Taiwan's Toung Loong Textile is launching a new line of fabrics consisting of a blend of INVISTA's popular COOLMAX AIR technology with LYCRA fiber. A move aimed at capitalizing on the strength of the expanding sportwear sector. The new fabrics will be one of the highlights of the Toung Loong stand at the upcoming Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Salt Lake City, Utah which is designed to meet the needs of brands focused on women's fitness wear.

The activewear sector is expanding quickly and making its presence felt in consumer spending. According to research from Euromonitor, sportswear grew twice as fast as the overall industry in 2016, and is showing no signs of slowing down in 2017.

Richard Yu, chief of marketing of Toung Loong Textile said that as interest in health and fitness continues to gain ground, demand for performance activewear is accelerating. In addition, market intelligence organizations agree that womenswear will continue to account for the highest per capita spending, as female consumers invest in the latest fashion trends including athleisure and make more frequent purchases.

Launching new fabrics specifically designed to work best in women's fitness wear, using INVISTA's industry-leading COOLMAX AIR technology with LYCRA fiber, represents a tremendous opportunity to stand out in a crowded market and win new business, said Yu.

Since it was originally rolled out in 2013, INVISTA'S COOLMAX AIR technology has been a huge hit in the fitness and performance wear sector. Today, it is the fabric technology of choice for some of the world's biggest apparel brands, as well as yarn producers like Toung Loong, that are keen on capturing a bigger slice of an expanding market.

In the highly competitive global marketplace, the challenge for the apparel and textile industry is to exploit growth opportunities through well-differentiated offerings. That's where INVISTA is playing a role – offering technologies, consumer insights and collaborative business models that can genuinely help leading mills, brand owners and retailers to capture these opportunities and create value for customers, said Huw Williams, INVISTA global segment director, activewear and outdoor.

COOLMAX AIR technology with LYCRA fiber are made from high-performance fibers engineered to maximize consumer comfort with excellent moisture-management performance, breathability and faster drying times. The high air permeability results in the exchange of the microclimate, adding the potential for additional cooling.

COOLMAX AIR technology with LYCRA fiber is perfect for fabrics aimed at women's fitness applications. Its combination of fit, freedom of movement, moisture management and increased air permeability helps improve drying time so that women can always perform at their best.

Their breakthrough texturizing yarn technology enables them to create high-performance fabrics with beautiful aesthetics that meet the needs of consumers and brands operating in the women's fitness sector.

According to Huw Williams of INVISTA, this focus on quickly translating fiber innovation into fabrics for apparel, and on connecting brands with retailers and end user consumers, has become a hallmark of their business and a key INVISTA differentiator.

INVISTA is currently working with dozens of strategic fabric mills in Asia, including Toung Loong, to develop new, performance-oriented fabrics.