Celanese and Under Armour Develop Innovative New NEOLAST™ Fiber for Use in Performance Stretch Fabrics
January 22 2024 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
NEOLAST™ Fiber Offers Elevated Stretch
Performance While Helping Address Sustainability Challenges
Associated with Elastane
Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE), a global specialty materials
and chemical company, and Under Armour, Inc. (NYSE: UA, UAA), a
global leader and innovator in athletic apparel and footwear, have
collaborated to develop a new fiber for performance stretch fabrics
called NEOLAST™. The innovative material will offer the apparel
industry a high-performing alternative to elastane – an elastic
fiber that gives apparel stretch, commonly called spandex. This new
alternative could unlock the potential for end users to recycle
performance stretch fabrics, a legacy aspect that has yet to be
solved in the pursuit of circular manufacturing with respect to
stretch fabrics.
NEOLAST™ fibers feature the powerful stretch, durability,
comfort, and improved wicking expected from elite performance
fabrics yet are also designed to begin addressing sustainability
challenges associated with elastane, including recyclability. The
fibers are produced using a proprietary solvent-free melt-extrusion
process, eliminating potentially hazardous chemicals typically used
to create stretch fabrics made with elastane.
NEOLAST™ fibers will be produced using recyclable elastoester
polymers, a critical first step for the industry to address the
challenge of recycling blended fabrics containing elastane. As end
users transition to a more circular economy, Celanese and Under
Armour are exploring the potential of the fibers to improve the
compatibility of stretch fabrics with future recycling systems and
infrastructure.
“Working with a leading global brand like Under Armour to
elevate the performance and sustainability benefits of their
products is just the first of many great things we hope to
accomplish with this innovative NEOLAST™ technology,” said Tom
Kelly, Celanese senior vice president, Engineered Materials.
“Celanese is proud to bring its polymer expertise and technical
know-how to help manufacture NEOLAST™ fibers for textiles and
fabrics to meet the specific needs of our customers and other value
chain partners. We are just beginning to unlock its potential and
look forward to what’s ahead as we explore other opportunities with
end users.”
“This new NEOLAST™ fiber represents a transformative innovation
for Under Armour and the textile industry, embodying our commitment
to building better products for our consumers and planet,” said
Kyle Blakely, senior vice president of innovation at Under Armour.
"Through performance-driven sustainability and innovation, we look
forward to helping athletes play at the top of their game as we
work with Celanese to realize this new fiber’s potential to forge a
path toward circularity.”
In addition to the sustainability benefits, the new NEOLAST™
fibers deliver increased production precision, allowing spinners to
dial power-stretch levels up or down and engineer fibers to meet a
broader array of fabric specifications.
In addition to Celanese exploring application opportunities with
Under Armour, the company intends to make the fiber available to
the broader apparel industry, potentially reducing elastane
dependence.
To learn more, visit www.neolastfibers.com.
About Celanese
Celanese Corporation is a global chemical leader in producing
differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in
most major industries and consumer applications. Our businesses use
the full breadth of Celanese's global chemistry, technology and
commercial expertise to create value for our customers, employees,
shareholders and the corporation. As we partner with our customers
to solve their most critical business needs, we strive to
positively impact our communities and the world through The
Celanese Foundation. Based in Dallas, Celanese employs
approximately 13,000 employees worldwide and had 2022 net sales of
$9.7 billion. For more information about Celanese Corporation and
its product offerings, visit www.celanese.com.
About Under Armour
Under Armour, Inc., headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, is a
leading inventor, marketer, and distributor of branded athletic
performance apparel, footwear, and accessories. Designed to empower
human performance, Under Armour's innovative products and
experiences are engineered to make athletes better. For further
information, please visit http://about.underarmour.com.
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Celanese: Investor Relations Brandon Ayache +1 972
443 8509 brandon.ayache@celanese.com
Media Relations – Global Brian Bianco +1 972 443 4400
media@celanese.com
Media Relations Europe (Germany) Petra Czugler +49 69
45009 1206 petra.czugler@celanese.com
Under Armour: Investor Relations Lance Allega +1
410 246 6810 lance.allega@underarmour.com
Media Relations – Global Anna Harry +1 757 256 9247
anna.harry@underarmour.com
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