The LYCRA Company, a global leader in developing sustainable fibers and solutions for the apparel industry, confirms its participation at Milano Unica, the premium international trade show for high-end textiles and accessories, taking place in Milan from July 8 to 10.
For the third year in a row, The LYCRA Company will be present with the LYCRA® Brand Lounge, located in Hall 4 within the MarediModa area, where top-tier European companies will showcase their SS26 fabric and accessory collections for swimwear, underwear and athleisure.
Once again, center stage will be taken by bio-derived LYCRA® EcoMade fiber, the world’s first renewable elastane fiber available at commercial scale, developed by The LYCRA Company. Made with 70% renewable materials including field corn , this new fiber offers a sustainable alternative to traditional elastane, delivering equivalent performance, comfort, and compatibility with existing fabric production processes—without the need for design or pattern adjustments.
Milano Unica will also mark the first public presentation in Italy of apparel made with bio-derived LYCRA® EcoMade fiber, showcasing the fiber’s real-world applications. A dedicated area within the Lounge will feature garments from Carvico, the renowned Italian manufacturer of technical fabrics for sport and beachwear, and Agolde, the premium American denim brand.
The LYCRA® Brand Lounge is also designed as a space for discovery and connection, enriched with multimedia content and videos illustrating the company’s latest innovations. Visitors will also have the chance to experience a virtual reality journey, an immersive tour through the cornfields of Iowa that reveals the transformation process from crop to bio-derived LYCRA® EcoMade fiber.
“Seeing our partners turn bio-derived LYCRA® EcoMade fiber into high-quality fabrics and garments confirms that we are moving in the right direction. Innovation and sustainability must go hand in hand, and our mission is to deliver scalable solutions that combine performance, comfort, and environmental responsibility,” said Alistair Williamson, Vice President EMEA and South Asia at The LYCRA Company. “Milano Unica remains an ideal platform to showcase how our vision is becoming reality—thanks to the strategic collaborations with leading brands and manufacturers across the textile value chain.”
