Eastman spins yarn for sports apparel

Eastman Chemical is expanding production of Avra fibers made in collaboration with the yarn maker Unifi at the latter’s Yadkinville, N.C., plant. Heralded by the partners as “the next generation of fiber technology” when it was introduced last August, Avra is made by extruding polyester polymers into fibers too thin to be woven or knitted on their own. Instead, they are held together by a removable polymer that is washed away after the fabric is made. Fabrics made with Avra are suited for the sports apparel market, Eastman says, because of their silky feel and ability to wick moisture away from the skin.