100 Stories1985 Loica Spandex

Asahi Kasei’s spandex business, which began operations in 1971, celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2021. Spandex is an elastic polyurethane fiber. Polyurethane is a synthetic fiber that was developed in Germany around 1940, which has elasticity like rubber. In the 1970s it was used in athletic socks, pantyhose, high socks, men's socks, and even in outerwear apparel such as jeans and corduroy due to its superior functionality.

Spandex, especially when used in sportswear such as swimwear, is interlaced with approximately 15% nylon. This provides a significantly large and stable demand for nylon production. Nevertheless, it was necessary for Asahi Kasei to look into the root factors of quality in great detail in order to diversify applications, improve quality, and expand sales in the future, so the Σ Project was organized in 1977.

The project mobilized the best and brightest from the Technical Research Institute and Plant Production Engineering Department, as well as veterans from the Fiber Processing Research Institute, and the plant's development team. The project involved a day-and-night effort to analyze polymers, design new polymers, and develop high-quality yarns that met strength, dyeability, and other requirements. A pilot study was completed at the end of 1978.

The head of the Spandex Division at the time commented on the Σ Project’s success, saying, “One of the greatest joys of the past year was the getting re-acquainted with how high the level of our research team is, through the activities of the Σ project. I saw in them a noble spirit of company loyalty, the soul of Asahi Kasei, which is dedicated to a single goal, no matter how difficult that goal may be.”

A name for the newly developed spandex was then needed. In 1980 the name ‘Loica’ was chosen. However, LYCRA, a spandex marketed by Toray/Dupont, stood in the way. A reason why Loica could not beat LYCRA, was that the molecular weight distribution of poly (tetramethylene ether) glycol (PTMG) was not sharp enough to produce sufficient physical properties; since that research was suspended within Asahi Kasei at the time, the company was instructed to reconsider the matter.

Asahi Kasei immediately began research, and after overcoming some failures, in 1983 established a manufacturing method for PTMG using a new technique, and applied for a patent. The results were reported to the Loica Plant, and tests were conducted to produce yarn using the new PTMG technique at Loica. The plant's test equipment confirmed that the yarn had excellent properties, including low-temperature elasticity, and this led to the decision to focus on this method.

In 1984, the Loica Plant began preparations for production, and the proposal for commercialization was approved at the December management meeting. Also, on July 1, 1985, the CV project kicked off, and construction was completed in 1986. The CV project was dissolved, and the Loica plant took over the entire project.

After that, Loica continued to expand, establishing production bases in China and Thailand. In 2016, the company became the first spandex manufacturer in the world to be certified under the Global Recycling Standard, and continues to develop products that meet a variety of needs as sustainable yarns.