Shanghai – 29 October 2007 – Innovation and performance were the watchwords at INVISTA's RendezVous 2007 exhibition and conference which kicked off today in China's fashion capital, Shanghai. INVISTA's flagship brands LYCRA® and COOLMAX® competed for the attention of buyers and cameramen alike eager to catch a glimpse of the newest technical and design innovations.

　　Taking place each year alongside one of the industry's most important trade events – Intertextile Shanghai – INVISTA's annual INVISTA Rendez-Vous has become one of the region's "must-attend" events and an acknowledged showcase for the latest and most innovative fabrics, treatments and treatments. 

　　This year's event was no exception, with COOLMAX® fabric proving its continued moistrure management performance and popularity in ready-to-wear and active sportswear categories and INVISTA's world-leading LYCRA® brand on show in categories as diverse as ready-to-wear, active outerwear and the ever-popular intimate apparel. They included XFIT LYCRA® jeans, which use a mix of denim and four-way directional stretch LYCRA® technology to create what are arguably the leading / most comfortable fitting pants on the planet. Also on show was the breakthrough new FREEF!T™ LYCRA® fabric technology.

　　"With the increasing consumer demand for breathable fabrics, FREEF!T™ LYCRA® fabric is engineered to provide the ultimate in softness, breathability, unsurpassed comfort and superb shape retention to help consumers stay cool, comfortable and confident. It provides just the right amount of give and allows the combination of fashion and function, delivering the benefits that men and women are looking for in shirtings," said Dan Haycook, executive vice president for Asia Pacific of INVISTA’s Apparel business.

　　New Black Xtra Life™ LYCRA® fabrics stole the show in the active outerwear category with breathtaking swimsuit designs crafted to look sensational from the first time they are worn, and until they are finally retired to make room for next season's styles. 
Xtra Life™ LYCRA® fabric offers chlorine and UV resistance for coloured swimwear as well as fit and shape retention which are critical attributes for swimwear, especially for serious swimmers. 

　　"In chlorinated water, most elastane fibres tend to lose their retractive power, causing loss of shape and so called “bagging”, reducing the life of a garment and resulting in consumer dissatisfaction. Thanks to chlorine resistant properties, which last ten times longer than conventional elastane, Xtra Life™ LYCRA® fabric helps ensure that swimwear fits like new for longer, combating the consumer issues of 'bagging' and 'sagging,'" said Haycook.
New Black Xtra Life™ LYCRA® fabric goes one step further than any other product, offering peace of mind with colour retention even after home laundering and thermal treatments, too. Thanks to the spun-dyed black LYCRA® yarn, it offers tremendous aesthetic benefits to dark and coloured swimwear garments, eliminating elastane grin through –  the ability to see white elastane in dark garments – responds better to washing, gives excellent colour uniformity and offers opportunities to create marl / design effects. It also offers high stretch and recovery power and the fibre is resistant to unsaturated fatty acids prevalent in suntan lotions and sweat, resistant to degradation by UV light – prolonging the life of the garment.

　　However, the biggest splash at INVISTA Rendez-Vous Shanghai 2007 was not in the pool, but in the boudoir. No less than three different varieties of LYCRA® fabric products joined forces to highlight the sensual possibilities that INVISTA has brought to the look, feel, fit and performance of more intimate garments. These included LYCRA® Xtra Fine fabric, LYCRA® spaFX™ fabric and LYCRA® freshFX™ fabric.

　　LYCRA® Xtra Fine fabric is the most luxurious LYCRA® fabric range yet. Capitalising on the trend for light, sheer fabrics, this collection of featherweight warp and circular knits is perfectly suited to inner wear and shapewear, including invisible shapewear.

　　"With elegant, second skin garments in mind, the LYCRA® Xtra Fine Collection has been developed to give the wearer a feeling of well being and style, offering that much sought after 'barely there' comfort, feel and look," said Haycook.

　　Easy-to-care for and easy-to-wear compared to fine 100 percent cotton fabrics and offering high stretch-and-recovery in extremely lightweights, this new LYCRA® fabric delivers that all important next-to-body comfort. Fabrics range from flat, smooth and compact textures to sheer, almost invisible aesthetics. The LYCRA® Xtra Fine fabric is extremely adaptable, being compatible with a broad range of companion yarns, including eco-friendly fibres like organic cotton, bamboo, jute, hemp and soy.

　　Also new at INVISTA Rendez-Vous 2007 was LYCRA® spaFX™ collection which mixes the benefits of well-being with looking good. LYCRA® spaFX™ fabric uses micro encapsulation technology to deliver lasting benefits that pamper the mind and body. The technology works by distributing natural ingredients which soothe and revitalise, evenly onto the LYCRA® fabric as microcapsules. So, whenever the body moves, the enhanced stretch and recovery properties of the LYCRA® fabric enable the microcapsules to burst more easily and release these benefits to the skin’s surface. 

　　"With hectic schedules and little time to relax, consumers are constantly on the look out for products with added benefits, which add value to their lives. Thanks to LYCRA® spaFX™ collection - a fabric solution which unites fashion with beauty and technology, consumers can now gain well-being benefits from their garments," Haycook said.

　　LYCRA® spaFX™ collection is available in two formats – “Naturals” with Aloe Vera, Vitamin E or Sea Kelp to help keep skin feeling soft and revitalised; and “aromatherapy,” in Calming (Aloe Vera with subtle scents of True Lavender. Soft Vanilla and Oxygen, to relax and smooth, and; Revitalising (Vitamin E with Cool Peppermint, Energy or Glacier), to energise, uplift and soothe. All the scents have been dermatologically tested.

　　Along similar lines is LYCRA® freshFX™ collection which offers the twin benefits of cooling and breathabillity benefits.

　　"INVISTA research has highlighted the growing demand for garments with 'breathability' benefits, which keep the wearer cool, dry and comfortable all day long, whilst remaining soft next to skin," said Haycook.

　　LYCRA® freshFX™ Fabric Technology encompasses two product offerings:
      •  Fabrics with micro-encapsulated benefits that release all day fresh scents while providing skin-soothing Aloe Vera. These fresh scents, designed with the patented DeodIFF® technology, neutralize odour to help garments maintain their ‘just laundered’ freshness. Fresh scents range from feminine St Lucia to masculine Antigua along with unisex Barbados.
      •  Wicking fabrics with quick dry benefits created with X6300 nylon fibre with a unique four-channel capillary cross-section. It not only helps transfer moisture and dries quickly, but also has an exceptionally soft hand.
"INVISTA chose INVISTA Rendez-Vous 2007 in Shanghai to demonstrate our continued commitment to innovation and cutting edge technology because China has become such a powerful player in key categories – ready-to-wear, active outdoorwear which includes swimwear, and intimate apparel. As China's export power continues to grow, and its domestic market matures, I expect INVISTA RendezVous in Shanghai to maintain its position as one of the first places in Asia, perhaps in the world, to see the latest breakthroughs from INVISTA," said Haycook.

　　About INVISTA
　　INVISTA is an integrated fibers and polymers business with a global presence. It operates four major businesses: Apparel; Intermediates; Performance Surfaces and Materials; and Polymer and Resins. INVISTA delivers exceptional value for its customers through market insights and technology innovations, along with a powerful portfolio of some of the most recognized global brands and trademarks in their respective industries including: ADI-PURE®, ANTRON®, AVORA® FR, INVISTA® C12, COMFOREL®, COOLMAX®, CORDURA®, CORFREE®, DACRON®, INVISTA® DBE, DYTEK®, ESP®,  FRESHFLEX™, INVISTA® NYCO, LYCRA®, PERFORMA®, POLARGUARD®, POLYSHIELD®, POLYCLEAR®, SOLARMAX®, STAINMASTER®, SUPPLEX®, SUPRIVA™, TACTEL®, TACTESSE®, TERATE®, TERATHANE® and THERMOLITE®. More information on INVISTA can be found at www.INVISTA.com.

　　source:zhong guo fang zhi