WILMINGTON, DE — The LYCRA Company has opened its largest-ever spandex production facility, marking a major expansion of its manufacturing footprint in China and reinforcing the company’s strategy to build stronger, more localized supply chains across Asia. The LYCRA® fiber (Yinchuan) Plant, located in Ningxia Province, represents one of the company’s most significant capital investments to date.
Developed in partnership with the Yinchuan Financial Capital Investment Group, the facility carries an investment exceeding RMB 800 million. Its first phase adds 30,000 tons of annual production capacity, an output valued at more than RMB 1 billion, and will create approximately 500 jobs. Longer term, the company expects to scale the site to 120,000 tons annually to meet rising demand for high-quality spandex throughout China and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
As The LYCRA Company’s second major production site in China, the Yinchuan plant integrates advanced automation, intelligent process controls, and the company’s global R&D resources to form what it describes as a next-generation production ecosystem. Company officials said the facility is central to their effort to strengthen supply resilience, shorten lead times, and offer more flexible distribution options to apparel manufacturers.
The site also aligns with LYCRA’s sustainability framework, incorporating energy-efficient systems, emissions-reduction measures, and updated manufacturing technologies designed to reduce environmental impact while supporting capacity growth.
“China is strategically important, representing over 50% of the global apparel production market, and this partnership enables us to optimize our product mix more broadly while meeting the increase in demand for quality spandex,” said Gary Smith, CEO of The LYCRA Company. He extended thanks to local authorities and partners involved in the multi-year development effort.
The company said the Yinchuan expansion positions it to support long-term growth in a sector where performance fabrics continue to drive innovation and consumer demand.
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