Lycra

Lycra is the Du Pont E I De Nemours & Co. brand of elastanne with the ability to stretch up to 600 percent and recover its original shape. Originally designed as a rubber replacement in girdles, clothes with Lycra retain their shape more easily and the stitches don't tear at critical points. Lycra blended with wool, cotton, nylon, polyester and other fibers add comfort, fit and freedom of movement to clothes. Even used in tiny amounts, this invisible yarn gives fabric exceptional performance, fluidity and fit in ready-to-wear garments for men, women and teens, in hosiery, intimate apparel, swimwear, activewear and footwear.

Performance fabrics were created by DuPont with the introduction of CoolMax in 1986, the first of the moisture management performance fabrics, and used initially by elite athletes in cycling and running. In 1991, Thermolite Base was introduced as the first fast-drying thermal fabric. In 1999, the CoolMax brand expanded with the introduction of CoolMax Alta, which combines patented low-pill technology with the latest drying properties of CoolMax.

DuPont CoolMax is a high performance fabric that can help athletic performance. Using DuPont's propriety Dacron Fibers, CoolMax moves moisture away from the body to the outer layer of fabric, where it dries faster than any other fabric. (In moisture management tests, garments made with CoolMax dried almost completely in 30 minutes compared to cotton, which remained wet by nearly 50 percent). Better evaporation means less energy is spent to cool the body's temperature down, increasing performance and endurance.

Thermolite Base are hollow-core fibers used to create a variety of products for warmth: insulation for sleeping bags, coats, boots and high-tech base layer clothing. The product is based on nature: polar bears have fur with ‘hollow' hairs for greater insulation.

DuPontSA Performance Fabrics, marketers of CoolMax and Thermolite Base in Europe, and Noble Fiber Technologies, producers of X-Static, have formed a marketing alliance that will provide co-branded sales of anti-microbial and polyester fiber for textile applications. X-Static, introduced in 1998, uses silver-coated nylon to provide anti-microbial and anti-static properties to fabrics. It was originally a bio-medical technology but retains traditional textile characteristics and can be used in knits, wovens, non-wovens and blended spun yarns

"X-Static' is a fantastic product with many important benefits that are achieved naturally," said Detlef Kerstholt, Marketing Manager Europe for CoolMax and Thermolite. "Combining those benefits with the outstanding moisture management in DuPont CoolMax and the thermal insulating properties of Thermolite Base enables us to provide much-needed benefit to the consumer."

"The twelve years of extensive testing and widespread use in the biomedical markets speak to the uncompromised efficacy and safety of the X-Static silver system," said Bill McNally, president of Noble Fiber Technologies.

"The natural occurring anti-microbial and anti-static properties of X-Static were important to us as we considered the many anti-microbial products available today. Because it works naturally, X-Static is a perfect complement to the positioning of CoolMax and Thermolite Base brands, which achieve their performance through highly engineered fiber technologies instead of chemical treatments used in other products," adds Detlef Kerstholt.

The decision by DuPont and Sabanci to merge their polyester fiber, resin and Intermediates business has resulted on January 1, 2000, in the formation of the largest polyester company in greater Europe. As well as having the broadest product range of any manufacturer, DuPontSa will have unrivaled access to leading technology through DuPont Polyester Technology business as well as licensing and brand management expertise including brands such as Dacron, CoolMax and Thermolite.

Tactel Ispira is range of self-crimping yarns based on step-change, bi-component technology, patented by Dupont, for fabrics with a compact hand. The bi-component technology is used to combine two different polymers into each individual filament. The yarn is flat during weaving, which self-crimps in the fabric dyeing and finishing process, creating fabrics with texture and bulk and a natural hand, combined with a soft, comfortable touch. It gives fabrics a compact, slightly frosted look, engineered to create subtle stretch for improved fit and ease of movement. Garments using Tactel Ispira are lightweight, durable, breathable, quick drying and wrinkle resistant. It is an ideal partner to other fibers, and can carry its attributes in woven blends with cotton, wool, viscose and other Tactel effect yarns. It is suitable for a wide range of garment types, including casual trousers, skirts, jackets, shirts and active/outdoor wear.

DuPont LYCRA's summer 2001 trend and design directions focus on consumers' changing lifestyles and needs. In particular the trend for mobility, as consumers are increasingly ‘on the go' whether in a car, a train, on a plane or roller blades. Freedom of movement is key, and therefore a market of new multifunctional, longwearing clothing is developing. How clothes can be manipulated and transformed to suit consumer's changing needs is the major theme of ‘In Transit' design predictions for women's wear.

COSMETIC APPROACH – Transfigure, the first of these directions, is built around fabrics-mostly knits-that have a liquid, sensuous quality. From matte to high sheen, they are smooth like cosmetic creams, powders and glosses. Body conscious leathers and leather-like fabrics are made soft and supple with Lycra. Designs are soft-edged, with shapeable, moldable fabrics, perfect for futuristic construction techniques. Colors are influenced by cosmetics-from creamy skintones to pink, mauve and taupe, intense earth oranges and a touch of green for sharp contrast.

SOPHISTICATED SAVAGE – Transform presents a new take on naturals, which have a raw, savage quality but come across as quite refined. Cottons, cool wools, linens and linen-looks contain Lycra for comfort, drape and feeling of freedom. Heather, mouline, slubbed and novelty yarns add surface appeal. Unfinished seams and edges are important details and designs are deconstructed and unprocessed. Colors have strong contrasts, from pale overexposed tints through neutrals and shadowy darks-specifically greens and warm burgundy red.

DECORATIVE EXPERIMENTS – Transmit is all about color, print and a wide variety of decorative and creative devices. Inspiration ranges from ancient crafts such as tie-dye and batik to modern technology such as laser cutting and crisp, papery finishes. Fabric design influences garment design – miniature floral prints and polka dots in simple shapes and overblown flowers in Latin-inspired frills and flounces. Colors are intense and assertive such as acid green, red, yellow and luminous aqua. Neutrals, particularly sandy beige, khaki and navy, act as counterpoints to the brights.

By Cinzia Black
New York Correspondent