Sorona® has the best chlorine resistance when compared to nylon/spandex.
Globally, consumers have a growing interest in incorporating more sustainable choices into their lives. They’re supporting conscious brands that have commitments to more equitable workplaces, sustainable fabric choices, and intersectional environmentalism.
According to Edited, a leading retail market analysis group, sustainable activewear for menswear has increased 65% year-over-year (2019-2020), while womenswear is up 45% in the category.
Soon, this segment will make up the majority of the buying public for any season of activewear, including swimwear. Selecting fabrics that contribute to the circular economy is the way forward. By integrating the use of Sorona® polymer in a fabric, it is possible to offer real solutions that contribute to a powerful circular economy. The use of Sorona® enables clothing that is more renewable and sustainable. Made from 37 percent plant-based materials, Sorona® is a high-performance fiber and a key ingredient in clothing from some of the world’s most popular brands. Its superior performance qualities are transforming the way apparel companies think about the viability of renewable ingredients.Biomaterials are no longer the “green but underperforming” products of the past. In a comparative study of equivalent Tricot nylon/spandex vs bico Sorona®/PET fabrics for swimwear, the chlorine resistance test showed bico Sorona®/PET fabrics had the best resistance, whereas, nylon/spandex degrades mostly, tears apart, and cannot even be tested for load bearing with 240 hours of prolonged chlorine exposure.
Sorona® uses 30-40% less energy and releases 56-63% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the production of nylon 6 or nylon 6,6.
Sorona® is an excellent example that renewable and sustainable ingredients are not only possible but deliver on performance expectations. With its excellent ultraviolet protection, resistance to color change, and long-lasting fit retention, swimwear and activewear made with Sorona® is made-to-last. Once the garment has reached its end of life, Sorona® is also recyclable, meaning it will be a key player in contributing to the successful transition to a more circular economy.
Mill partner Woojoo selected Sorona® for its swimwear fabric offering because of its notable sustainability impact, performance, and recyclability. They said, “It delivers nearly the same stretch level with spandex [and] Sorona is more likely to be recycled.”
The benefits extend beyond the resulting fiber with a lower environmental footprint in the production process. Production of Sorona® uses 30-40% less energy and releases 56-63% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the production of nylon 6 or nylon 6,6.
According to UN Sustainable Development Goal 9 and Goal 13, “Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere rose to new records in 2019. Innovation and technological progress are key to finding lasting solutions to both economic and environmental challenges, such as increased resource and energy-efficiency.”
With its lower environmental impact, excellent performance and contribution to the circular economy, textiles made from renewable plant materials like Sorona® are the solution for companies working hard to make the industry a greener place.
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