RadiciGroup, The LYCRA Company and Triumph have taken circular fashion a step forward – the process, which is both economically and environmentally sustainable, has enable the production of an underwear set made from 100% recycled nylon and LYCRA fiber in a closed loop system.

RadiciGroup, The LYCRA Company and Triumph work together in closed-loop recycling of mixed-fiber garments.

Recycling of garments made from different types of fibers has always represented a major challenge for the textile industry. In the absence of a chemical or mechanical process capable of separating and recovering the individual materials, these garments have so far become waste destined for incineration or landfill.

Patented selective dissolution technology makes it possible

Radici InNova, the RadiciGroup division dedicated to research and innovation, has developed an innovative recycling process based on selective dissolution technology, capable of treating mixed textile waste, such as swimwear, tights and leggings, and recovering both nylon and LYCRA fibre, making them available again for the production of new garments.

The collaboration with The LYCRA Company and Triumph, an internationally-renowned lingerie brand, has made it possible to validate the process by using the recovered fibers to create a 100% recycled lingerie set.

The process, which is internationally patented, uses non-toxic, non-flammable and environmentally compatible solvents. It can be applied to the main types of nylon (PA6 and PA66) and is economically sustainable because it allows for the recovery of both nylon and LYCRA fiber, regardless of their respective proportions in the fabric, as well as the solvent itself.

RadiciGroup x The LYCRA Company x Triumph

The project began four years ago, when Radici InNova launched the study of an innovative process for the dissolution and separation of mixed textile fibers. After the initial development phase, subsequent tests made it possible to recover samples of LYCRA fiber from multi-material fabrics, which were then sent to The LYCRA Company to verify their recyclability.

The next step was to demonstrate the feasibility in practice. Triumph provided its own production surplus, a fabric containing 16% LYCRA fiber. From this material, Radici InNova succeeded in recovering both LYCRA fiber and nylon. The LYCRA fiber was then re-spun by The LYCRA Company, while RadiciGroup processed the recycled nylon to produce new Renycle yarn.

Using these recycled yarns (LYCRA fiber and Renycle), a 60-meter black fabric was created, which Triumph used to produce a coordinated lingerie set, concretely demonstrating the possibility of closing the loop.

The result achieved so far by Radici InNova, The LYCRA Company and Triumph should be considered a prototype (concept garment) designed to prove the technical feasibility of recycling mixed textiles and lay the groundwork for its future industrialization.