The launch signals growing maturity in renewable elastane as brands test scalable alternatives to fossil-based stretch fibres.
Italian swimwear specialist Arena has unveiled a new women’s collection that combines recycled nylon with renewable LYCRA® EcoMade fiber, marking the first commercial use of bio-based spandex in swimwear. Launched on December 4, the line reflects a broader industry push to align high-performance apparel with lower environmental impact.
The collection features three silhouettes—one-shoulder, O-back and swim pro-back—produced using Vita Life fabric from Italian mill Carvico, a long-standing partner of The LYCRA Company. The fabric blends recycled polyamide with LYCRA® EcoMade fiber, delivering technical stretch, durability and shape retention while reducing dependence on fossil-based inputs.
Arena frames the launch as a value-chain collaboration rather than a standalone material switch. “Sustainability can happen only if all the systems work in the same direction,” said Cristina Cantoni, the brand’s global PR and communication manager. Carvico echoed that view, arguing that environmental progress in performance categories must meet uncompromising functional standards.
Beyond materials, the products are packaged in 100% FSC-certified paper polybags and linked to ocean-protection initiatives through Carvico’s “Sea the Difference” programme.
LYCRA® EcoMade fiber—made with QIRA®, containing 70% bio-based content derived from U.S.-grown field corn—is expected to reach broader commercial scale later this year. Crucially, the fiber delivers identical stretch and recovery to conventional LYCRA®, addressing one of the key barriers to adoption in swimwear and other high-performance segments.
The launch suggests that renewable elastane is moving from pilot stage to market reality, with implications for activewear categories where stretch, longevity and sustainability increasingly converge.
