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Q-CYCLE® Pompea: underwear that follows the body, innovation that starts with the yarn
Lightweight, stretchy, seamless hats designed for everyday wear
Underwear is the first layer we wear: it stays in contact with the skin, follows our movements and accompanies the body for many hours.
This idea gave rise to the Q-CYCLE® Pompea collection: a line of women’s and men’s underwear that combines softness, stretch and seamless comfort with the choice of an innovative yarn in its polyamide component.
Bras, briefs, boxer briefs and T-shirts are designed to adapt naturally to the body’s contours and offer a lightweight, second-skin feel.
A choice that starts with the yarn:
Q-CYCLE® is the result of Fulgar’s Italian textile expertise and BASF’s ChemCycling® project. Its production introduces a secondary raw material derived from end-of-life tires into the supply chain.
This raw material is accounted for and allocated to the production of Q-CYCLE® through a verified mass balance system. The yarn thus retains the lightweight, durable and elastic properties required for underwear and clothing worn next to the skin.
From end-of-life tires to a new raw material
End-of-life tires can be processed to obtain a secondary raw material to be introduced at the beginning of the production chain.
In the process used for Q-CYCLE®, this raw material replaces, on an attributed basis, a corresponding amount of virgin fossil raw material.
The transition from tires to yarn therefore does not occur directly: the recovered raw material enters a shared industrial process and is subsequently attributed to Q-CYCLE® production through mass balance*
Q-CYCLE® woman’s underwear: softness, adaptability, and natural support
The women's collection includes bralettes and briefs designed to gently follow the body's curves.
The most essential bralettes follow the bust, offering natural, light support without underwires or
rigid structures. The stretch fabric adapts to the body and follows every movement without constricting.
The Comfort Size styles offer a more enveloping fit, designed also for fuller figures. Functional zones help support the bust gently, while the soft structure follows the body's curves without tightening.
Briefs are available in a range of fits:
- low-rise, for a more dynamic, contemporary silhouette;
- high-rise, to wrap around the hips and buttocks with light support;
- Comfort Size, to adapt naturally even to fuller figures;
- with more dynamic structures, also suitable for gym workouts.
Three-dimensional construction, anatomical zones and
ventilation areas are designed to make every garment soft, adaptable and comfortable to wear.
From yarn to underwear: a second-skin sensation
The quality of underwear is felt above all when it is worn.
That is why Pompea uses seamless construction, allowing the fabric to follow the body more naturally while reducing the presence of traditional side seams.
The lightweight, stretchy structure moves with you, while three-dimensional construction and functional anatomical zones are positioned according to the needs of different styles.
The result is underwear designed to offer:
- softness against the skin;
- stretch and adaptability;
- natural support in dedicated styles;
- ventilation in strategic areas;
- comfortable wear throughout the day.
Q-CYCLE® men's underwear: comfort and freedom of movement
The men’s range includes boxers, briefs, and T-shirts designed
for different times of the day.
The models intended for everyday use prioritize a soft, relaxed fit, designed to follow the body without restriction.
The sports models, on the other hand, offer a closer
and more dynamic fit, with anatomical zones and ventilation areas positioned in strategic places.
The seamless T-shirt can be worn:
- as an undershirt;
- under a jacket, for a minimalist look;
- during a workout at the gym.
The stretch fabric naturally follows the torso and allows the garment to adapt to movement while maintaining a lightweight feel against the skin.
Questions and Further Information
What does “mass balance” mean?
Mass balance is a traceability system used when conventional and alternative raw materials are processed within the same production facilities.
In simple terms:
- the quantity of recovered raw material introduced into the supply chain is measured;
- the quantity is accounted for throughout the production process;
- an equivalent quantity is attributed to Q-CYCLE® products;
- the correspondence between the quantity introduced and the quantity attributed is verified according to recognized certification systems.
This means that the recovered raw material is accounted for and attributed to yarn production, even though it is not physically kept separate from conventional raw material throughout every stage of processing.
A measurement taken on the yarn
LCA Fulgar 2024
In 2024, Fulgar conducted a Life Cycle Assessment of its yarns, declared compliant with the methodology of the UNI EN ISO 14040 series of standards.
The analysis compares the production of 1 kg of Q-CYCLE® polyamide 6.6 yarn with the production of 1 kg of conventional polyamide 6.6 yarn, taken as the international reference average.
For the climate change indicator, the study reports:
5.41 kg of CO₂ equivalent per 1 kg of Q-CYCLE® yarn.
10.57 kg of CO₂ equivalent per 1 kg of conventional yarn used as
the reference.
Approximately 49% fewer CO₂ equivalent emissions
for the production of Q-CYCLE® yarn, limited to the climate change indicator and according to the study’s calculation method.
How to interpret this figure correctly
The 49% figure refers exclusively to:
- the production of 1 kg of yarn;
- the environmental indicator relating to climate change;
- the comparison with the international average indicated in the study;
- the boundaries and assumptions adopted in the LCA.
It does not represent the carbon footprint of the finished Pompea garment and does not mean that a boxer brief, brief, or bralette has 49% less overall environmental impact.
The impact of a complete garment also includes:
- the other materials present in the composition;
- fabric processing;
- dyeing;
- garment manufacturing;
- packaging;
- transport;
- washing and use;
- end of life.
Yarn traceability and checks
RCS – Recycled Claim Standard
On May 7, 2024, Fulgar announced that it had obtained the RCS – Recycled Claim Standard certification for Q-CYCLE® and for the upstream textile supply chain covered by the certification.
According to Fulgar, RCS involves third-party verification of claims relating to recycled materials and their traceability throughout the production stages included within the certified scope.
The certification concerns the yarn and the chain of custody covered by the relevant documents. It should not automatically be interpreted as an overall environmental certification of an individual Pompea garment.
ISCC PLUS
As of the date of the announcement on May 7, 2024, Fulgar stated that Q-CYCLE® had already obtained ISCC PLUS certification, relating to the traceability and mass-balance system of the production supply chain.
STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®
Fulgar also indicates that Q-CYCLE® complies with the requirements of STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®, Class I, Appendix 6, a standard concerning controls on potentially harmful substances in textile materials.