Interview with Serge Vigouroux
Serge Vigouroux
Executive VP-New Ventures and Marketing
The Lycra Company
Executive VP-New Ventures and Marketing
The Lycra Company
We see potential for Lycra fibres rising in Brazil, India, Vietnam, Africa
The Lycra Company innovates and produces fibre and technology solutions for the apparel and hygiene industries, as well as specialty chemicals used in the spandex and polyurethane value chains. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the firm is recognised worldwide for its innovative products. Serge Vigouroux, executive vice president, new ventures and marketing, speaks about the spandex market, latest applications in apparel categories and the company's commitment to sustainability.
How has the demand for Lycra fibre grown in the last 10 years? How would you describe the market in the Asia-Pacific?
The deep global economic crisis of 2007-2009 caused us to focus on our branded fibre technology business-the Lycra, Coolmax and Thermolite brands. We put all our efforts behind what the marketplace valued most and promoted our unique differentiated offerings meeting those needs. With increasing demand for our products globally over the last 10 years, we have been very successful financially. This success was achieved thanks to the tireless efforts of our talented global workforce, our strong commitment to compliance and ethics, and our focus on innovation, on manufacturing excellence, on brands and marketing services to the benefit of our customers eventually. The market in Asia-Pacific, specifically China, has been very receptive to the value of Lycra fibre, not merely for exports, but also for the local consumer market, where we observed unprecedented growth.
Where is the application growing-athleisure, sportswear, denim, innerwear, swimwear or casualwear? What new ones do you foresee?
We are starting to see resurgence in the well-established categories like shirting. For new categories, we commission proprietary research to predict trends and areas of growth. In response, we develop new innovations and promote existing products that will help our customers capture opportunities we have identified. Lycra fibre technologies have supported many recent trends by meeting consumers' need for better fitting and more comfortable garments, such as bralettes in the intimate apparel segment, athleisure in the activewear segment, and jeggings in the denim segment.
What is the percentage-wise usage of spandex in womenswear versus menswear?
The core benefits of Lycra fibre-comfort and better fit-are universally delivered to the customer. It transcends gender, age and end-use category.
What is Lycra fibre's market share in the spandex yarn markets?
As a privately-held company, we do not disclose financial or market information. However, we can say that as the inventor of spandex, and as one of the market leaders in branded and differentiated fibre solutions, we have product offerings that meet needs across the value chain. Working with us, our customers also benefit from leveraging the unique strength of the Lycra brand, that enjoys 87 per cent of consumer awareness.
Which are your top three markets in terms of geographies? Where do you see the potential rising?
Our business is global in nature and we serve customers worldwide. This includes serving major markets like China, North America and Europe; but also markets like Brazil, India, Vietnam and emerging apparel and textile markets like Africa.
What kind of innovations in fibres and processing are trending in spandex yarns?
We are a leading innovator of spandex fibres and technologies. Today, we have over 200 different types of Lycra fibre designed to improve fabric aesthetics and performance in virtually every apparel segment. Our innovative product portfolio includes more than 1,400 patents and applications, more than 2,300 registered trademarks, and 250 unique brands, marks and logos. Recently, we launched two new innovations-Lycra FitSense technology in intimate apparel for targeted garment support and comfortable shaping and Lycra Freef!t technology in denim, offering easy stretch, lasting shape retention and a wider fit window. And later in 2019, we will unveil additional new and exciting innovations.
Can you tell us a little about Bio spandex? What is the carbon footprint of bio spandex?
Sustainability is a major topic in the industry and we have both an enterprise-wide holistic and product-level approach. At the corporate level, our efforts are rooted in manufacturing excellence, corporate responsibility and product sustainability. Our goals are to minimise our environment footprint by conserving resources, reducing emissions and eliminating waste. We also want to maintain a safe and healthy workplace, being an employer of choice and a good corporate citizen. As for products, we aim at using fewer resources in both fibre production and distribution. We also provide technical services to help customers raise quality, minimise waste and enhance environmental performance of fabric and garment production. We are proud to offer several environment-friendly products, including Lycra T400 EcoMade technology, Lycra Easy Set technology, Coolmax EcoMade technology and Thermolite EcoMade technology.
Besides superior elasticity, retaining original shape, durability and lightweight, what new properties does Lycra fibre offer?
Lycra fibre offers all the above benefits, and additionally, we are constantly striving to develop new innovations and new products that serve the needs of brands and retailers, and ultimately, consumers. We are committed to staying connected with consumers, both through digital and social channels and through research, so that we can know and understand their needs. With this vital information, we can create new fibre and technology innovations engineered to meet those needs.
What are your long-term goals?
Every day, people everywhere interact with garments. At our company, we strive to make life better by offering solutions that transform garments and enhance people's lives. Our products help consumers look and feel better and be more confident. Lycra brand celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2018, which is a testament to our commitment to this industry. We have succeeded by not only creating value for our company, but also for our customers and consumers. Now we look forward to the next chapter in our history. Our business continues to be headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, in the United States, not far away from where it all started. We keep being led by the same team of strong individuals with a long experience of the apparel industry, ensuring a high-level of continuity and a focus on long-term success. (HO)
Published on: 30/04/2019
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.