CircStretch™ Knits

CircStretch™ NEW DEVELOPMENT. STSC is in the process of developing a new range of bio-stretch textiles.
To receive information about the CircStretch™ blends and ordering process fill in an Enquiry Form based on MOQs:
Option 1. Orders of 1000+kg per blend, per colourway or
Option 2. join the STSC CLUB collective order of 100+kg MOQs

STSCs goal is to offer brands premium durable stretch textiles that drastically reduces the use of all plastic fibres and stop using undocumented chemical dyes. We offer the highest benchmark of sustainable 4-way stretch textiles - choosing the highest performing fibres with the highest benchmark dyes accompanied by traceable certification to minimise our impact on human health and the environment.

STSC's fibre and certification choices ensure we reach the the highest certified standards for premium quality textiles available today. 

STSC follows the strict anti-greenwashing guidelines created by the EU Commission as part of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and assist brands to meet regulations including the EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) in force from July 2024. 

All traceable Certifications will be issued when purchasing textiles.
Fill in an Enquiry Form below based on MOQs.

ANTI-GREENWASHING AND VERIFIED CERTIFICATION

Currently the vast majority of 4-way stretch knit textiles on the market (activewear, underwear) are made with some, or all, plastic synthetic from a fossil fuel source - consisting of the bulk (80-95%) made from nylon (polyamide), polyester or recycled plastic bottles and fish nets - and all are blended (5-20%) synthetic elastane (Spandex, Lycra, or recycled elastane). 

All textiles shed fibres into our environment - therefore textiles with any synthetic fibres will hold and shed microfibres made from plastic. New research shows an additional concern regarding fibres containing hazardous chemical dyes and finishes, especially when combined with synthetic.  

Many brands do not declare these details - and this combination has the potential to cause increased negative health impacts, especially from garments worn close to the skin when we exercise, plus environmental impacts if waste water is not captured and treated, and when ingested from water, soil, food systems and air.

Even with plant-based natural fibres, all 4-way stretch textiles still contains some plastic elastane knitted in, therefore we're still wearing some plastic and shedding some microplastics - plus check the certifications as they may hold undocumented hazardous chemical dyes and finishes.

STSC's CircStretch™ range with Roica V550 elastane has a tiny component of non-biodegradable synthetic elastane fibres (half of the elastane component)- but much less than 100% Spandex, Lycra and recycled elastane alongside the bulk textile.

• Note technically, no textile is 'non-toxic' simply because chemicals are used in all processes - from farming cotton and hemp plus the closed-loop systems of Lenzing using chemicals to breakdown the wood fibres.

• Reasons we’ve chosen Lenzing fibers include their premium durability, responsible wood sourcing certified to FSC® (Forestry Stewardship Council) and PEFC standards, CanopyPlanet audits, closed-loop production systems designed to recover and reuse process chemicals, wastewater treatment protections, medically tested for toxins and independent certifications including OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 for harmful substance testing and TÜV Austria certifications for biodegradability and compostability. 

• Lenzing's manufacturing data shows that TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers are produced using a closed-loop process that recovers more than 99% of the solvent and process water used during production. The system is designed to capture, recycle, and reuse the solvent internally, significantly reducing chemical discharge and freshwater impact compared with conventional viscose production.

• We prefer Lenzing's system rather than GOTS organic cotton as it does not inherently involve a closed-loop regenerated cellulose solvent recovery system like Lyocell.

• Unlike many conventional textile certifications that focus primarily on the raw fibre source, Lenzing’s TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal systems incorporate independently certified environmental standards across the broader manufacturing process — including responsible wood sourcing (FSC®/PEFC), closed-loop solvent recovery systems, wastewater treatment, chemical management, worker protections, biodegradability certifications, and harmful substance testing. 

• While certifications such as GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) provide strong standards for organic cotton cultivation and processing, TENCEL™ fibers are differentiated by their integrated closed-loop fibre production technology and solvent recovery systems designed to minimise environmental impact throughout manufacturing.

• All uncertified textiles such as bamboo, generic lyocell, modal and recycled bottles (rPET) or recycled textiles derived from fossil fuel synthetic fibres do not meet STSC's high standards for sustainability.