US Edition$360M Cargill-Backed Corn Plant in Iowa Makes Eco Spandex Element for Athleisure Wear
EDDYVILLE, IOWA, JUL 21 – Qore's plant produces QIRA, a 66,000 metric-ton capacity bio-based chemical from corn sugar that aims to reduce carbon footprints in synthetic fabrics, with products expected by spring 2026.
- On Tuesday, July 22, 2025, Qore's joint venture opened a $360 million plant in Eddyville, Iowa, producing bio-based chemicals from corn sugar, with production beginning the same day.
- Facing reliance on fossil fuels, synthetic fabrics drove the plant’s creation, with Qore, a joint venture of Minnesota-based Cargill and Germany-based HELM, producing bio-based chemicals from corn to reduce carbon footprints.
- The facility can produce 66,000 metric tons of QIRA each year, demand 100 million bushels of corn annually, and shipping begins by rail, highlighting capacity and supply.
- Responding to interest, officials said the venture will boost the local economy, noting increased demand for corn and job creation in Eddyville.
- Next year, products should be on shelves, Jon Veldhouse said, and Lycra plans to manufacture the 70% bio-based fiber in Singapore, expecting to cut the carbon footprint nearly in half.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Iowa plant produces corn-based chemical for use in making fabrics, plastics - Radio Iowa
A new $300 million facility in Eddyville has begun producing a corn-based chemical that will be used to make consumer goods. Jon Veldhouse is the CEO of Qore, a joint venture of Minnesota-based Cargill and a German chemical company called HELM AG. He says they’ve named the product QIRA. “QIRA is a building block that goes […]
Cherokee Tribune Ledger News
Cargill expands Eddyville plant to produce a bio-based alternative to petroleum materials
EDDYVILLE – Iowa-grown corn will soon end up in the fibers of Spanx apparel and other products typically made with petroleum-based components, manufactured at a new facility at the Cargill plant in Eddyville. Qore, the joint venture between Minnesota-based Cargill…
$360M Cargill-backed corn plant in Iowa makes eco spandex element for athleisure wear
In the not-so-distant future, the stretch in yoga pants will come from Midwestern corn. Qore, a Cargill joint venture, opened a $360 million plant in Eddyville, Iowa, this month that can turn corn sugar into a building block for spandex…
$360M Cargill-backed corn plant in Iowa makes eco spandex element for athleisure wear - Albert Lea Tribune
By Brooks Johnson, Star Tribune (TNS) In the not-so-distant future, the stretch in yoga pants will come from Midwestern corn. Qore, a Cargill joint venture, opened a $360 million plant in Eddyville, Iowa, this month that can turn corn sugar into a building block for spandex and many other consumer products. “We’re bringing the farm to fashion,” said Qore CEO Jon Veldhouse. The plant’s signature product, Qira, is identical to fossil fuel-derived …
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