Lubrizol partners with Vidalia Denim

25 Dec '18

3 min read

Courtesy: Lubrizol

The Lubrizol Corporation’s Engineered Polymers business has entered into strategic partnership with Vidalia Denim, a division of Vidalia Mills, to incorporate its revolutionary X4zol(TM)-J elastomeric fibre in Vidalia's stretch denim fabrics, maximising the performance and eco-friendly benefits sought by leading brands and conscientious consumers alike.

Lubrizol's X4zol-J thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) fibre is created using a proprietary solvent-free reactive extrusion process that is more sustainable and produces a finer and stronger elastomeric fibre than traditional stretch fibres such as spandex. This results in unique 360-degree smooth stretch and breathability for superior apparel comfort and fit.

Rob Richardson, global business director for performance apparel solutions at Lubrizol, underscores the benefits of the relationship with Vidalia, stating, "We at Lubrizol are truly excited about teaming up with Vidalia to incorporate our X4zol-J technology into their denim fabrics. While X4zol-J has already been adopted by many strategic global denim brands, we see this as an essential next step in helping advance the apparel industry's sustainability agenda."

Richardson continues, "Our collaboration with Vidalia will enable brands to work locally in North America to deliver high performance denim fabrics that consumers will love, with even greater sustainability benefits. This alone takes miles and months out of the supply chain. Plus, the powerful combination of X4zol-J's favourable material and recyclability profile, along with Vidalia's sustainable manufacturing processes, will help brands achieve lower scores using Higg Index tools available through the Sustainable Apparel Coalition."

Dan Feibus, CEO of Vidalia Mills agrees, adding, "The production of stretch fabrics holds such an important place in the denim industry today. Vidalia's decision to work with Lubrizol as a preferred supplier of stretch fibers furthers our mission to build the most efficient and environmentally friendly denim mill in North America.

Feibus elaborates, "Lubrizol provides us with an innovative state-of-the-art solution for a sustainably-produced, high-performance stretch fibre, and represents a key element in the evolution of great denim products. Lubrizol is a global leader whose commitment to constant innovation and sustainable manufacturing are a perfect fit for Vidalia, and we are extremely excited to be working with Lubrizol on this project."

Vidalia Denim will also use e3 sustainable cotton exclusively in its operations, the first such operation in the world. Its cotton will be sourced from across the US farm belt from farmers enrolled in the e3 sustainable cotton programme. Vidalia will offer its customers complete transparency of leading grower sustainability practices.

The iconic denim brand, Wrangler, is currently in discussion with Vidalia Denim about the development of fabrics for their 2019 product collection. Roian Atwood, director of sustainability for Wrangler, notes, "This mill is pushing the standards for sustainable denim fabric in North America. At Wrangler, we are excited about the opportunity to work with Dan and his team and the e3 cotton growers committed to sustainable agriculture practices to produce good-looking denim that utilises innovative manufacturing methods." (SV)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India

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