Intrinsic Advanced Materials (IAM), based in Gastonia,
North Carolina, has announced the expanded adoption of
CiCLO technology with new product introductions from lead
ing brands in Europe, Canada and the United States.
Synthetic fibres now account for more than 65% of global
textile production, making solutions to address microplastic
fibre pollution an urgent priority for global textile producers
across the performance apparel supply chain.
CiCLO technology is a textile ingredient embedded in polyester
and nylon fibres during production, enabling the material to
biodegrade at rates comparable to wool when it enters the
environment. When CiCLO polyester or nylon is exposed to
seawater, soil or wastewater sludge, microbes can break down
the fibres, leaving behind only natural elements. Long-term
comparative studies conducted by third-party labs show that
CiCLO fibres fully biodegrade in under four years compared to
conventional fibres that remain intact.
In Europe, Fruit of the Loom has incorporated CiCLO
polyester into its Iconic Premium and Iconic 250 Sweats
collections, including sweatshirts, hoodies and jog pants
designed for comfort, durability and everyday wear.
“With our two new sweat collections, it was important to us to
offer added value and differentiate ourselves from the
competition and we succeeded by using CiCLO technology,”
says Christian Lanvermann, senior marketing manager for
Fruit of the Loom Europe. “Our distribution partners and
consumers rely on us when it comes to products they wear
every day, and with that scale comes responsibility. Integrating
CiCLO technology into these collections allows us to introduce
an ingredient innovation directly into core apparel categories.
It is a practical way to continue delivering comfort, durability
and value while helping address the growing concern around
microplastic fibres.”
In the industrial apparel sector, Germany’s ROFA is
integrating CiCLO technology into its Move Easy Hivis Light
workwear ranges, designed for high-visibility safety garments.
“Industrial workwear is built to last and must perform under
extreme conditions,” says Cornelia Jäger, ROFA product
development specialist. “Adopting CiCLO technology allows us
to maintain the durability and safety standards required in
protective workwear and warning protection clothing while
taking a responsible step toward addressing the long term
environmental persistence of synthetic fibres.”
In the USA, Black Diamond has introduced the Rift Fleece
collection featuring CiCLO technology designed for comfort
and outdoor performance. Additional market adoptions include athleisure apparel at Costco and Walmart, featuring
men’s and women’s shirts and pants under the Mondetta
brand, distributed across the US and Canada.
“CiCLO delivers a proven, scaled, and affordable solution for
the entire existing textile supply chain,” says Cheryl Smyre,
Intrinsic Advanced Materials vice president. “Helping brands
move beyond intention into speedy adoption is unlocking the
power of collaboration and partnership. We are experiencing
an industry urgency to solve the environmental impact of
unavoidable microplastic shedding from synthetic textiles.
Responsible material innovation is at a new level, and we are
committed to supporting our brand partners as they introduce
durable and sustainable products across market segments.”