Next-Generation Plant-Derived Synthetic Fiber "PlaX" Adopted in Naigai's "Minna no Kutsushita Aging Care Foot Aid Socks"

PlaX, a plant-derived next-generation synthetic fiber researched and developed by Bioworks Corporation (Headquarters: Soraku-gun, Kyoto; Representative Director and CEO: Koji Sakamoto; hereinafter "Bioworks"), has been adopted in "Minna no Kutsushita Aging Care Foot Aid Socks" by Naigai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Kenji Imaizumi; hereinafter "Naigai"). This marks the first adoption of PlaX in Naigai products.

Background of the Initiative

To ensure durability and elasticity, socks often use petroleum-derived synthetic fibers such as polyester and nylon. Since these materials are made from fossil resources, concerns have been raised regarding their environmental impact, such as greenhouse gas emissions during manufacturing and disposal.

Furthermore, socks are among the apparel items that wear out quickly and are often replaced in a short period. After use, they are difficult to reuse due to hygiene concerns, and recycling is not easy due to the mixture of multiple materials, thus necessitating the development of materials that reduce environmental impact.

Against this backdrop of environmental challenges, Naigai is promoting sustainable manufacturing through socks, which are essential in daily life.

To connect our beautiful planet and finite resources to the future, we have incorporated materials and manufacturing processes that consider environmental impact, pursuing both comfort and sustainability.

As part of this initiative, we are now launching "Minna no Kutsushita Aging Care Foot Aid Socks" using "PlaX," a plant-derived next-generation synthetic fiber developed by Bioworks Corporation.

PlaX is a synthetic fiber made from plant-derived raw materials such as sugarcane, and its application to various textile products is progressing as an alternative to petroleum-derived synthetic fibers.

In addition, it has the characteristic of suppressing the proliferation of germs adhering to the fibers due to the effect of lactic acid, making it highly compatible with products that come into direct contact with the skin, such as socks. Furthermore, Bioworks has demonstrated that for products using PlaX, high-purity and high-quality recycled materials (monomers) can be obtained through chemical recycling, even when multiple materials are mixed.

These material characteristics, combining functionality and environmental consideration, align with Naigai's concept of pursuing both comfort and sustainability, leading to this adoption.

Product Overview

Minna no Kutsushita Aging Care Foot Aid Socks

Selling price: 1,650 yen (tax included)

Colors: Pink, Beige, Ocean Green, Navy

Size: 22-24cm

Materials: Cotton, Polylactic Acid, Polyester, Rayon, Nylon, Polyurethane

Sales site: Naigai Official Online Shop

Naigai Co., Ltd. Company Profile

Naigai Co., Ltd.

Representative: Kenji Imaizumi, Representative Director and President

Headquarters: 7-8-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Established: 1920 (Taisho 9)

Business activities: Planning, manufacturing, sales, and import/export of textile products such as legwear (primarily socks for men, women, and children), underwear, and nightwear.

What is PlaX?

"PlaX" is a new material that contributes to reducing environmental impact by adding our unique plant-derived additives to "polylactic acid (PLA)," a biomass material derived from plants such as sugarcane, and designing and controlling its molecular structure at a micro-scale to improve quality and functionality.

It is attracting global attention as a versatile material, not only as an alternative to petroleum-derived synthetic fibers like polyester.

《Features of PlaX Fiber》

・Compared to polyester, replacing it with PlaX reduces CO2 emissions by 70% for long fiber manufacturing and 50% for short fiber (raw cotton) manufacturing.

・Compared to cotton, water usage from raw material to yarn manufacturing is reduced by 92%.

・A material with "biodegradable" properties that decomposes into water and CO2 by microorganisms in an industrial compost environment.

・Highly compatible with "chemical recycling," which reproduces equivalent materials from waste, and research and development are underway to achieve a closed-loop resource circulation.

・Reduces CO2 emissions during incineration disposal. Does not generate harmful substances such as dioxins.

・The lactic acid-derived antibacterial effect prevents the proliferation of Moraxella and Staphylococcus aureus on fibers, contributing to deodorizing effects.

Bioworks Corporation Company Profile

Bioworks is a material creation company with the vision of "a new ecosystem where the joy of creation and the richness of wearing continue," manufacturing and selling "PlaX," a plant-derived next-generation synthetic fiber made from polylactic acid.

Since its establishment in 2015, based on the knowledge accumulated through research and development of polylactic acid, it expanded into the fiber business in 2021. It is attracting attention from domestic and international fiber companies and brands as a material that plays a role in the fashion industry's shift away from petroleum-derived raw materials, and its adoption has begun.

Bioworks Corporation

Representative: Koji Sakamoto, Representative Director and CEO

Headquarters: Keihanna Plaza Lab Building 7F, 1-7 Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto

Established: 2015

Business activities: Manufacturing and sales of modified polylactic acid compound (PlaX) and its products, and businesses promoting resource circulation.

Bioworks WEB: https://www.bioworks.co.jp/

bio official OnlineStore: https://bio-plax.com/