ADVANCING ULTRASONIC BONDING

When two companies share a vision for better-performing, more sustainable products, good things happen. For The LYCRA Company and Dukane, that vision has been taking shape for over a decade — and it's producing some exciting results in ultrasonic bonding technology, a manufacturing approach that refines how hygiene products like diapers are made.

The latest chapter: LYCRA FUSION™ fiber for personal care — a breakthrough that brings a whole new dimension to adhesive-free elastic attachment in nonwovens. Paired with Dukane's advanced ultrasonic bonding systems, LYCRA FUSION™ fiber gives diaper manufacturers something they've long been chasing: precise elastic placement, stronger bond integrity, and consistent performance, all without the variability of hot-melt adhesives.

A PARTNERSHIP BUILT ON A SHARED GOAL

Since 2014, The LYCRA Company and Dukane have been working side by side to push the boundaries of what ultrasonic bonding can do. The goal has been to help diaper manufacturers create products that feel better, fit better, and perform better — while also reducing energy use, cutting material waste, and lowering maintenance costs. That's a lot to ask of one process, and yet ultrasonic bonding can deliver.

Here's how it works: Ultrasonic bonding creates bonded channels between two layers of nonwoven materials, mechanically securing elastic fibers — no adhesives needed. Dukane's patented rotary and rigid ultrasonic bonding systems do this at high speed by delivering precisely controlled ultrasonic energy directly into nonwoven substrates. The result is clean, consistent bonding that eliminates many of the variables that come with traditional hot-melt adhesives.

INTRODUCING LYCRA FUSION™ FIBER FOR PERSONAL CARE

Now, the partnership has a breakthrough to share. LYCRA FUSION™ fiber — originally developed to stop snags in hosiery from turning into runs — has found a powerful new application in the world of nonwovens.

Thanks to its unique sheath/core construction, LYCRA FUSION™ fiber can actually fuse to surrounding nonwoven layers during the ultrasonic bonding process. This fusion strengthens the bond and delivers superior yarn creep, or what most of us would simply call "snapback." When paired with Dukane's advanced ultrasonic bonding modules, manufacturers gain precise elastic placement, improved bond integrity, and consistent product performance — without the variability that comes with adhesives.

SEE IT AT INDEX™ 2026 IN GENEVA

If you're attending INDEX™ 26 in Geneva, May 19-22, 2026, this is one collaboration worth seeing up close. Visit The LYCRA Company at stand 2151 and Dukane at stand 1568 to explore the full range of hygiene and nonwovens solutions on display — and to get a firsthand look at where adhesive-free bonding is headed next.