Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, US, The LYCRA Company is recognised worldwide for its sustainable products, technical expertise, marketing support and LYCRA ONE™ marketplace. The LYCRA Company focuses on adding value to its customers’ products by developing unique innovations designed to meet the consumer’s need for comfort and lasting performance. The company innovates and produces fibre and technology solutions for the apparel and personal care industries and owns the leading consumer brands: LYCRA®, LYCRA HyFit®, LYCRA® T400®, COOLMAX®, THERMOLITE®, ELASPAN®, SUPPLEX® and TACTEL®.

The LYCRA Company’s Senior Commercial Manager-South Asia Thiruvengadam Rajagopal talks about the unique demands and the company’s approach to the South Asian market.

What are the main barriers to adopting new fibre technologies in traditional apparel manufacturing, and how can they be overcome?

At The LYCRA Company, we use consumer and market insights to determine apparel needs, allowing us to effectively showcase the advantages of our latest products and technologies to our customers. It is crucial to have the right strategies and partnerships in place to drive innovations throughout the value chain for success.

As an example, our LYCRA® Anti-Slip fibre innovation is designed to combat seam slippage issues in both denim and non-denim garments. While yarn and fabric mills may not immediately grasp the full benefits of this technology, garment makers are reaping significant rewards. By prioritising engagement with garment makers, we can make substantial strides forward, eventually aligning all members of the value chain for a successful product launch.

How do recent advancements in fibre technology impact the overall sustainability of the apparel industry?

The goal of The LYCRA Company is to support organisations dedicated to advancing sustainable practices in our industry. Our manufacturing sites complete HIGG facility modules, and our sustainable products are RCS and GRS certified.

The LYCRA Company is currently working on an exciting development that we anticipate will make a substantial impact on our industry. This is a bio-derived LYCRA® fibre, where 70 per cent of the fibre content is derived from field or dent corn. This product has several key benefits:

• It is a renewable product that will be available at scale.

• It provides a reduction of up to 44 per cent in carbon emissions.

• The final product has equivalent performance to the original LYCRA® fibre.

How does The LYCRA Company adapt its strategies to meet the unique demands of the South Asian market?

The LYCRA Company is recognised globally for its innovation, technical expertise, sustainable practices, and robust marketing support. Our focus revolves around enhancing the value of our customers’ offerings by crafting distinctive innovations tailored to fulfil consumers’ desires for comfort and lasting performance.

With a dedicated team catering to the demands of the South Asia region, we actively collaborate with all stakeholders in the textile value chain to identify pain points that can be addressed through new or enhanced products and processes, thereby adding value.

Continuing our investment with strategic mill partners, we collaborate to develop fabric and garment concepts using our product innovations, ensuring they meet and exceed market expectations.

How does The LYCRA Company support local manufacturers and brands in South Asia in adopting new fibre technologies?

The LYCRA Company fosters strong relationships throughout the textile value chain by closely collaborating with yarn mills, fabric manufacturers, garment producers, and brands and retailers. We strategically partner with our customers in the South Asia region to develop and promote fabrics and garments using our fibre and fabric technologies.

Recently, we introduced a fabric featuring LYCRA® Fit400™ fibre, meeting the criteria for LYCRA® XTRA LIFE™ branding, targeting the ready-to-wear and activewear segments. Additionally, we are expanding our LYCRA® ADAPTIV line with new fibres, including LYCRA® ADAPTIV BLACK fibre and LYCRA® ADAPTIV XTRA LIFE fibre, specifically tailored for swimwear and activewear.

The LYCRA Company supports brands and retailers in promoting and communicating the advantages of garments made with our fibres and fabric technologies. This support encompasses marketing campaigns, consumer education, and branding initiatives, emphasising the enhanced comfort, fit, and performance our fibres bring to apparel.

With the rise of digital marketplaces, how has The LYCRA Company’s approach to the South Asian market evolved?

The LYCRA Company is actively engaged in digital initiatives to maintain connectivity across the textile value chain. Our expanded digital infrastructure facilitates innovative forms of virtual engagement, showcasing the diverse sources of innovation, insights, and trends—including sustainable practices—that we bring to our customers throughout the value chain. This digitisation optimises production processes, minimising the necessity for physical samples, thereby saving time and reducing waste for more efficient and sustainable operations.

As part of our digital transformation, we launched the LYCRA ONE™ marketplace, offering our mill partners an additional avenue for sales, connecting them with qualified leads seeking certified fabrics powered by our technologies.

We prioritise effective communication regarding product innovations and collaborative efforts with our partner mills, highlighting the superior performance of their fabrics and garments.

What role does the LYCRA ONE™ marketplace play for South Asian customers, and how can they leverage it effectively?

The LYCRA ONE™ marketplace serves as an online platform that connects brands, retailers, and garment makers to a global network of partner mills in a virtual capacity. This digital B2B platform enables us to present our products and services more comprehensively, incorporating new B2B and B2C websites for the LYCRA®, COOLMAX®, and THERMOLITE® brands.

It provides South Asian fabric mills with a knowledge centre of selling tools, market research and fashion trend forecasts to help in differentiating their collections on a global stage. Fabric and garment makers can acquire qualified leads from the trade without any cost and promote their unique capabilities, attracting potential customers from all regions.

For brands and retailers, this tool offers a unique experience to source fabrics anytime and anywhere, identifying new resources and capabilities for cross-functional segments in all regions, and accessing a variety of services under one roof.

What are the biggest challenges and opportunities you see in the South Asian apparel market today?

The LYCRA Company recognises the South Asian region as a growing market across all segments of the apparel market, especially in countries like Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, where vertical integration is increasing from raw materials to finished products, making them key manufacturing hubs. This shift reduces lead times and streamlines the value chain.

The India domestic market is moving towards an organised value chain, with modern retail formats and e-commerce platforms gaining consumer traction.

South Asian manufacturers are investing in product quality, cost competitiveness, and technology to meet global demands, encouraging diversification and R&D in textiles.