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#Man-Made Fibers

The LYCRA Company announces grand opening of its largest global Spandex production facility in China

The LYCRA Company, a global leader in innovative and sustainable fiber solutions for the apparel and personal care industries, today announced the official opening of its largest spandex production facility—the LYCRA® fiber (Yinchuan) Plant in Ningxia Province, China. This milestone underscores the company’s continued investment in the Chinese market and highlights its strong commitment to developing localized supply and distribution networks while advancing smart manufacturing upgrades.


With a total investment of more than RMB 800 million, the Yinchuan facility is being developed in partnership with The LYCRA Company and Yinchuan Financial Capital Investment Group. In its initial phase, the plant will add 30,000 tons of spandex production capacity, generating an annual output of over RMB 1 billion and creating approximately 500 jobs. Looking ahead, capacity is expected to expand to 120,000 tons annually, addressing the growing demand for high-quality spandex across China and the Asia-Pacific region, while enabling faster, more flexible supply chain solutions.

As The LYCRA Company’s second production site in China, the Yinchuan facility brings together the company’s expert management teams and global R&D capabilities to establish a highly automated, intelligent production ecosystem. Production at the Yinchuan facility will align with the company’s sustainability framework, driving energy savings, reducing emissions, and advancing manufacturing processes, ensuring that business growth and environmental responsibility remain inextricably linked.

“China is strategically important, representing over 50% of the global apparel production market, and this partnership enables us to optimize our product mix more broadly while meeting the increase in demand for quality spandex,” said Gary Smith, CEO of The LYCRA Company. “I would like to express my gratitude to the local authorities and all our partners for their support and commitment.”



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#INDEX 2026

The LYCRA Company launches LYCRA® ADAPTIV fiber for nonwovens, advancing comfort and fit in disposable hygiene at INDEX™ 26

The LYCRA Company, a leader in innovative and sustainable fibers for apparel and personal care, today announced the official global launch of LYCRA® ADAPTIV fiber for nonwovens at INDEX™ 26, in Geneva, Switzerland, May 19–22. This breakthrough stretch fiber, already trusted by leading global apparel brands, now ushers in a new era of comfort, fit, and performance for baby diapers, disposable hygiene products, adult incontinence, and feminine care.

#Man-Made Fibers

The LYCRA Company strengthens sustainability leadership, appoints Alistair Williamson as VP of Product Sustainability

The LYCRA Company has appointed longtime executive Alistair Williamson as vice president of product sustainability, reaffirming its commitment to developing sustainable solutions for apparel and personal care products. In this role, he will guide the company’s next chapter of sustainability strategy and oversee all initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact across products, operations, and innovation platforms.

#Man-Made Fibers

arena introduces renewable LYCRA® EcoMade fiber in its latest swimwear collection

Italian swimwear specialist arena has unveiled a new collection that brings sustainability and performance even closer together. Launched on December 4, the line features swimsuits made from recycled nylon and renewable LYCRA® EcoMade fiber — the first time the bio-based spandex has been used commercially in swimwear.

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

The LYCRA Company goes “ALL IN” at Intertextile Shanghai

The LYCRA Company, a global leader in developing fiber and technology solutions for the apparel and personal care industries, returns to Intertextile Shanghai (Sept. 2–4) with an exclusive global sneak preview of its latest denim innovation.

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#Spinning

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.

#Spinning

Barmag Fuzhou Customer Day concludes successfully, boosting high-quality chemical fiber growth in Fujian & Guangdong

Barmag hosted its Customer Day themed “A New Era. Powered by Innovation.” in Fuzhou on June 28, welcoming nearly one hundred invited customers from Fujian and Guangdong provinces. Georg Stausberg, CEO of Barmag Group, attended along-side the sales and R&D expert China team to jointly present integrated solutions covering the entire man-made fiber value chain.

#Yarn & Fiber

R-Evenge chooses Q-NOVA® yarn by Fulgar for its line of technical socks dedicated to wellness

Q-NOVA®, Fulgar’s sustainable polyamide 6.6 yarn, has been selected by R-Evenge for the development of its collection of technical socks dedicated to wellness, fitness, and water-based activities.

#Raw Materials

AMSilk and Ajinomoto Foods Europe expand partnership to enable industrial-scale production of silk proteins

AMSilk GmbH (“AMSilk”), a global leader leader in biotech produced silk materials, today announced a significant expansion of its partnership with Ajinomoto Foods Europe (AFE), marking a key step in scaling the industrial production of its silk proteins. Building on the collaboration first established in 2023, the two companies have now entered into a long-term manufacturing and supply agreement, enabling the transition from industrial validation to dedicated, large-scale production.

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#Digital Printing

Where every detail counts: Experiential applications of DTF and UV-DTF printing

Personalisation has moved far beyond the traditional logo on a t-shirt. Today, brands want to create complete experiences, where every detail – from clothing and accessories to décor and packaging – feels distinctive and reflective of their identity.

#Europe

The Digital Product Passport registry is now live

On 20 July, the European Commission launched the Digital Product Passport Registry together with a testing environment, marking an important milestone in making the Digital Product Passport (DPP) a practical reality for businesses placing products on the EU market.

#Europe

EU ban on destroying unsold clothing and footwear now in force

The European Union's ban on the destruction of unsold clothing, clothing accessories and footwear has entered into force. Since July 19, 2026, large companies across the EU have been prohibited from destroying unsold textile products, while medium-sized companies will be required to comply with the same rules from 2030.

#Recycled Fibers

Eastman Naia™ brings its inside-out denim vision to Kingpins New York

Following its debut at Kingpins Amsterdam, Eastman Naia™ brings the next chapter of its denim story to Kingpins New York, taking place July 22–23. At Booth Green 7, Naia™ presents its denim proposition built around three complementary design directions: Performance Denim, Fashion Denim and Authentic Denim.

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