Bioworks' Plant-based Next-Generation Synthetic Fiber "PlaX" Adopted in Naigai's "Minna no Kutsushita Aging Care Foot Aid Socks"
Bioworks' plant-based fiber 'PlaX' has been adopted for the first time in Naigai's socks, realizing both sustainability and functionality through its eco-friendly nature and antibacterial properties.
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- 📰 Published: April 2, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 2, 2026 at 14:00
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 21, 2026 at 06:32 (448h 32m after Collected)
Bioworks Corporation (Headquarters: Soraku-gun, Kyoto; Representative Director & CEO: Koji Sakamoto, hereinafter "Bioworks") announces that its plant-based next-generation synthetic fiber "PlaX" has been adopted for the "Minna no Kutsushita Aging Care Foot Aid Socks" by Naigai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & President: Kenji Imaizumi, hereinafter "Naigai"). This marks the first time PlaX has been used in Naigai products.
Background of the Initiative
To ensure durability and stretchability, socks often use petroleum-derived synthetic fibers such as polyester and nylon. Because these materials are made from fossil resources, they pose environmental challenges, such as greenhouse gas emissions during manufacturing and disposal.
Additionally, socks wear out quickly among clothing items and are frequently replaced in a short period. Reusing them is difficult due to hygiene reasons after use, and recycling is also not easy because of the mixture of multiple materials, which calls for material development aimed at reducing environmental impact.
Against the backdrop of these environmental issues, Naigai is promoting sustainable manufacturing through socks, an essential item for daily life.
To connect our beautiful earth and limited resources to the future, they have incorporated materials and manufacturing processes that consider reducing environmental impact, pursuing both comfort and sustainability.
As part of this initiative, they are launching the "Minna no Kutsushita Aging Care Foot Aid Socks" using the plant-based next-generation synthetic fiber "PlaX" developed by Bioworks Corporation.
PlaX is a synthetic fiber born from plant-based raw materials like sugarcane, and it is increasingly being applied to various textile products as an alternative to petroleum-derived synthetic fibers.
Moreover, it has the property of suppressing the growth of bacteria attached to the fiber due to the effect of lactic acid, making it highly compatible with products that touch the skin directly, like socks. Furthermore, Bioworks has demonstrated that for products using PlaX, even when mixed with multiple materials, high-purity and high-quality recycled materials (monomers) can be obtained through chemical recycling.
These material characteristics, combining functionality and environmental consideration, aligned with Naigai's concept of pursuing both comfort and sustainability, leading to this adoption.
Product Overview
Background of the Initiative
To ensure durability and stretchability, socks often use petroleum-derived synthetic fibers such as polyester and nylon. Because these materials are made from fossil resources, they pose environmental challenges, such as greenhouse gas emissions during manufacturing and disposal.
Additionally, socks wear out quickly among clothing items and are frequently replaced in a short period. Reusing them is difficult due to hygiene reasons after use, and recycling is also not easy because of the mixture of multiple materials, which calls for material development aimed at reducing environmental impact.
Against the backdrop of these environmental issues, Naigai is promoting sustainable manufacturing through socks, an essential item for daily life.
To connect our beautiful earth and limited resources to the future, they have incorporated materials and manufacturing processes that consider reducing environmental impact, pursuing both comfort and sustainability.
As part of this initiative, they are launching the "Minna no Kutsushita Aging Care Foot Aid Socks" using the plant-based next-generation synthetic fiber "PlaX" developed by Bioworks Corporation.
PlaX is a synthetic fiber born from plant-based raw materials like sugarcane, and it is increasingly being applied to various textile products as an alternative to petroleum-derived synthetic fibers.
Moreover, it has the property of suppressing the growth of bacteria attached to the fiber due to the effect of lactic acid, making it highly compatible with products that touch the skin directly, like socks. Furthermore, Bioworks has demonstrated that for products using PlaX, even when mixed with multiple materials, high-purity and high-quality recycled materials (monomers) can be obtained through chemical recycling.
These material characteristics, combining functionality and environmental consideration, aligned with Naigai's concept of pursuing both comfort and sustainability, leading to this adoption.
Product Overview