Lycra presents ‘breakthrough’ targeted stretch
The Lycra Company used Kingpins Amsterdam to launch its latest product, which it worked with denim mill partners for 18 months on – a ‘customisable’ stretch fabric that can offer greater support in targeted areas through a heat-activated process.
The idea for FitSense was born after the company conducted extensive research with 1,200 women across the world on barriers to comfort, desire for support and personalised fit. It gleaned ill-fitting or baggy jeans were a cause of discomfort for one third of consumers, and that different age groups or sizes valued different fits or ‘lifts’.
Using a novel construction - which includes two Lycra fibres (one thermo-responsive) as a core in the yarn with a ‘sheath fibre’ such as cotton wrapped around, making up the weft - the stretch fabric can have ‘localised areas’ activated (and ‘tightened’) using heat. This means that brands could add extra support around the thighs, stomach or rear area, for example, creating lift on the finished garment. This added ‘support’ is activated at the laundry stage, after the wet processing, to the brand’s design.
For manufacturers, the fabric can be washed and treated as normal (but with no resin coatings or heat settings), and then ‘activated’ to a designated template under heat. No new machinery is needed at the laundry, as various heat applications could be used – unless it needs to be processed at scale.
Consumers are able to wash the jeans as usual, but ironing and steam cleaning are not recommended. Lycra’s research suggested 70% of customers would pay more for visible lifting in specific areas, and these kind of jeans would make them feel more confident.
Lycra worked on the research and development with mill partners Soorty, Calik, Advance, Eroglu and Crystal Group, on fabrics that feature 30% to 80% stretch.
Ebru Debbag, sales and marketing director at Soorty, said: “We tell brand partners, try it with your fit models, this development really shows in the garments. The industry has been a little bit stagnant in terms of innovation in targeted shaping, so we are looking forward to working with global brands on this development. We are already getting a lot of interest, on this first day.”
Ebru Ozaydin, Lycra’s marketing director for denim, wovens and ready-to-wear, added: “Our innovative solution is discreet and invisible, and jeans retain the authentic denim look and feel consumers love.”
