The Lycra Company has teamed up with woven fabric manufacturer Sapphire Finishing Mills to develop a collection of 20 fabrics aimed at enhancing comfort in casualwear.
Featuring a range of Lycra and Coolmax technologies, the fabrics address the modern consumer’s desire for versatile apparel blending all-day comfort with first-rate style, Lycra noted. By using more durable fabrics, garments can have a longer life cycle and fulfill consumers interest in apparel that addresses their concerns around sustainability.
To help produce high-quality fabrics addressing these requirements, Pakistan-based Sapphire worked closely with the Lycra Company to select combinations of patented Lycra technologies for the new range of fabrics. To help brands and manufacturers choose the right fabric for their needs, Sapphire also developed a fabric selector that divides the new range into three categories:
The “Essentials” features comfortable fit fabrics designed for men and women, chinos or five pocket style trousers. Specially engineered with Lycra or Lycra T400, they provide gentle, comfortable stretch and long-lasting shape retention for a year-round fit. Coolmax technology is also featured in this collection, with fabrics that help keep wearers cool and dry.
“Smarthletics” is a group designed with innovative Lycra dualFX technology, providing two-way stretch fibers for exceptional recovery, helping garments keep their shape while staying in place all day.
The “360 degrees Fit All-Rounder” is the ultimate “do-anything-go-anywhere” fabric designed with four-way stretch Lycra XFit technology.
Separately, Calvin Klein has chosen to include Lycra Freefit technology for added functionality and performance in a new range of 15 core casualwear items. Lycra Freefit technology has been specially engineered to provide the right amount of stretch and recovery for great-fitting, ultra-comfortable apparel made from cotton and cotton-blend knits or wovens, the company said.
Adding the functionality of this technology elevates Calvin Klein’s athleisure and casualwear offerings by balancing style and performance. Calvin Klein’s range of key styles with Lycra Freefit technology includes slim-fit stretch T-shirts, cotton stretch hoodies, jackets, sweatshirts and joggers. The items are available online in Europe from Calvin Klein and include offerings for men, women and children.