HeiQ, The LYCRA Company collaborates to drive sustainable textile innovation

The Lycra Company and HeiQ, two global pioneers in textile technology innovation, have entered into a broad-based collaboration across multiple technology and brand platforms that will bring more innovative, quality-enhancing, and sustainable textile innovations to customers across the world.

HeiQ and The Lycra Company have chosen to use their common philosophies and strengths in textile science, commercial networks, and global marketing to advance innovation platforms into broad textile markets, building on exploratory conversations that began in early 2019. Consumer-branded breakthroughs in the stretch, thermoregulation, freshness, and sustainability market spaces are envisioned by the corporations.

The Lycra Company’s chief brand and innovation officer, Steve Stewart, said that they’re thrilled to announce the start of this partnership, which is the result of talks that began two years ago. By merging their strengths, they will continue to drive real innovation in the textile sector, bringing innovative solutions to a larger audience at a faster pace.

The Lycra Company and HeiQ bring trusted expertise across the global textile value chain of yarn processors, fabric mills, garment producers, brands, and retailers, demonstrating a commitment to sustainable, consumer-driven innovations delivered through partnerships that push textile performance to unprecedented levels.

HeiQ is a renowned innovator in finished-based innovations addressing freshness, sustainability, smart temperature management, antiviral, dryness, and many other market spaces, whereas The Lycra Company is the consumer-recognized leader in branded fibers and fabrics addressing needs for sustainable stretch, warming, and cooling.

The first of several innovation platforms will launch this summer, providing HeiQ freshness and antiviral advantages with the quality and comfort of stretch fabrics certified to function with a new LYCRA® freshFX® technology brand standard, giving consumers a new level of comfort and confidence. Preparation for this invention is already underway, with a focus on Chinese local value chains for the Chinese customer, and the debut is planned for the Intertextile exhibition in Shanghai at the end of August.

Carlo Centonze, co-founder and CEO of HeiQ Group, said that their goal at HeiQ is to enable brands and mills in the textile industry to bring more comfort, performance, and sustainability to textile products while raising brand awareness with key consumers who will benefit the most from these innovations. This cooperation with The Lycra Company not only brings together the brightest brains in the industry but also ensures that their game-changing technologies reach and benefit as many people as possible.

The Lycra Company’s CEO, Julien Born, said that the partnership is founded on a strong foundation of mutual principles and beliefs shared by the two organizations. They’re excited to discover new solutions for the garment sector by using their natural synergies.

This cooperation will be focused on meeting current customer demands for high-quality, long-lasting, and environmentally friendly clothing. In late summer, commercial samples of textiles and outfits will be available.