the LYCRA Company

Design and optimize LYCRA’s production strategies to improve efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability in the era of declining fast fashion, while balancing workforce wellbeing.

The Project

The Project

The LYCRA Company is a global leader in textile innovation, best known for introducing the revolutionary LYCRA® fiber that transformed the apparel industry in 1958. This elastic fiber brought comfort, performance, and fit to garments across the world; from sportswear and denim to lingerie and swimwear. Today, LYCRA continues to push boundaries in sustainable textile production, developing fibers made from recycled and renewable materials to meet the demands of a changing industry..

However, the textile sector itself is undergoing a significant transformation. As the world moves away from fast fashion and toward more sustainable consumption patterns, production volumes and rhythms are shifting.

The challenge for The LYCRA Company’s Kerkrade site, where we focus on processing synthetic fibers and byproducts, lies in adapting its operations to this new reality. The current production schedule has long followed fixed, traditional time frames (more out of habit than necessity) resulting in underutilized machines, idle time, and potential overcapacity.

We want to break free from these outdated patterns and redesign our operations using scenario development. That means exploring multiple scheduling models, (cost-minimization, energy-saving, employee-friendly, and maximum flexibility) to give management clear choices that balance productivity, sustainability, and workforce wellbeing.

Can we change our shift setup? What is the impact on costs, satisfaction, and performance? Given current demand levels, is it feasible to permanently decommission certain production lines and consider their sale?

Join us in a safe, open environment where your ideas matter. You will have the freedom to explore creative solutions and see them implemented in real time. We are looking for bold thinkers ready to make a difference. Apply now and be part of the change!

 

Design-oriented

In this project, the focus is on “creating something new”

The Client

The Client

The LYCRA Company is a renowned name in the textile industry, known for its innovative fibers and fabric solutions. The LYCRA company introduced LYCRA® fiber in 1958, which revolutionized the apparel industry by adding comfort and stretch to garments. Over the years, LYCRA® fiber has become a staple in various types of clothing, including activewear, swimwear, denim, and intimates. The LYCRA Company is committed to sustainability, constantly innovating to create products with recycled and renewable materials. The LYCRA Company has a global presence with 4 R&D labs, 7 manufacturing facilities, and 17 offices worldwide. The Kerkrade location in the Netherlands is involved in the processing, storage, and handling of synthetic fibers and byproducts.

I would like to join the brainstorm sessions to learn from their way of thinking. I think it is beneficial for our organization to be more involved during the project execution.

Co-Creator Client

This client might join the team for brainstorm sessions, meetings, and preparatory sessions. The co-creator is more actively involved in/during the project execution.