Toray Targets Athleisure Market With Newest Primeflex
The 4-way Stretch of PRIMEFLEX With a Smoother, Softer Hand
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Toray has added a new, innovative iteration to its PRIMEFLEX family of stretch textiles.
By employing “Nanodesign” to control the cross-sectional shape of the composite fiber, Toray has succeeded in creating a microfiber PRIMEFLEX polyester. The result is a thin core-sheath structure and a fine composite yarn with a single filament count of 0.8 denier or less.
The single filament fineness provides a flat surface appearance, a smooth touch and a soft hand feel, all with the 4-way stretchability that PRIMEFLEX is known for.
The spiral yarn provides the flex, which allows the fabric to stretch and recover without using heavier water-absorbing elastics like Spandex or Lycra. Benefits include outstanding breathability, abrasion resistance and a softer feel against your skin, all in a much lighter package.
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The result is a textile that hits the sweet spot Toray calls the “Soft-fit Zone”, ideal for the athleisure category, between the “Hard-fit Zone” of a fabric like Spandex and the “Loose-fit Zone” of regular textured yarn.
The use of a bio material derived from corn also uses less water during processing.
Debuting in 2010, the original version of PRIMEFLEX was a stretchable polyester with a bimetal structure.
PRIMEFLEX 2.0 was a bi-component nylon version, offering a 50% improvement in 4-way stretchability compared to competitive offerings, and a high degree of moisture absorbency.
