESS PATENTED TECHNOLOGY RENEWABLY SOURCED DURABILITY WRINKLE RESISTANCE INSULATION QUICK-DRY REDUCED PILLING BRILLIANT COLOR MICROORGANISMS ARE ADDED TO THE GLUCOSE FERMENTATION REPLACES CHEMICAL SYNTHESIS THIS IS ADDED TO THE BIO-POD THE RESULT IS SORONA®