Move over tomato girl summer. Los Angeles-based Agolde is making corn fashionable this season.
The Citizens of Humanity Group-owned premium denim brand launched the first jeans made with bio-derived Lycra EcoMade, a renewable alternative to conventional spandex made with Qira, a dent corn-based 1,4-butanediol (BDO) produced by Qore.
The breakthrough fiber is used in three women’s styles: the Harper straight jean, the Ren jean and Ridley short.
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Amy Williams, CEO of Citizens of Humanity Group, said the Agolde launch is particularly exciting for the company because it not only validates its confidence in the technology but also provides a platform to demonstrate that these sustainable alternatives can meet—or even exceed—customer expectations and the appetite for sustainable fashion.
“We are so proud to be the first to integrate bio-derived Lycra EcoMade fabric in denim as part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability and innovation,” she said. “We see this role as an opportunity to open doors to other brands who are looking for a more sustainable alternative to their collections. We hope to encourage our peers and hope they embrace more environmentally friendly technologies—we’re stronger in numbers,” Williams said.
Agolde worked with long-time mill partner Orta to develop the collection. The first comfort-stretch fabrics contain 99 percent regenerative cotton and one percent bio-derived Lycra EcoMade. Williams said the goal is to build from the most responsible base fibers possible.
The Lycra Company teamed with Qore in 2022 to enable the world’s first large-scale commercial production of this bio-derived spandex. As with any new ingredient, the company had questions about its technical performance and its sustainability credentials.
“We asked The Lycra Company about the full life cycle analysis of the fiber, its durability and performance compared to conventional spandex, and what kind of testing had been done under real production conditions,” Williams said. “We also queried potential impacts on production efficiency and any changes required in our finishing processes. In essence, we needed to be certain that the new fiber would not compromise the consistency that our brands, Citizens of Humanity and Agolde, are known for, while delivering meaningful environmental benefits. We were pleased with the answers and the quality of the fabric that our partners at The Lycra Company have developed.”
With 70 percent of content sourced from corn, bio-derived Lycra EcoMade reduces reliance on fossil fuels. Per a screening life cycle assessment, this ingredient swap cuts emissions by 44 percent. Though 100 percent renewable content is the ideal long-term goal, Agolde saw the 70 percent figure as a meaningful and impactful step forward.
“For us, progress is about momentum, not perfection, and we don’t plan to stop here but continue to make strides in expanding our assortment of eco-made products,” Williams said. “Adopting technologies like this sends a signal to the market and our partners that demand for more sustainable alternatives is real—and growing—we feel this momentum really taking place and we are proud of what we have accomplished thus far.”
The bio-derived Lycra EcoMade fiber didn’t present any development challenges for Agolde. Describing it as a “well-tested, drop-in product,” Williams said they were able to integrate the fiber without the need of reengineering fabrics or processes. “We did, however, run a wide range of washes and fit tests to ensure the final product delivered the same aesthetic and stretch that our customers expect. The transition was seamless, which really speaks to the fiber’s quality and to the strong collaboration between our teams, Orta, and The Lycra Company,” she added.
The cost of the bio-derived feedstock is higher than traditional inputs, but Williams said this is nominal when you consider the percentage of Lycra fiber in a pair of jeans. As with regenerative cotton and Pili’s Eco Indigo, which launched earlier this year in Citizens of Humanity’s collection, the company absorbs the price differences. “We feel that while it might cost a little more to produce these fibers, it is a step in the right direction given the potential in reducing environmental impact and helping the industry as a whole,” she said.
Bio-derived Lycra EcoMade fiber will be carried into Agolde’s Fall 2025 collection. It will also be scaled across a wider range of Citizens of Humanity styles. Williams said their goal is to integrate innovations “gradually and systematically” to maintain quality and the integrity of their products.
Citizens of Humanity Group embraces a culture of learning, experimentation, and early adoption of next-generation ingredients. Williams said the company’s “bold approach” is rooted in a commitment to both exceptional quality and environmental responsibility. “We have always strived to push the boundaries of traditional denim production by embracing innovation—be it in materials, processes, or design. When we learn about something progressive coming to market, we like to invest in it,” she said.
“This pioneering spirit is influenced by our desire to offer our customers products that not only feel great and perform well but also contribute to a more sustainable future,” she added. “It’s this blend of practicality and progressive thinking that drives our culture and our decisions regarding emerging technologies.”
