DuPontTM Sorona® and Sateri’s EcoCosy® have together developed a new fabric called StretchCosyTM. The fabric uses a blend of Sorona®, a partially plant-based fibre, and Sateri’s ultra-comfortable and near weightless EcoCosy® fibres to achieve a soft material that is highly stretchable, shape-retaining and, most importantly, sustainably sourced.
StretchCosyTM combines the mechanical stretch of Sorona® stretch fibres, which gives it excellent stretch and long-lasting, consistent recovery, with the soft, cotton-like breathability and smooth silk-like texture of EcoCosy® for an unparalleled fabric that is high-performing and well-suited for fashion and sportswear.
Created in 2019, StretchCosyTM is a fabric breakthrough that made it possible for natural plant-based fibres to be more extensively used in various applications, e.g. t-shirts, shirting, bottoms, jackets, dresses, hoodies and underwear. Previously, cellulosic fibres were rarely found in sportswear, due to concerns such as pilling. The combination of Sorona® and EcoCosy® in StretchCosyTM has eliminated this concern, hinting at the future of activewear where performance combined with sustainability will be the norm.
Tom Liu, Sateri’s Vice President for Commercial, said, “StretchCosyTM marries the best of Sorona® and EcoCosy®. In addition to their complementary properties, both fibres are derived from plant-based materials. Sorona® is partially made using renewable plant-based ingredients, while EcoCosy® fibres come from certified and sustainable wood sources. The end product, StretchCosyTM fabric, is not only a natural and comfortable fabric, but also sustainable.”
The global sports apparel market is forecasted to reach around USD 208 billion in 20251 . Combined with the rise of the athleisure fashion movement and an increase of stay-at-home workouts due to the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for clothing that is high performing yet comfortable is expected to continue growing. StretchCosyTM embodies these characteristics, a win-win situation for sustainable clothing.
Renee Henze, Sorona® Global Marketing Director, said, “It is encouraging to see members of the same industry come together to collaborate for the better good. Our partnership with Sateri in creating StretchCosyTM combines innovation from both fiber offerings into a superior product that we believe not only will exceed consumer expectations, but is kinder to the environment.”
StretchCosyTM has been well-received by fabric manufacturers and various brands, including Shui Bing Yue (水冰月), In & On, and famous women’s fashion Eifini (伊芙丽). Such feedback has prompted both companies to formalise and deepen the strategic partnership with the introduction of StretchCosyTM, and confidently look forward to a greater success across segments in the near future.
About DuPont Biomaterials
DuPont Biomaterials brings innovations to global partners through the development of high performance, renewable materials. It does so through its novel bio-based solutions for industries as varied as packaging, food, cosmetics, apparel and carpeting, all facing the challenges of greening their supply chains and offering high performance, sustainable choices to their downstream customers.
Sateri is the world’s largest producer of viscose fibre, a natural and sustainable raw material found in everyday items like textiles, baby wipes and personal hygiene products. Our range of high quality viscose products is independently verified as safe and responsibly produced. Our five mills in China collectively produce about 1.4 million metric tonnes of viscose fibre yearly. We also operate a yarn spinning mill and 20,000-ton Lyocell facility. Headquartered in Shanghai, where we have a sales, marketing and customer service network covering Asia, Europe and the Americas, Sateri is strategically positioned to serve the China market which is the world’s largest and fastest growing market for viscose fibre.
