MANUFACTURING
Invista Unveils Lycra FreeF!t Technology at Kingpins NYC
During last week’s Kingpins NYC show, held Nov. 28–29 at Pier 36/Basketball City in New York, integrated-fiber company Invista unveiled the new patented Lycra FreeF!t technology to its North American audience.
The new material lends greater comfort to denim and woven fabrics while allowing apparel to maintain its shape without the potential loss of recovery more common in softer stretchy material.
Citing consumer demand uncovered through an Invista Denim Study in 2016, the company discovered more than 65 percent of female shoppers surveyed across five countries wanted jeans that provide easy movement, but only 25 percent said the last pair they bought provided this comfort. While 56 percent of respondents reported wanting jeans that hold their shape, only 22 percent said the last pair they bought successfully maintained the garment’s structure.
“It’s a bit like trying to fool the laws of nature,” Invista Global Director for Denim and Wovens Jean Hegedus said in a statement. “Typically, when you have soft, easy stretch, fabric recovery is compromised. What makes this technology so unique is that it combines two opposing concepts—soft stretch and excellent shape retention.”
When creating Lycra FreeF!t, Invista implemented its patented and patent-pending technologies in yarn, textile processing and fabric structure. Using Lycra DualFX yarn, the fabrics are manufactured through Lycra FreeF!t technology, which includes materials treated with Invista’s proprietary formula, and are woven according to the company’s specific processes.
During Kingpins NYC, attendees were able to preview Invista’s CoolMax Natural Touch technology, an innovative offering that blends two types of CoolMax fiber with cotton and Lycra, which remains cool and yields a soft hand.
