Goldwin to put new synthetic spider-silk into sports clothing
08/10/2015
Spiber’s specialism is a range of synthetic spider-silk type materials. Goldwin has decided to invest $25 million in its new partner to help it further develop and commercialise these products under the brand name Qmonos, from the Japanese for spider’s web, ‘kumo-no-su’.
They have agreed to set up an exclusive operational partnership in the field of sports apparel and have said they will jointly develop next-generation sports clothing. Goldwin said it was attracted to synthetic spider silk because of its resilience and high levels of elasticity. It said Spiber’s use of biomass as the raw material for Qmonos instead of fossil fuels was another plus.
In producing Qmonos, Spiber uses a microbial fermentation process to produce a protein called fibroin. This in turn is spun into the Qmonos fibre using proprietary spinning technology. According to Goldwin, the idea has great potential for commercial success.
“This next-generation material is a breakthrough technology,” Goldwin said on announcing the partnership, “which can enable a new sustainable business model that does not depend on oil. Through this partnership and investment, Goldwin is committed to work together with Spiber to establish a foundation for long-term growth in the sports apparel business.”
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