The LYCRA Company to Spotlight Renewable LYCRA® Fiber and Textile-to-Textile Circularity at Textile Exchange Conference 2026

WILMINGTON, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The LYCRA Company, a global leader in fiber and technology solutions for the apparel and personal care industries, will showcase Renewable LYCRA^® fiber and its work to advance textile-to-textile recycling at Textile Exchange Conference 2026. The conference takes place October 12–16, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, Canada.

This year's theme, "The Implementation Era," focuses on scaling what works across businesses, supply systems, and landscapes. At the conference, The LYCRA Company will highlight its work with partners across the value chain, helping to shape the future for textiles through renewable fiber solutions, circular innovation, and strategic industry partnerships.

“Bringing more recycled and renewable materials to commercial scale is essential to turning the industry’s ambitions into action,” said Alistair Williamson, vice president of product sustainability at The LYCRA Company. “At Textile Exchange, we’ll feature how Renewable LYCRA^® fiber is making that progress possible today, while delivering the stretch, fit and comfort consumers expect.”

Renewable LYCRA^® fiber is made with 70% plant-based content using U.S.-grown dent corn as a key feedstock and is now being produced at commercial scale. The corn is sourced largely from Iowa, replacing a significant portion of the petroleum-derived inputs traditionally used to make spandex. A third-party-reviewed life cycle assessment shows the fiber can reduce its carbon footprint by up to 45%* while maintaining equivalent stretch and recovery performance.

Over the last few years, The LYCRA Company has also worked with textile recyclers worldwide to build and refine systems that separate spandex from companion yarns, such as nylon and polyester, from pre-consumer textile waste, and spin it back into new spandex fibers. The result is a pilot-stage spandex recycling system and an important step toward textile circularity. The next step is scaling up the infrastructure to produce LYCRA^® fiber made with recycled content.

“Creating commercially viable textile-to-textile recycling systems requires collaboration, and we are helping advance technologies designed to recover and reclaim spandex from end-of-life textiles,” Williamson added.

The LYCRA Company team will be available throughout the conference at booth #18 to talk with brands, mills, and industry stakeholders about renewable and circular solutions and discuss opportunities for collaboration, sourcing and product development.

About The LYCRA Company

The LYCRA 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^®. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, United States, The LYCRA Company is recognized worldwide for its high-quality products, technical expertise, and marketing support. 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. Learn more at thelycracompany.com.

*Comparative Life Cycle Assessment: LYCRA^® fiber with Bio-derived PTMEG vs. LYCRA^® fiber with Fossil-Derived PTMEG, Ramboll, 2026​