INVISTA Honors 60th Anniversary of LYCRA® Fiber with Donation to Collegiate Inventors Competition®

INVISTA, owner of the LYCRA® brand of spandex (elastane) fiber, today announced its support of the 2018 Collegiate Inventors Competition (CIC) being held November 14-16, at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in Alexandria, Virginia. A donation is being made in honor of LYCRA® fiber, which is celebrating 60 years of adding comfort, fit and performance to apparel, and its inventor, Joseph C. Shivers, who was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) last May.

The CIC celebrates innovation and entrepreneurship by showcasing the latest inventions by some of the brightest minds at the college level today. Finalists have the opportunity to present their research and prototypes to renowned NIHF Inductees and USPTO experts who provide feedback on how to optimize their invention. A panel of expert judges determines the top three winners at both the undergraduate and graduate level. In addition, anyone in the U.S. can vote online for the People’s Choice award winner.

“Innovation and continuous improvement are part of our brand’s DNA—it explains how we’ve grown from one resilient fiber to more than 200 fibers engineered to improve fabric aesthetics and performance,” said Robert Kirkwood, executive vice president – technology and marketing, INVISTA Apparel & Advanced Textiles. “We’re excited to pay it forward and support the next generation of innovators with this donation.”

LYCRA® fiber has been transforming apparel since 1958 when Shivers, a DuPont chemist, invented it to replace rubber threads that would cause girdles to lose their shape and fit over time. The new fiber not only revolutionized shapewear, but went on to transform all types of clothing and the way they are worn. From innerwear to outerwear and everything in between, LYCRA® fiber has been a catalyst for change in fashion and continues to drive innovation in the industry today.

For more information on the Collegiate Inventors Competition and the National Inventors Hall of Fame, visit invent.org.

About INVISTA

INVISTA is one of the world’s largest integrated producers of chemical intermediates, polymers and fibers. The company’s advantaged technologies for nylon, spandex and polyester are used to produce clothing, carpet, air bags and countless other everyday products. Headquartered in the U.S., INVISTA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc. For more information, visit INVISTA.com.

LYCRA® is a trademark of INVISTA.

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