Did you know? Sorona® isn't just about stretch. Here's why.
Sorona® is increasingly used in performance fabrics to provide stretch and recovery, helping garments move comfortably with the wearer while maintaining their shape.
But there’s more to the technology than flexibility alone.
Made using 37% plant-based ingredients, Sorona® combines performance with partially renewable raw materials, offering textile manufacturers another way to engineer comfort, durability and long-lasting performance into modern workwear.
What is Sorona®?
Sorona® is a high-performance polymer developed for a wide range of textile applications.
Its unique molecular structure enables fibres made with Sorona® to provide properties including stretch and recovery, softness and dimensional stability, depending on the fabric construction and application.
Unlike conventional materials made entirely from petroleum-derived ingredients, 37% of the Sorona® polymer is derived from annually renewable plant-based ingredients.
This combination of material innovation and textile performance has enabled Sorona® to be used across a wide range of apparel applications.
How is Sorona® made?
The journey starts with plants.
Sugar, or glucose, is extracted from plant-based feedstock and fermented using microorganisms to produce a key ingredient used in the manufacture of Sorona® polymer. The resulting polymer can then be made into fibres and incorporated into fabrics.
This process means that 37% of the finished Sorona® polymer comes from plant-based ingredients, while still delivering the performance characteristics required for demanding textile applications.
More than just stretch
Stretch and recovery are important characteristics of Sorona®, but they are only part of the story.
Depending on the fibre variation and fabric construction, Sorona® technology can contribute to a range of performance characteristics, including:
- Long-lasting stretch
- Shape recovery
- Dimensional stability
- Softness and comfort
- Easy-care performance
- Partially plant-based content
Sorona® has developed different fabric propositions around these characteristics, demonstrating how the same polymer technology can be engineered to meet different apparel requirements.
For workwear, this versatility can help create fabrics that provide freedom of movement while retaining the durability, comfort and appearance required throughout the working day.
Where is Sorona® used?
Sorona® technology is used across a broad range of apparel applications, from activewear and outerwear to uniforms and workwear.
In workwear, its combination of stretch and recovery, dimensional stability and comfort makes it particularly relevant for garments designed for active working environments.
The Sorona® workwear information provided to Carrington highlights applications including labour wear, medical scrubs and uniforms, with performance requirements varying according to the end use.
Why it matters
Modern workwear needs to deliver more than durability alone.
Garments increasingly need to support movement, comfort and fit while maintaining their performance and appearance over time.
Sorona® provides fabric developers with another way to engineer these characteristics into workwear, combining textile performance with the use of partially plant-based raw materials.
For garment manufacturers and end users, it means greater choice when selecting fabrics designed to meet the demands of today’s working environments.
See Sorona® technology in action
Sorona® technology features across a number of Carrington Textiles fabrics, helping provide stretch, recovery and comfort for modern workwear applications.
Explore the range to discover how Sorona® technology is being applied across our latest fabric developments.