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Disclaimer:The data and material presented were derived from internal INVISTA S.à r.l. studies and are provided for informational purposes only. INVISTA does not provide any representation or warranty with respect to the standards used or applied in deriving such data and material, the statistical significance of such data and material or the reliability, accuracy or fitness of such data and material for any purpose whatsoever. All such data and material are the property of INVISTA and nothing herein shall be construed as authorization or license to use, print or distribute any such data or material. INVISTA disclaims any liability whatsoever with respect to the use of any of the data or material contained herein.
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New Technologies for Super Stretch Denim
May 2, 2011Mill version
Introducing … LYCRA® dualFX™ fabrics
• Consumer needs in denim: The importance of fit
• The growth of super stretch fabrics
• The trade & consumer dilemma: high growth… poor fit
• The market solution: LYCRA® dualFX ™ fabrics
• Qualifying yarns• Qualifying yarns
• INVISTA patent position
• Fabric quality standards
• Brand positioning & promotion
• For additional information
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Fit is the most important attribute in the purchase of women’s jeans
Keeps its shape
Has freedom of movement
Is flattering
Is easy to care for
Looks good on me
Is comfortable
Is washable
Fits well
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Is soft
Is fashionable
Has a custom-like fit
Is high quality
Doesn't shrink
Is a good value
Is durable
Keeps its shape
Question: How important to you are these
characteristics in a pair of denim jeans?3
Strategic Insights Consumer End Use Study, 2007
Increasing popularity of super stretch fabrics
• Fabrics with stretch levels of 30% or more in the weft
• Targeted at body-hugging styles:– Jeggings and skinny jeans
• Present technical challenges throughout the value chain from mill to consumer
• Have become a fabric staple in the market
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Super stretch fabrics are leading growth in women’s denim
380.000
390.000
400.000
Growth of Women‘s Stretch Jeans & Jeggings in the
U.S.
300.000
310.000
320.000
330.000
340.000
350.000
360.000
370.000
380.000
2008 UNITS 2009 UNITS 2010 UNITS
JEGGINGS
WOMEN'S JEANS
Sources: NPD, INVISTA Retail Audits5
Strong consumer interest in jeans with improved shape retention
70%
80%
90%
100%
43%38%
Better shape retention increases likelihood of purchase
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
US Germany Italy China
38% 37%44%
54%
47%42%
43%
% "Probably increase"
% "Definitely Increase"
Source: Decision Analyst Inc, Dec. 2008 INVISTA study6
The trade & consumer dilemma
Consumers want jeans with high stretch and high recovery power. However, it is not easy to produce high quality, high stretch fabrics using conventional methods:
– Cotton/elastane fabrics can have high stretch, but it is difficult to achieve low growth. achieve low growth.
– Fabrics with elasterell-p have very good recovery and low shrinkage, but it is not easy to obtain high stretch levels.
– Polyester/elastane fabrics can have a synthetic look and hand.
– Garments can lose their shape during wear resulting in consumer dissatisfaction.
7
The solution: LYCRA® dualFX™ fabric
• LYCRA® dualFX™ fabrics are made with patented* technologies from INVISTA that allow mills to produce super stretch fabrics with:
– High stretch
– High recovery
– Low growth
– Excellent dimensional stability
• The heart of the technologies involves combining LYCRA® fiber and LYCRA® T400® fiber • The heart of the technologies involves combining LYCRA fiber and LYCRA T400 fiber in the same fabric.
• Heat setting is not necessary.
• No new capital investment is required, just processing adjustments.
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*Relevant patents include US 7,299,828
Principle Behind LYCRA® dualFX™ fabrics
LYCRA® dualFX™ fabric:
LYCRA® fiber :
High stretch
LYCRA® T400® fiber :
high recovery, low shrinkage
LYCRA® dualFX™ fabric:
High stretch, high recovery, low
shrinkage
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Typically, LYCRA® dualFX™ fabrics are made with composite yarns
Cotton
LYCRA®
Yarns can be corespun, airjet covered,or single covered yarns
LYCRA® fiber
Corespun Yarns Airjet Covered Yarns Covered Yarns
LYCRA® fiber
LYCRA®
fiber
LYCRA®
T400® fiber
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LYCRA® T400® fiberLYCRA® T400®
fiber
Corespun yarns for LYCRA® dualFX™ fabrics can be made in a variety of ways:
LYCRA® fiber and
LYCRA® T400®
fiber are
interlaced
together via air jet
covering. The
LYCRA® fiber and
LYCRA® T400® fiber
are twisted together.
Then the twisted
yarn is covered by
cotton in
LYCRA® fiber and
LYCRA® T400® fiber
are fed into the core
spun machine
together with
different drafts. At airjet yarn is then
covered by cotton
in corespinning.
corespinning.different drafts. At
the same time, they
are covered and
twisted with cotton.
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Pre-combining Process
Tension
device
Weight roll
12
LYCRA® fiber +
LYCRA® T400®
fiber twisted or
air covered
filament
Cotton
roving
Direct Combining ProcessLYCRA®
T400® fiber
Tension deviceLYCRA® fiber
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Cotton
roving
Comfort & performance
The chart at the right shows the extension load curves of three typical stretch fabrics. The fabric with both LYCRA®
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with both LYCRA®
fiber and LYCRA®
T400® fiber can be stretched easily and has excellent recovery so it performs well and is comfortable on the body.
Composite yarns for
LYCRA® dualFX™
fabrics
Fabric example
Fabric with 9% LYCRA® T400® fiber /
1% LYCRA® fiber /90% cotton. The
fabric has very low growth. In
addition, heavy abrasion/holes can
be achieved without affecting the
stretch due to the durability of the
LYCRA® T400® fiber.
LYCRA® T400® fiber
LYCRA T400 fiber.
LYCRA® dualFX™ fabric
Construction
Weft Yarn
16s cotton/75D LYCRA®
T400® fiber /40D LYCRA®
fiber
Warp yarn 14s
Fabric Counts (Warp x Weft) 109 x 58
Fabric Weight (Oz/Yd²) 10.533
Fabric Stretch Weft (%) 27.8
Fabric Growth Weft (%) 1.615
Patented technologies
• INVISTA holds several patents relevant to this technology:
• Patented fabrics made with corespun bi-component polyester – (including US 7,310,932; EP 1846602; TW 1324194)
• Patented fabrics made with hybrid yarns – (including US 7,299,828)
• Patented fabrics with bi-component polyester in every other pick • Patented fabrics with bi-component polyester in every other pick – (including US 6,782,923; EP 1461481; CN02822498.1; JP4299134; and TW1245086)
• In order to practice these technologies mills need only to use branded INVISTA fibers in their fabric, specifically LYCRA® fiber and LYCRA® T400® fiber.
• If you are not using INVISTA fibers but are interested in practicing these technologies, consult your INVISTA representative about obtaining a formal license.
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Performance Parameters of LYCRA® dualFX™ fabrics
Based on decades of fiber and fabric research, INVISTA has established quality
standards for LYCRA® dualFX™ fabrics and has identified appropriate test methods.
Three critical performance criteria are:
Fabric Elongation -- for comfort and freedom of movement; soft stretch and high
extension; low pressure against the body, making it easy to move with minimal
pressure changes during wear.
Fabric Growth -- to ensure fabrics have adequate and quick recovery power from
deformation during wear, thus maintaining the garments’ original shape and fit.
Fabric Shrinkage -- to prevent the shrinkage of garments during washing or dry
cleaning, thus maintaining size and shape of the original garments.
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LYCRA® dualFX™ Fabric Quality Standards
Fabric Properties Standard Test Method
Fiber ContentAll elastic fibers are made by INVISTA,
LYCRA® fiber and LYCRA® T400® fiberITM033
Fabric Elongation
For: Weft Stretch Fabrics:
Fabric Elongation: >30%;
For Bi-stretch Fabrics:
In warp direction >20% and
In weft direction >25%
ITM074,or ITM
075, or ITM
076
In weft direction >25%
Fabric Growth =<6.0% maximum (no tolerance) I TM078
Fabric Wash Shrinkage (after
3rd wash,
not cumulative
<3% ITM080
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Brand positioning
Trade Positioning:
Two fibers combine for a better performing (low growth) super stretch fabric that meets the needs of brands, retailers, and consumers.
Consumer Positioning:
Dual attributes of super stretch & super recovery = super stretch denim with extra comfortable fit that lastsextra comfortable fit that lasts
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Concept promotion
INVISTA will be introducing this concept at PV Denim at the end of May, followed
by the Kingpins denim shows starting in June.
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Promotional materials• A technical bulletin on LYCRA® dualFX™ fabrics is available from
your INVISTA representative.
• Hang-tags are available for garments using fabrics that meet INVISTA’s quality standards for LYCRA® dualFX™ fabrics.
• Brands and retailers can order hang-tags directly by going to www.LYCRA.com and completing the hang-tag request.
• If you are interested in using the LYCRA® dualFX™ logo on your own • If you are interested in using the LYCRA dualFX™ logo on your own promotional materials, please consult your INVISTA representative and they will provide you with the appropriate trademark license.
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A trusted heritage
LYCRA® dualFX™ fabrics build upon
the positive heritage of the LYCRA®
fiber brand.
More than 85% of female
consumers are aware of the LYCRA®
fiber brand and associate it with fiber brand and associate it with
such positive attributes as high
quality, modern, stylish and
flexible.
LYCRA® dualFX™ fabrics further
reinforce this quality perception,
bringing fabric and garment
performance to a whole new level.
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Strategic Insights Global Brand Tracking Study, 2010
Summary• In general, super stretch fabrics pose challenges to the trade in that
they are more difficult to control in terms of fabric growth and shrinkage.
• INVISTA can assist mills, brands, and retailers in minimizing these challenges and thereby creating higher quality, high stretch fabrics.
• LYCRA® dualFX™ makes garments more comfortable by minimizing the level of restraint against the body.the level of restraint against the body.
• The LYCRA® dualFX™ fabric brand signals to the consumer that they are getting a better quality super stretch product.
• For more information on how you can improve your super stretch fabrics and garments, please consult your INVISTA representative.
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