Fashion brands are producing more responsibly by the day, and the proof is in the certification.
This week, Lycra announced that its new EcoMade fibers Type 166E and 162E have been certified to the Global Recycled Standard (GRS). Currently produced in Brazil, these fibers make up Lycra’s first branded spandex made from pre-consumer recycled materials collected from the company’s manufacturing sites. The materials are then blended with virgin polymer to make the EcoMade fiber.
The product was first announced in September, when the company presented the fibers at the Intertextile Show in Shanghai. In the next two years, Lycra plans to incorporate recycled materials into its other product lines to further its progress in responsible production.
“We believe sustainability is a journey of continuous improvement that touches every aspect of our business, from reducing energy, water usage and waste at our sites to developing new products with excellent performance and a smaller footprint,” Jean Hegedus, The Lycra Company’s sustainability director, said.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability under The Lycra Company’s Planet Agenda,” Hegedus added, “we have also set a goal to convert the vast majority of our Coolmax and Thermolite fiber business to post-consumer recycled versions by 2021.”
The company was also acknowledged by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute in San Francisco, which awarded Lycra’s 166L fiber a Gold Level certification for material health. Additionally, its own-brand fiber-apparel production sites are Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified.
The EcoMade fibers, along with Lycra’s other sustainable innovations, are the main focus at the company’s booth at the Kingpins trade show in New York City beginning Tuesday.
