The South Asian region is a growing market across all apparel segments

Based in Wilmington, Delaware, USA, The LYCRA Company is recognized worldwide for its sustainable products, technical expertise, marketing support and LYCRA ONE™ market. 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 long-lasting performance. The company innovates and produces fiber 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 Senior Commercial Manager-South Asia Thiruvengadam Rajagopal He talks about the unique demands and the company’s approach to the South Asian market.

What are the main barriers to adopting new fibers? technologies in the manufacture of traditional clothing, 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 benefits of our latest products and technologies to our customers. Having the right strategies and partnerships to drive innovations along the value chain is critical to success.

As an example, our LYCRA® anti-slip fiber innovation is designed to combat the problem of seam slippage in both denim and non-denim garments. While yarn and fabric mills may not immediately realize all the benefits of this technology, apparel manufacturers are reaping significant rewards. By prioritizing engagement with apparel manufacturers, we can make substantial progress and ultimately align all members of the value chain for a successful product launch.

How recent advances in fiber technology affect the global sustainability of the apparel industry?

The goal of The LYCRA Company is to support organizations dedicated to promoting 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 have a substantial impact on our industry. This is a bio-derived LYCRA® fiber, where 70 percent of the fiber content is derived from field or millet corn. This product has several key advantages:

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

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

• The final product has performance equivalent to that of the original LYCRA® fiber.

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

The LYCRA company is recognized globally for its innovation, technical expertise, sustainable practices and strong marketing support. Our focus is on enhancing the value of our customers’ offerings by crafting distinctive innovations tailored to meet consumers’ desires for comfort and long-lasting performance.

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

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

How The LYCRA Company helps local South Asian manufacturers and brands in their adoption new fiber technologies?

LYCRA fosters strong relationships throughout the textile value chain by working closely with yarn mills, fabric manufacturers, apparel producers and brands and retailers. We strategically partner with our customers in the South Asian region to develop and promote fabrics and garments using our fiber and fabric technologies.

We recently introduced a LYCRA® Fit400™ fiber fabric, which meets the criteria for the LYCRA® XTRA LIFE™ brand, targeting the ready-to-wear and activewear segments. In addition, we are expanding our LYCRA® ADAPTIV line with new fibers, including LYCRA® ADAPTIV BLACK fiber and LYCRA® ADAPTIV XTRA LIFE fiber, specially adapted for swimwear and sportswear.

LYCRA supports brands and retailers in promoting and communicating the benefits of garments made with our fiber and fabric technologies. This support spans marketing campaigns, consumer education and branding initiatives, emphasizing the improved comfort, fit and performance that our fibers bring to clothing.

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

The LYCRA company is actively involved in digital initiatives to maintain connectivity throughout 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 along the value chain. This digitization optimizes production processes, minimizing the need for physical samples, saving time and reducing waste for more efficient and sustainable operations.

As part of our digital transformation, we launched the LYCRA ONE™ marketplace, which provides our factory partners with an additional avenue for sales by connecting them with qualified potential customers seeking certified fabrics powered by our technologies.

We prioritize effective communication about product innovations and collaborative efforts with our partner factories, highlighting the superior performance of their fabrics and garments.

What role does the LYCRA ONE™ market play for customers in South Asia and how can they leverage it effectively?

The LYCRA ONE™ marketplace serves as an online platform that connects brands, retailers and apparel manufacturers with a global network of partner factories virtually. This B2B digital platform allows us to present our products and services in a more complete way, incorporating new B2B and B2C websites for the LYCRA®, COOLMAX® and THERMOLITE® brands.

It provides fabric mills in South Asia with a knowledge center of sales tools, market research and fashion trend forecasts to help differentiate their collections on a global stage. Fabric and garment manufacturers can acquire qualified trade leads at no cost and promote their unique capabilities, attracting potential customers from all regions.

For brands and retailers, this tool provides a unique experience to source fabric anytime, anywhere, identifying new resources and capabilities for cross-functional segments across 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 recognizes the South Asian region as a growing market in all segments of the apparel market, especially in countries such as Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, where vertical integration is increasing from raw materials to finished products, making them in key manufacturing centers. This change reduces delivery times and streamlines the value chain.

India’s domestic market is moving towards an organized value chain, with modern retail formats and e-commerce platforms gaining traction with consumers.

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