Kintra Fibers

What Kintra Fibers does

Kintra Fibers is a Brooklyn-based materials science company that has developed a proprietary bio-based polyester alternative using fermentation-derived raw materials. The company's technology centers on a 75D/72F multifilament yarn that is 100% bio-based, intrinsically compostable per ASTM D6400 and ISO 14855-1, and engineered as a drop-in fit for existing commercial polyester manufacturing equipment — eliminating the need for downstream capital expenditure. The product portfolio spans four tiers of the textile value chain: Resin for extruders, Staple-Fiber for spinners, Multifilament Yarn for mills, and finished Fabric for brands.

Kintra's commercial model is B2B enterprise sales, with quote-based pricing delivered through dedicated website inquiry forms for each buyer type (Yarn Producer, Mill, Brand). The company goes to market primarily through the Fashion for Good consortium — launched in 2022 with Inditex, Bestseller, Reformation, and H&M — which functions as both a co-development channel and an indirect sales pipeline. Additional demand generation runs through PR and earned media in Vogue, Forbes, Fast Company, the Guardian, and Wired. As of 2025 the company has just achieved its flagship yarn specification, completed first yarn production runs on commercial equipment, and secured commercial-scale manufacturing partners, marking the transition from R&D to commercial launch.

The company was founded in 2017-2018 by Billy McCall (CEO) and Alissa Baier-Lentz (COO), is headquartered in Brooklyn with additional offices in New York City and Los Angeles, and has raised approximately $9.9 million across two rounds — a $2 million seed in 2020 and an $8 million Series A in April 2023 led by H&M Group Ventures. Headcount remains in the 1-10 range, consistent with a pre-commercial-scale venture-backed startup.

Name

Kintra Fibers

Legal name

Kintra Fibers

Website

https://kintrafibers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kintra Fibers is a Brooklyn-based materials science company that produces a proprietary bio-based, compostable polyester alternative fiber for the textile industry. It sells Resin, Staple-Fiber, Multifilament Yarn, and Fabric to extruders, mills, and fashion brands via B2B enterprise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bio-based synthetic fibers

NAICS

Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (32522), Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (3252), Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills (313110)

SIC

Broadwoven Fabric Mills, Man Made Fiber & Silk (2221), Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821)

akta.pro primary industry

Man-Made Fiber Manufacturing (Polyester/Nylon/Acrylic/Viscose) (IMAOAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biobased, Compostable & Low-Impact Material Innovation (Bio-polymers/Dope Dyeing) (IMAOAMAM), Bio-based Materials & Fibers (e.g., cellulose derivatives, lignin-based materials, nanocellulose) (EUAAAIAD), Biodegradable Fibers & Nonwovens (industrial textiles, wipes) (IMAEAOAG), Fiber & Yarn (Natural, Synthetic, Blends) (CRAAAMAA)

Keywords

• Bio-based fibers
• Sustainable textiles
• Polyester alternatives
• Compostable yarn
• Synthetic fiber manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Bio-based Resin Sales: Sale of proprietary bio-based resin to extruders and manufacturers. B2B transaction model targeting textile supply chain partners.
2. Multifilament Yarn Sales: Sale of flagship yarn products (75D/72F) in various forms (FDY, ATY, DTY) to mills and spinners.
3. Staple Fiber Sales: Sale of soft, breathable staple fiber designed for high-stretch blends and natural-feel yarns to spinners.
4. Fabric Sales: Sale of next-generation fabrics built for performance, sustainability, and design potential directly to brands.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kintra Fibers develops and sells a proprietary 100% bio-based, intrinsically compostable polymer formulated as a drop-in replacement for fossil-fuel polyester in textile manufacturing. Its commercial lineup spans bio-based resin for extruders, multifilament yarn (75D/72F) and staple fiber for spinners and mills, and finished performance fabrics for fashion brands. All products are designed to run on existing polyester manufacturing equipment with lower energy use and certified compostability.

Product overview

Kintra Fibers offers a portfolio of bio-based polyester alternative products designed to replace conventional synthetic fibers. The product line centers on the flagship 75D/72F Multifilament Yarn, supported by upstream Resin for manufacturing and downstream Fabric for brand use. Staple-Fiber serves as an intermediate product for spinners. All products are 100% bio-based, biodegradable, and engineered to be drop-in compatible with existing commercial polyester manufacturing equipment. The company leverages fermentation-based raw materials and offers products across the textile supply chain from resin production through yarn spinning to finished fabric.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bio-based Resin Proprietary bio-based resin compatible with existing polyester extrusion systems and low-impact processing, manufactured from low-cost, abundant, 100% bio-based, traceable agricultural inputs via commercially scaled fermentation. Sold to extruders and yarn producers for downstream conversion into yarn.
• 75D/72F Multifilament Yarn Flagship multifilament yarn in 75D/72F specification with 1 DPF (denier per filament), available in FDY, ATY, and DTY forms. Matches the industry workhorse profile familiar to brands, mills, and consumers, with best-in-class abrasion and pilling resistance, 20% elastic stretch, and a luxuriously soft next-to-skin feel. Sold to mills and spinners for performance and fashion applications.
• Staple-Fiber Soft, breathable staple fiber designed for high-stretch blends and natural-feel yarns. Sold to spinners producing yarn blends for fashion and apparel applications.
• Fabric Next-generation finished fabrics built for performance, sustainability, and design potential, delivering 20% elastic performance stretch and a hand 2.7x softer than cashmere while maintaining synthetic durability characteristics. Sold directly to fashion brands.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% lower emissions vs conventional polyester (preliminary 3rd party LCA)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Fashion for GoodcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Launched Fashion for Good consortium with Inditex, Bestseller, and Reformation to accelerate adoption of Kintra's sustainable fiber technology and drive industry transformation.
• InditexcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Part of Fashion for Good consortium. Major fashion retailer (Zara owner) collaborating to develop and scale sustainable textile innovations.
• BestsellercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Part of Fashion for Good consortium. European fashion retailer collaborating to advance sustainable textile adoption.
• ReformationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Part of Fashion for Good consortium. Sustainable fashion brand working with Kintra to bring bio-based materials to market.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bolt Threads: Bolt Threads develops bio-engineered protein fibers (including spider silk-inspired and mycelium-based materials) for fashion and apparel brands. Directly comparable to Kintra as a bio-based fiber alternative targeting the same sustainable fashion customer base.
• Spiber: Spiber produces Brewed Protein™ fibers via fermentation, targeting apparel brands seeking animal- and petrochemical-free alternatives. Closely comparable technology platform (fermentation-derived bio-fibers) and customer overlap with luxury and sustainable fashion brands.
• Natural Fiber Welding: Natural Fiber Welding develops plant-based, high-performance materials (Clarus and Mirum) for fashion and footwear. Directly comparable as a bio-based material science company selling into sustainable fashion brands with performance positioning.

Emerging players

• Circ: Circ produces recycled polyester and cellulose from blended textile waste, targeting fashion brand sustainability sourcing. Comparable as a next-gen synthetic fiber substitute, though using recycling rather than bio-based feedstocks.
• Ambercycle: Ambercycle produces Cycora™ regenerated polyester from end-of-life textiles for apparel brands. Comparable as a circular synthetic fiber alternative addressing the same polyester substitution use case for fashion brands.
• Carbios: Carbios develops enzymatic recycling technology for PET plastics and textiles, with partnerships to produce virgin-quality recycled polyester. Comparable as a sustainable polyester alternative addressing microfiber and circularity concerns in fashion.
• Renewcell: Renewcell (now Circulose) produces dissolving-grade pulp from 100% recycled textiles for viscose and other man-made cellulosic fibers. Comparable as a next-gen sustainable fiber substitute for fashion brands, though focused on cellulose rather than polyester substitution.

Broad incumbents

• LanzaTech: LanzaTech uses gas fermentation to produce sustainable fuels and chemicals, including potential polyester precursors. Broadly comparable as a carbon-tech / fermentation-based materials company, though currently focused on fuels and chemicals rather than finished apparel fibers.
• Aquafil: Aquafil produces ECONYL® regenerated nylon for fashion and carpeting, an established sustainable synthetic fiber. Comparable as a circular/sustainable synthetic fiber supplier to fashion brands, though focused on nylon rather than polyester substitution.
• Toray Industries: Toray is a global leader in synthetic fiber manufacturing, including polyester and other man-made fibers used in apparel. Comparable as the incumbent polyester fiber supplier whose installed base Kintra's drop-in technology is designed to displace.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kintrafibers

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kintra Fibers