Ingeo™ PLA Groundbreaking Biodegradable Fiber

Teko®, a maker of high performance outdoor, sports and everyday socks with a commitment to minimal ecological impact, is proud to add Ingeo™ PLA to its line performance socks. Ingeo is a sustainable, corn based fiber that is right in keeping with Teko’s beliefs. This biodegradable fiber has all the qualities Teko is excited about: great moisture transfer, a super-soft feel, and breathability.

The Benefits of Ingeo:  The Ingeo manufacturing process used to convert the natural sugars in the corn to a usable fiber offers documented environmental benefits over petroleum-based materials. Benefits include a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and use of fossil fuel. The manufacturing of the resin for Ingeo fiber can require up to 50 percent less fossil resources than resins for traditional synthetic fibers. In addition, the process to make the resin for Ingeo fiber can generate up to 60 percent less greenhouse gases (GHG) than the material it replaces.

How Ingeo™ Fiber is Made and Unmade:

How it’s Made:   Ingeo™ starts as sugar from an abundant, naturally renewable raw material, corn that can easily and efficiently be reproduced each year. The sugars are fermented and transformed into a high-performance polymer called polylactide, NatureWorks™ PLA. This polymer is then extruded to form the fiber Ingeo™.

How it’s Unmade: Compostability mean that under the right conditions and with the right handling, the complete life cycle of production, consumption, disposal and reuse is neatly closed.

Get your own Ingeo socks!