Teijin Fibers Limited, has developed what it says is the world’s first polyester-based cushioning material for swimwear bra cups, made with V-Lap, a vertically lapped nonwoven fabric that the company introduced in 2007. Swimwear incorporating the new bra cups will enter trial sales this summer, with full-scale sales and marketing planned for next year.

Teijin says that V-Lap, until now used mainly for beddings, is finding new applications as a cushioning material in place of urethane. Although urethane has been virtually the only material used as cushioning for swimwear bra cups, it has the drawbacks of low breathability and easy yellowing, the company says.

Teijin claims that V-Lap is highly breathable, does not yellow easily and is easy to mould, making it an ideal material for swimwear bra cups. In addition, the company says that its special moulding technology has produced a bra cup with form stability capable of withstanding 50-plus washes, the general performance standard for swimwear.

V-Lap also incorporates ELK, a high-performance polyester cushioning material, which realizes high rebounding and appropriate cushioning properties that prevents sagging.

Teijin Fibers is now developing bra cups made with V-Lap, aiming at a market launch within the fiscal year ending in March 2010. The recycling of used V-Lap bra cups is also under consideration.

Teijin says that V-Lap non-woven fabric also has promising industrial applications, such as a sound-absorption material for automobiles, which is scheduled to be marketed in the near future.

Teijin is a global technology-driven group operating in five main fields: synthetic fibres; films and plastics; pharmaceuticals and home health care; trading and retail; and IT and new products. Teijin Limited, the holding company for the Teijin Group, is listed on the Tokyo and Osaka stock exchanges. The group had consolidated sales of USD 9.4 billion (JPY 943.4 billion, USD 1=JPY 100) in fiscal 2008 and employs approximately 19,000 people in 160 companies worldwide.