Invista puts best foot forward to take lead in socks industry

12 July 2010, Geneva - Invista, owner of the Lycra fibre brand, says it continues to cement its commitment to the socks and legwear market with the launch of an expanded branding and segmentation of its global socks portfolio made with Lycra or Lycra T400 fibre. The expansion of the heavy gauge socks and knee-high branding possibilities for Lycra fibre brand is said to refer to demanding consumers needs who are looking for a more specific every day and sports socks offering and helps the sock industry to differentiate and tailor their offerings within the global socks and knee-high market.

The new branding possibilities include Lycra Soft Comfort socks for socks and knee-highs with exceptionally soft comfort for sock tops and Lycra Sport socks and knee-highs with optimized performances for athletes and sports practitioners who want the most technically-advanced garments. Invista has also announced a refreshed brand identity with a new name for its Lycra Energising socks to Lycra Energy socks. The first socks showing these new Lycra fibre brandings will be already in the stores within the next few weeks.

Invista says it prides itself in knowing what consumers want from not only the Lycra fibre brand but also from their hosiery and socks. The company says recent research¹ identifies that women tend to purchase several pairs of socks at once (between 5 and up to more than 20 pairs) and that they also select a variety of styles with ankle-highs accounting for almost half of the quantities purchased.

Invista says it is proud of its loyal consumers of the Lycra fibre brand which is thanks to the outstanding comfort and fit it brings to garments and legwear. “It goes without saying that socks play an integral part to an outfit, whether it is by adopting the new fashion-forward trends or going for functionality wear. Wearers want the top to the toe to provide ultimate stretch and recovery and Lycra fibre ensures that this happens as it combines stay-up power with complete freedom of movement,” Invista says.     

Denise Sakuma, Global Segment Director, Legwear at Invista said, “With this new branding and a new brand identity for Lycra Energy socks, Invista ensures that it is always putting its best foot forward in marketing its products within the industry. We are dedicated to clearly identifying our innovations in garments and these new changes will assure our customers and consumers that they are always getting the highest mark of quality and value from the Lycra fibre brand.”

Lycra Soft Comfort socks

Lycra Soft Comfort sock branding is said to help sock knitters differentiate from the common socks offering when using Lycra Soft Comfort fibre T902C in the sock or knee-high top while using Lycra fibre in all other parts of the sock. The benefits claimed are as follows:

Lycra Soft Comfort socks offer exceptional comfort as it contains the innovative Lycra Soft Comfort fibre T902C in the sock top of the garments.

Lycra Soft Comfort fibre provides high-performance stretch and recovery while helping to avoid those ‘red marks’ that can sometimes appear on the skin.

Ensuring the very best in comfort, Lycra fibre is knitted into every course with a minimum content of 1% Lycra fibre.

Consumers can be assured that they are receiving the very best in quality from the Lycra fibre brand in that no other elastometric yarn may be used in the sock.

Lycra Sport socks

Lycra Sport socks was developed in response to consumer market needs and the fast growing sports socks market focusing individual needs and the wide range of different sports activities. The benefits claimed are as follows:

The socks and knee-highs provide optimised performance for athletes and sports practitioners who want the most technically-advanced garments. 

Lycra Sport socks give the wearer lasting fit and comfort, helping them to perform their best.

Garments contain Lycra fibre from top to toe to give a premium level of elastification in the sock body

Compared to other sock categories made with Lycra fibre there must be a minimum percentage of 2% of any Lycra fibre (minimum 22 dtex or greater) or 15% of Lycra T400 fibre (minimum 165 dtex or greater) present in the socks.  More specifically, the sock top must be elastified with Lycra Soft Comfort fibre for comfortable high-performance stretch and recovery.

Lycra Sport knee-highs may have graduated compression.

Lycra Energy socks

Lycra Energy socks provide graduated compression from the ankle to the sock top for active people who look for the ultimate in well-being and a feeling of vitality. The benefits claimed by Invista are:

Every knee-high is constructed with a minimum content of 2% Lycra fibre.

The wearer can be reassured that they are receiving the very best in quality in that no other elastometric yarns may be used in the sock and each product style must be qualified by Invista before regarding graduate compression sizing and cross-stretch using the Lycra Energy socks brand.

“Invista strives to ensure that both customers and consumers receive the very best in innovation, quality and value from the Lycra fibre brand and the new-look Lycra Energy socks continue to deliver these high standards, the company says.

¹ Strategic Insights Inc. Consumer end-use research: socks, USA, May 2007.  Internet survey, 406 respondents (women, ages 25-49)