Summer 2019 – Inside Outdoor Magazine

Inside Outdoor | SUMMER 2019 26 Ingredients The LYCRA Company recently opened its new Advanced Textile Innovation Center (ATIC) in Nanhai, China. The new 4,500-square-meter R&D laboratory, which is the compa- ny’s fourth, represents a significant increase in the U.S.-based firm’s global R&D capabilities, said com- pany executives. Scientists at the R&D center will help mills, brands and retailers throughout Asia, as well as Western- based companies with local sourcing offices, create innovative fabrics and garments using The LYCRA Compa- ny’s branded textile solutions, which include LYCRA fiber, LYCRA HyFit fiber, COOLMAX fiber and THER- MOLITE fiber. The research team also will engage with customers in opportunity identification, as well as the development and commercializa- tion of new polymer, fiber and textile technologies. ATIC is fully equipped with com- mercial equipment to simulate real- world manufacturing processes including knitting, weaving, dyeing and finishing. In addition, the lab has garment engineering, fabric cer- tification and analytical testing tools to help customers achieve desired performance attributes for their fab- rics or garments. As part of the company’s Virtual Lab network, ATIC researchers will be able to collaborate with col- leagues in labs located across the globe to develop innovations and ap- ply best practices. “By integrating science with apparel market research, ATIC staff will help guide the development and commer- cialization of innovative garment solu- tions designed to meet global apparel market needs,” said Julien Born, presi- dent of the apparel division at LYCRA. “Co-locating ATIC and our South China sales office will enable tighter integra- tion between R&D and our commercial team and help our customers acceler- ate speed-to-market.” The LYCRA Company, formerly IN- VISTA’s Apparel & Advanced Textiles business, has operated as an inde- pendent subsidiary of Shandong Ruyi since January 31. The company has operations in 14 countries including four R&D labs, eight manufacturing sites and 17 offices. LYCRA Opens Advanced Textile Innovation Center in China Riri has updated it Aquazip collection with the water repellent Aquatyre Zip, a lighter, more flex- ible version with added aesthet- ics thanks to a new chain design featuring a tooth shape that visibly resembles the texture of a bike tire. Aquazips utilize a polyurethane coating technique that is applied to the woven tape before the teeth are affixed. This process protects from any damage or peeling of the coating. This polyurethane film and the particular geometry of the tooth are designed and developed to minimize the possible seepage of water. Available in a range of plastic sliders and pullers that reinforce the concept of lightness, Aquazips are suitable for applications on technical clothing, backs and equipment. Also new is the Storm, a high-tech zipper with a watertight chain, resistant to water and ultra-violet rays. A patented product, Storm zips are ideal for extreme conditions and technical appli- cations involving high stress in such as safety garments, boots, military applications and outdoor pursuits. Riri Updates Waterproof Zippers Aurora Wins Sustainable Business Recognition Award This spring, Aurora Specialty Textiles Group was honored with the Specialty Graphic Imaging Asso- ciation (SGIA) 2019 Sustainable Business Recogni- tion award, which spotlights leaders in the global printing industry that have implemented programs that reduce that company’s environmental impact and protect and improve employee safety. In 2018, Aurora implemented the first full year of a massive manufacturing overhaul that involved investing more than $1 million in new equipment and software designed to significantly reduce Aurora’s environmen- tal impact. The program also involved spending mil- lions more retrofitting and redesigning the new plant with sustainability upgrades. This included integrating state-of-the-art sustainability measures throughout the company’s facilities, operations and manufacturing pro- cesses, and retraining employees at all levels. “We embraced the challenge and are committed to continuing to find new, innovative ways to both improve our business and promote global sustain- ability,” said Marcia Ayala, vice president at Aurora, upon accepting the award. Aurora’s new state-of-the-art, North American manufacturing operation is equipped with next- generation bleaching, finishing, fabric skewing and coating technologies. Riri’s new chain designs

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