Premium Manufacturing Partner Spotlight: Hwa Sung International launches 15 new fabrics with Dyneema®

Earlier this year, DSM announced an exclusive partnership with seven Premium Manufacturing Partners (PMPs) to help expand its Dyneema® fabric offerings. Each of the fabric mills selected met specific criteria related to quality, manufacturing, innovation and processing know-how of both Dyneema® fiber and fabric. Amongst the newly appointed PMPs was Hwa Sung International in South Korea – specializing in woven and warp knit fabrics with in-house R&D, testing and coating/lamination capabilities.

Hwa Sung already has a wide range of fabrics with Dyneema® available to meet the needs of the sports and outdoor apparel, bags and footwear markets. However, the COVID-19 pandemic created even higher demand for outdoor activity, and hence equipment, from consumers; resulting in the need for more sustainable performance fabrics that coupled light weight with increased durability. In response to the market shift, Hwa Sung developed and launched 15 new woven fabric styles made with Dyneema® fiber.

At the top of the performance range are three new 100% Dyneema® woven styles made with Dyneema® Diamond Technology fiber grades. Besides being much lighter and stronger than similar polyester or nylon wovens, the new woven styles with Dyneema® also offer higher cut and abrasion resistance, making them ideal for extreme sports and outdoor applications like jackets, bags and footwear. In addition, the conductivity of these fabrics dissipates heat away from the body to maximize wearer comfort.  

There are two ways to introduce Dyneema® fiber into a fabric: first by directly incorporating the Dyneema® filament or, second, by blending smaller amounts of Dyneema® with other natural or synthetic fibers. By varying the content of Dyneema® in the fabric, the performance of the fabric can be tailored to its intended application, whether for more durable casual wear, active sports or outdoor adventure activities.   

A Tencel/Dyneema® spun woven style is included in this new collection. Here, 10% Dyneema® fiber is mixed and spun with 90% Tencel® from Lenzing AG. The result is a fabric that delivers the softness and moisture absorption performance of Tencel® with enhanced strength and abrasion resistance enabled by the innate performance characteristics of Dyneema® fiber. The final woven fabric is soft to the touch without sacrificing performance – an ideal mix for sports and outdoor garments, as well as footwear.

Courtesy: Lenzing AG; Tencel® is a brand of Lenzing AG

For the sustainability-conscious minds, Hwa Sung introduced woven fabrics made with recycled polyester and spun yarns made with bio-based Dyneema® fiber. Bio-based Dyneema® fiber boasts the same exact performance as conventional Dyneema® with a carbon footprint that is 90% lower than generic HMPE – enabling consumers to enjoy an active lifestyle backed by the performance of Dyneema®, while helping to safe guard the planet we all love.

The latest collection of fabrics developed by Hwa Sung is an example of how the newest PMP model is enabling high-performing materials made with Dyneema®.

Are you interested in learning more about how Dyneema® can improve fabric performance? If so, please contact me directly.

Vincent Chua
Business Development Manager
Vincent.Chua@dsm.com