United States-based Invista has unveiled the Lycra® Sport performance standard for outdoor and
active apparel fabrics containing Lycra® fiber and is accompanying the launch with a new logo and
hangtag as well as an advertising program and a new website. The program emphasizes high technology
and performance standards associated with the Lycra brand, and its testing procedures and fabric
qualification standards are being shown to certain mill partners. Apparel fabric and sock
manufacturers and brands that participate in the Lycra Sport program must comply with the new
standard in terms of Lycra fiber content, fabric weight, recovery power, bi-directional elongation,
fabric set, fabric shrinkage and fit.
“Invista recognized that the message to consumers had become confusing, with stretch or
spandex appearing on many sport fabric hangtags as a proxy for fit, comfort or freedom of
movement,” said Julien Born, global director, Activewear & Outdoor Apparel, Invista. “While our
research confirms that these benefits are indeed of utmost importance to consumers when purchasing
a sport garment, we also know that stretch via the presence of spandex is only a small part of the
equation to allow consistent delivery of such fabric performance requirements. Our new Lycra Sport
fabric program, which combines stretch fiber technology and demanding fabric performance testing
standards on important parameters such as recovery power, addresses this issue and will help
consumers’ choice at the point of sales.”
August 19, 2009