INVISTA, one of the world’s largest integrated producers of polymers and fibers and owner of the LYCRA® brand, and Lenzing, a leading producer of man-made cellulosics like rayon, modal, and lyocell, are working together to bring improved aesthetic performance to stretch fabrics. By combining INVISTA’s patented LYCRA® dualFX® fabric technology with LENZING’s TENCEL® fiber, the two companies are delivering a unique solution to the industry: cellulosic denim fabrics with significantly improved shape retention.
DL1961 jeans fuse softness with enhanced shape retention by combining Lenzing's ProModal(R) with INVISTA's LYCRA(R) dualFX(R) fabric technology. Photo courtesy of DL1961. LYCRA(R) and dualFX(R) are trademarks of INVISTA. ProModal(R) is a trademark of Lenzing AG.
According to Jean Hegedus, INVISTA’s Denim Business Director, about a year ago INVISTA began hearing about the challenges its mill customers were facing in developing stretch cellulosic fabrics. The company initiated a study to identify the underlying mechanisms of these issues and determine how to improve them. INVISTA and Lenzing are presenting the results of the study at a seminar at the Kingpins Denim show on January 22 at 1:30 p.m.
“Given the growing popularity of both LYCRA® fiber and TENCEL® fiber in the denim market, it was only natural that people wanted to combine them to come up with really amazing fabrics,” Hegedus said. “However, as mills began experimenting they encountered issues such as growth, fabrics not keeping their shape, and fabric puckering due to seam slippage.”
To address these issues INVISTA looked to its LYCRA® dualFX® fabric technology, which combines two stretch fibers – LYCRA® fiber and LYCRA® T400® fiber – into a single yarn. INVISTA ran trials pairing this technology with blends of cotton and TENCEL® fiber. The trials showed significant improvement in fabric recovery and slippage to the point where the fabric performance met or exceeded INVISTA’s and the industry’s standards. From there, INVISTA and Lenzing decided to work together to promote these fabrics in the marketplace. Lenzing management says it is pleased to work with INVISTA to help customers develop commercial fabrics with strong marketing attributes. Both companies have global sales, marketing and technical teams supporting the developments and they will provide joint promotional materials as well as supply chain support and marketing information.
“This initiative represents two globally innovative fiber companies working together to provide the denim market with fabrics that meet the performance needs of modern consumers,” says Michael Kininmonth, Senior Project Manager of Denim at Lenzing Fibres Inc. “Superior comfort with stretch and long-lasting recovery are set to become the next core product in women’s wear.”
“LYCRA® dualFX® fabrics bring a whole new standard of performance to denim so it was only natural to extend that technology to blends with TENCEL® fiber,” said Hegedus. “We are excited to work together with Lenzing and we think both companies can bring significant value to the marketplace.”
Recently, TENCEL® fiber has been reinvented by denim designers as the perfect complement to today’s fashion trends. Jeans with TENCEL® fiber are attractive, durable, and become immediate favourites thanks to their enhanced comfort. The fiber’s smooth surface and optimal moisture transfer benefits turn jeans into articles of clothing that enhance physical well-being while still being on-trend.
The revival of TENCEL® fiber in denim is also due in part to the environmental factor. Blending TENCEL® into denim fabric results in a significant improvement for the environment because it is made from wood grown in sustainably managed forests. The production process for TENCEL® fiber is based on a closed loop solvent spinning process and represents the greatest environmental achievement in cellulose fiber technology. INVISTA introduced its LYCRA® dualFX® fabric technology to the market about two years ago. Initial applications were with cotton, where it brought improved shape retention to denim fabrics, especially to super stretch styles that were difficult to control using standard corespun yarns. Now those same benefits are being realized in fabrics with TENCEL®, offering a whole new range of development possibilities for the industry.