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The denim pool is overflowing with no end in sight to the ever-growing list of new brands and styling options. As the competition for consumers’ dollars grows stiffer, fabric suppliers are pressed to develop innovative denim that helps jeans makers stand out from the pack. Enter RadiciSpandex S85, a resilient stretch fiber that enhances core spun denim fabrics.

Denim has become a land of opportunity for inventive entrepreneurs who pioneered the premium market. Today’s jeans consumer has an insatiable appetite for denim in all forms and has graduated to niche brands sold at specialty boutiques at upwards of $200 a pair. Premium denim is favored by trend-seeking celebrities and hipster men and women making the scene in their trendy jeans paired with sport jackets and sexy tops, respectively. 

Since fit is most often the decisive factor in consumers’ denim choices, stretch can give brands a strong competitive advantage. “Stretch denim is not new, but it’s something that smart retailers can rely on for steady sales regardless of changes in fashion trends,” says Bill Girrier, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at RadiciSpandex Corp. “We’re seeing increased demand for our S85 spandex from denim mills because it strengthens their fabrics and takes dye very well. S85 yields a strong, but flexible fabric that moves with the wearer. It helps fabrics withstand the processes needed to achieve the trendy distressed and faded looks.” 

Even as the premium denim market gets saturated, there are signs that a more egalitarian approach to styling may be in the offing.  Premium brands are known for catering to slim, low rise-loving fashionistas, but the bulk of denim sales is generated at mass-market retailers that offer a wide range of sizes to accommodate consumers of all body types. Specialty retailers recognize this and are requesting their premium vendors to expand their style options to address this untapped market at the high end. 

Pricey denim brands hoping to expand their customer base by introducing more generous sizing would be wise to use stretch fabrics to achieve a more flexible fit without drastically compromising the look of their styling. 

RadiciSpandex Corp. is a U.S. subsidiary of THE RADICI GROUP, a multi-billion dollar entity based in Italy that employs 9,000 employees in 68 factories worldwide. The company is a multi-national, multi-ethnic industry player whose integrated business activities range from synthetic fibers to chemicals, plastics, packaging and textile machinery. Synthetic fibers (nylon, polyester, polypropylene and spandex/elastane) are the core activity of the group.

For more information on RadiciSpandex Corp. and The Radici Group, visit www.radicispandex.com and www.radicigroup.com.