Wilmington – The Lycra Company has launched its first performance fibres made from 100 per cent textile waste, a result of its partnership with Japanese trading firm Itochu Corporation.
Lycra says the new products lay the groundwork “for a more circular future”, which is one of the brand’s priorities under the framework of its Planet Agenda sustainability platform.
“This collaboration exemplifies the synergistic approach we have to develop products and technologies that support a more sustainable future for our vast global customer base,” said Julien Born, Lycra’s chief commercial officer.
Lycra sought a partnership with Itochu Corporation, which operates in a number of consumer-related sectors including textiles, as it developed the new fibres.
It says: “The new offerings pair the brand equity and performance attributes of these leading cooling and warming brands with the sustainability benefits of textile waste, thus helping address a critical industry need.”
The Delaware-based business says the introduction of Coolmax and ThermoLite to market represents “the first of several innovations” that it’s working on in textile and garment recycling.
Customers can acquire the fibres in filament and staple forms, which developers say are suitable for common textile processes and insulations batting uses.
Both Lycra and Itochu will assume responsibility for marketing the fibres, with the latter covering its native Japan and parts of Asia.