LYCRA Co introduces performance fibers made from textile waste

The LYCRA Company, a global leader in fiber and textile solutions for the apparel industry, is proud to announce the introduction of its first performance offerings made entirely of textile waste. The LYCRA Company and ITOCHU Corporation, a general trading company with strength in consumer-related industries, including the textile industry, collaborated to produce COOLMAX® and THERMOLITE® EcoMade fibers made from textile waste. The new products combine the brand equity and performance characteristics of these leading cooling and warming brands with the environmental benefits of textile waste, addressing a crucial market need.

The chief commercial officer of The LYCRA Company, Julien Born said that they’re excited to announce their partnership with ITOCHU to help fix textile waste, which poses a significant sustainability challenge because one garbage truck of textiles is disposed of or incinerated every second. He added that this partnership exemplifies their collaborative approach to developing goods and solutions that help their global consumer base achieve a more sustainable future.

This is the first of many clothing and garment recycling technologies being developed by The LYCRA Company. One of the main goals of The LYCRA Company’s Planet Agenda Sustainability platform is to lay the foundations for a more circular future.

Integrating textile waste technology with COOLMAX® and THERMOLITE® fibers gives customers the performance benefits they want while still producing these industry-leading fibers in a modern and environmentally friendly way. Textile waste, which consists of scraps from garment producers, is processed into fibers with properties comparable to virgin polyester using a special depolymerization and refining process. The new fibers come in filament and staple forms, making them ideal for common textile processes as well as insulation batting applications.

COOLMAX® and THERMOLITE® fabrics, the industry’s leading cooling and warming efficiency solutions, have been manufactured from recycled raw materials such as recycled PET bottles for many years. These items will be offered alongside those manufactured from textile waste by the company.

Except in Japan, where ITOCHU will handle distribution and marketing, these new items can be purchased from The LYCRA Company. Several mills now have access to the latest offerings and will begin designing fabrics with them soon.