INVISTA to tap Surat synthetic industry for Lycra

With rise in use of the branded stretch fibre 'LYCRA' among the Surat-based synthetic fabric and garment manufacturers, INVISTA which owns the brand is bullish about the region. The industry that manufactures polyester and nylon based sarees, dress materials, leggings and fabric for men's wear, has witnessed an increase of 20-25 per cent in use of stretch fibre.

"There is this increasing trend in women's and men's wear comprising stretch fibre. Surat manufactures fabric for women's wear like dress materials and leggings as well as fabric for men's sports wear and t-shirts which are now using LYCRA in increased quantity. This has led the industry to tie-up with INVISTA for LYCRA," said Rakesh Chaudhary, executive director of South Gujarat Textile Exporters’ Association (SGTEA).

However, the LYCRA stretch fibre is being used more extensively in nylon-based fabric than in polyester-based, say industry experts. The Surat-based synthetic textile industry manufactures 70 per cent polyester and 30 per cent nylon.

According to Chaudhary, LYCRA has seen increased use in the knitting segment for products such as undergarments, lingerie and leggings. On its part, INVISTA has been tying up with manufacturers in the region for increased supply of LYCRA.

"While we sell our fibers typically to textile mills, we work across the value chain from the textile mills till the consumer to deliver the value of the innovation. To deliver this, we work not only with textile mills, but also other members of the value chain such as garment makers, apparel brands and retailers and also work with consumers. We are keen to work with Surat based textile industry," said Andrew Evans, Managing Director, INVISTA Sales & Service India Private Limited.

Of the 30 million metres of synthetic fabric produced daily from Surat, about 8-9 million metres of fabric is based on nylon. "Since last six months, sales has risen because of the increased popularity of stretchable fabrics. There has been an increase in demand for such fabrics among consumers across the country, especially for products from Surat. Several manufacturers have shown interest in tying up with INVISTA for better supply and prices of LYCRA fibre," said Devkishan Manghani, president of Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTTA).