The Lycra Company Now Selling Products Made with 100% Textile Waste

(Credit: The Lycra Company)

The Lycra Company has announced the launch of its first performance offerings made from 100% textile waste. Coolmax and Thermolite EcoMade fibers made from textile waste are the result of a collaboration between The Lycra Company and Itochu Corporation.

A unique depolymerization and refining process is used to convert textile waste, which consists of scraps from garment manufacturers, into fibers with properties comparable to virgin polyester. The new fibers are available in filament and staple forms, suitable for common textile processes and insulations batting uses.

Coolmax and Thermolite fibers have been made from recycled raw materials such as recycled PET bottles for many years. The company says it will continue to offer these products in parallel with those made from textile waste.

Textile waste has been an issue within the apparel industry for years. Last year, Gap Inc. and the global nonprofit Textile Exchange announced the development of the Preferred Fiber Toolkit, a resource that the partners say will be publicly released and could be used by sourcing and design teams to help companies in the apparel industry meet their sustainability goals.