Lycra

Building a more sustainable future... Together

Discover The LYCRA Company Planet Agenda

Fashion’s footprint

The textile and apparel industry...

It’s time for a change

10%

Contributes up to 10% of global carbon emissions

21b

Creates 21 billion tons of garbage yearly

17-20%

Responsible for 17-20% of global water pollution

Current state of affairs

2/3 over

2/3

⅔ of women over 18 think sustainability is one of the top three issues impacting our world today.

82%

82% are “very or somewhat” invested in improving their ecological footprint.

50%

Over 50% want to improve their footprint when it comes to textile and apparel waste.

Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation

To do what’s right for our planet and our industry, we need to move to a more circular system, reducing waste and keeping resources in use for as long as possible. To help address this challenge, The LYCRA Company created Planet Agenda, a sustainable operating framework that touches every aspect of our business.

We’re committed to doing better

What’s a circular economy?

Pillars of Planet Agenda

To institute positive change, we’re focused on three major pillars of our business.

Corporate Responsibility

Conducting business lawfully and ethically is a key guiding principle of The LYCRA Company.

Our priorities include:

An impeccable health and safety record.

Supporting organizations in the communities where we operate as well as those that advance sustainable practices

Ensuring lawful labor practices are followed and all employees are treated fairly and with respect.

Learn more +

Manufacturing Excellence

All of The LYCRA Company manufacturing sites look for ways to reduce our environmental footprint by conserving resources and eliminating waste.

Results +

Product Sustainability

We’re focused on developing products that use fewer resources and have a longer wear-life -- ensuring they remain in closets and out of landfills.

View all products +

Calculate your contribution

Let's help keep materials in use. To see how many bottles are in your item of clothing, enter the garment weight and percent of recycled COOLMAX , THERMOLITE or LYCRA T400 fiber.

Calculate

Garment weight

% Recycled fiber in garment

grams

Results

Bottles per garment for LYCRA T400 fiber

Bottles per garment for COOLMAX or THERMOLITE fiber

Show your customers you take a stand

Find out how The LYCRA Company can help you reduce your footprint and increase customer loyalty. Watch the Planet Agenda video below.

Play Planet Agenda Video

Design & Produce

Distribute

Consume

Recycle

What’s a circular economy?

A circular economy aims to minimize waste and make the most of resources. Aims to keep resources and raw materials in use as long as possible.

Design & Produce

Using raw or recycled materials (yarn, fabric, garments)

Distribute

Finished garments sold to brands & retailers, then consumers

Consume

Extend use by re-wear or re-purpose

Recycle

Recover raw materials and re-use

Manufacturing Excellence results

Energy savings

250

250 energy reduction programs implemented since 2011

Energy savings

20%

20% reduction in energy intensity across two sites, and a 10% reduction in more than half our sites.

Water savings

20%

20% reduction in plant operation water usage across two sites.

Waste reduction

Less than 1% of LYCRA fiber waste sent to landfills

Sustainable Products

Waste reduction

LYCRA EcoMade fiber LYCRA T400 EcoMade fiber COOLMAX EcoMade fiber THERMOLITE EcoMade Fibers and Insulations LYCRA Hyfit Type 859 fiber

Use arrows to cycle through our sustainable product list.

LYCRA EcoMade fiber

Our first pre-consumer recycled offer, made with 20% recycled content.

LYCRA T400 EcoMade fiber

This offering combines moderate stretch with lasting shape retention and is made with 50% post-consumer content.

COOLMAX EcoMade fiber

These fibers give new life to plastics while providing cool, dry comfort.

Employees from our Tuas Singapore site participate in Kayak and Klean, an initiative to retrieve trash from local waterways

Results: In 2019 our OSHA recordable incident rate was 10X lower than the average for manufacturing industries in 2018* (*2018 is the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics).

Results: The LYCRA Company is an active member of The Sustainable Apparel Coalition, as well as collaborating with prominent scientific institutions, smaller entrepreneurs, and nonprofit organizations to help make a positive impact on the environment. Our community support extends to a wide variety of organizations dedicated to education, safety, sustainability, and improving the lives of residents in our communities and around the globe.

Results: The LYCRA Company has developed and long followed a detailed company-wide Code of Conduct which all employees, contractors and third parties are expected to follow. For more information, Click Here

LYCRA dualFX technology

Combines two stretch fibers to bring long-lasting stretch and shape retention to denim and woven fabrics, helping jeans and pants maintain their fit.

LYCRA FUSION™ technology

Helps make hosiery resistant to ladders (runs) which can improve garment wear life.

LYCRA XTRA LIFE™ fiber

Provides long-lasting fit in chlorinated water environments and lasts up to 10x longer than fabrics made with unprotected elastane.

Increased Garment Life Wear

LYCRA TOUGH MAX™ technology

Creates a more durable denim, resists tearing and fraying. Twice as strong as 100% cotton.

LYCRA XTRA LIFE™ fiber LYCRA FUSION™ technology LYCRA dualFX technology LYCRA TOUGH MAX™ technology LYCRA BLACK technology

LYCRA Easy Set fiber

Offers customers the ability to heat set fabrics at 15-20% lower temperatures than standard elastane, thus using less energy in processing.

LYCRA Hyfit Type 837 fiber

Excellent run performance means less energy used, fewer breaks and less waste in diaper production.

Helping Customers Reduce Resource Usage

LYCRA Hyfit Type 837 fiber LYCRA Easy Set fiber

LYCRA BLACK technology

The industry’s first black elastane, it helps clothes maintain deep, rich tones thanks to spun-in black pigment.

THERMOLITE EcoMade Fibers and Insulations

These products bring lightweight warmth to apparel and outerwear garments with recycled contents ranging from 35% to 100%.

LYCRA Hyfit Type 859 fiber

Provides higher retractive force, enabling customers to use less fiber and still achieve similar performance to standard offerings.

Source: Refinery 29 Sustainability Study, June 2019, Sample n=558 Women 18+, Mad Chatter panel

Results are estimates based on average sized garments and recycled content for most of The LYCRA Company’s products. Actual results may vary.

50% Recycled PET

18% Plant-based materials

100% Recycled PET

Play Planet Agenda Video