Carvico chooses sustainable Biophyl

27 October 2009, Carvico (BG), Italy – Carvico SpA, a leading manufacturer of stretch warp knitted fabrics for swimwear and sportswear, has introduced Advansa’s eco-sustainable Biophyl yarns into its new Amazzonia warp knitted fabrics range. Carvico SpA is part of the Gruppo Carvico which also owns two of Italy’s other leading manufacturers of knitted fabrics, Jersey Lomellina SpA and Eurojersey SpA.

Based in the town of Carvico near Bergamo in northern Italy, Carvico is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of warp-knitted stretch fabrics, with over 40 years’ experience in the sector. Besides a general commitment to quality, innovation and style, Carvico demonstrates its commitment to reducing environmental impact with its ‘Green Vision’ scheme, which entails the implementation of environmentally responsible procedures in all areas of the company.

Biophyl fabrics are made from eco-polyester yarns based on an innovative polyester polymer polytrimethylene-terephtalate(PTT). In Biophyl, the petrol-based glycol normally used in polyester yarns is replaced with Bio-PDO, which is obtained from corn sucrose. Amazzonia is a new fabric made with Advansa’s Biophyl, which features the company’s Green Vision label.

Eco-sustainable Amazzonia fabric conceals two fibres within its knit that ensure high performance and make it ideal for all sports from beachwear and competition swimwear to running, trekking and cycling, says Carvico. With the right combination of Biophyl and Dow Fiber Solutions’ XLA New Generation, which gives exceptional chlorine, perspiration and UV resistance , Carvico says it has created an easy-care fabric with unique properties, ideal for transfer as well as traditional printing. Amazzonia’s composition is 78% Polyester Biophyl and 22% Elastolefin XLA NG and weighs in at 220 gsm.

According to Advansa, 37% of the polymer used in Biophyl consists of the renewable raw material and in comparison to nylon, which is often used in swimwear; the CO2 output associated with the production of polymer is up to 63 percent lower. Advansa says that this contributes to reducing the greenhouse effect and a simultaneous energy saving of up to 30 percent conserves additional resources. In addition Biophyl yarns guarantee exceptionally high colour brilliance, handle and softness and give the fabrics excellent stretch and recovery properties, the company says.

“More and more textile brands would like to contribute to using raw materials in a more sustainable way. Carvico has recognized this development and is tapping both the ecological and performance potential of Biophyl to respond to the growing global trend amongst end consumers towards eco-sustainable quality products, which are not only environmentally friendly, but also demonstrate the same, if not better, functional properties than standard products,” says Luciano Colosanto, Advansa’s Marketing Manager.

Lorenzo Ghezzi, Carvico’s  Export Manager adds:  “With our new fabric, Amazzonia, we now have an ecological textile product that not only coincides with our efforts to offer our customers high-quality fabrics with exceptional performance characteristics, but also our desire for more environmentally responsible procedures in all areas of the company, which is documented by our Green Vision scheme.”