Owner of the Lycra fibre brand Invista says it is continuously working to create greater value across the industry value chain through its Lycra fibre brand and at this year’s Interfilière Hong Kong - Mode Lingerie exhibition, now taking place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Invista is showcasing collaborations with certified mills in China and overseas to highlight the new levels of innovation that its Lycra beauty fabric offers.

Invista says, the latest collections of concept and commercial garments created with Lycra beauty fabrics by garment makers and brands are making their debuts at the trade fair, demonstrating the positive industry response the fabrics have generated. In addition, other Lycra fibre innovations, such as Xtra Life Lycra fibre, Lycra Xtra Fine Collection fibre and Lycra freshFX fabric are also on show at the exhibition.

Invista has introduced innovative solutions aimed at helping fashion-conscious women to be comfortable and stylish at the same time, including its Lycra beauty fabric which is said to offer both performance and comfort.

The move follows a global consumer study¹ commissioned by Invista, which it says showed that 93% of women surveyed consider shaping attributes as important factors when purchasing intimate apparel. The study is also said to have shown that regardless of age or body-shape, fashion-conscious women were unwilling to compromise on comfort to achieve shaping performance.

"Shape wear is a fast-growing category in the intimate apparel and swimwear sector – both in volume and consumer relevance," said Michelle Rice, Asia-Pacific Commercial Director of Lycra fibre, Invista Apparel. "Consumers want more comfort, better fit, improved shaping and more emotional satisfaction from this very personal garment category. The challenge that designers and apparel brands face is that there are large gaps between the importance consumers attach to these attributes and their level of satisfaction with current garments.”

According to Invista, the key to eliminating these gaps is Lycra beauty fabric, Invista’s dedicated platform to meet the rapidly changing needs of the shaping lingerie category. Given the growth of the middle-class in China and the country's remarkable economic progress, Chinese women are said to be more discerning than ever. Invista says its market research also shows that consumers are willing to pay a premium for apparel that incorporates Lycra fibre and that this offers designers and manufacturers an opportunity to clearly differentiate their garments and capture an increasing share of this growing market.

 “Lycra fibre has been shaping the apparel industry for more than 50 years, and has grown to become one of the most recognized – and preferred – brands of spandex available today,” Invista says.  A number of mills in Southeast Asia have won the coveted Lycra fibre certification and now use the fabric in their products. Some – including Dogi, Ruey Tay, Tex Tile, ECI, Derun, Dazzling Galaxies Dyeing & Knitting and Tian Hai – are all co-exhibiting alongside Invista at the show.

"The Lycra fibre brand plays a huge part in our apparel business as a whole, which has grown dramatically in mainland China," said David Yin, China and Hong Kong Marketing Director, Invista Apparel. "This reflects the sea-change that has taken place in the China market in recent years. The country used to be a fashion manufacturer, with its goods destined largely for export markets. Nowadays, the country is a real trendsetter, and the domestic market has exploded.”

In China, Invista says it has successfully built awareness and preference for Lycra fibre through a series of renowned marketing campaigns, positioning it ideally to leverage this transition. “We have invested significantly in expanding our footprint to its current levels. Today, we are reaping the rewards of that strategy in the burgeoning field of intimate shape wear and swimwear through our Lycra fibre innovations, as well as other segments with great potential, such as ready-to-wear, active and outdoor wear, as well as leg wear," he said.

Invista began selling spandex products in China in the 1970s and Lycra fibre has proven as popular in the country as it has elsewhere. The company has set up sales and marketing offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, and wholly-owned and joint venture plants in Shanghai, Foshan in Guangdong Province and Lianyungang in Jiangsu Province. Its Foshan spandex site is completing a second phase of expansion which will double production capacity. The company also plans to set up an R&D Center in China to further strengthen its ability to anticipate and cater to market demand for innovations in fibre and fabric applications.