What impact does Lafayette’s innovative DNA have on its customers and the environment?

Lafayette is one of the top 30 companies in innovation in Colombia and the seventh most innovative company in Bogotá, according to the Innovation Ranking published by the ANDI – the Colombian Business Association – and Dinero magazine.

This recognition demonstrates that innovation at Lafayette is more than a concept; it is a tool rooted in the very DNA of the company that supports the execution of its strategy.  This systematic approach to innovation is used to develop new products, improve processes, and create services that add value for customers.

It’s an approach that has required developing internal capabilities whereby employees constantly seek alternatives for improvements and overcome challenges through creativity, experimentation and continuous learning. The entire innovation ecosystem leverages the ability of this approach to accelerate high-impact results.

At Lafayette, we are friendly experts that power your brand with superior textile solutions, technology and services, stimulating social and environmental progress in the region. All innovative actions are designed in line with this purpose, and, through success stories, some of which we will share below, we will show you how this purpose is fulfilled on a daily basis.

Look For Me

For Sandra Monroy, Lafayette’s Director of Corporate Innovation, it is put in evidence by the new services that are constantly being implemented to generate value for all stakeholders, especially customers.

One such service is the recently launched Look For Me platform, a tool for designing figurines that enables apparel manufacturers to reduce the time and cost of developing proposals for their customers. In less than 10 minutes, they can create professional commercial proposals that will help them grow their business.  This service is currently available in 13 cities in Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico.

Another example is Hilando Empresa, one of our training programs that has benefited more than 790 entrepreneurs in Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico, by offering incentives to help businesses grow .

Recently, technologies such as e-learning have been incorporated into the program to expand its coverage and constantly provide new knowledge and skills to clients, with the aim of boosting their growth.

Forever New

(Revolutionize the textile industry together with Lafayette)

Another project recently launched is Forever New, (see more about the program here), open innovation program that looks for start ups and scale ups, and helps them identify new services and innovative products in line with 4 search priorities: Sustainable transformation, Disruption in textiles, Service as a business, and Workforce in transition.

To date, proposals from countries such as the United States, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, Estonia, Korea, India and Israel have been evaluated.

In the arena of the environment, Lafayette has focused on developing sustainable fabrics for a variety of uses. This last year in particular, the Rupestre collection in the Home Decor segment launched Canvas Eco and Gaza África , textiles that are changing the experience of interior design. Lafayette is the first company in the region capable of producing a textile for the home décor segment, incorporating recycled materials such as polyester chips from PET bottles, while guaranteeing the high quality standards required for high-traffic curtain and upholstery applications. These fabrics and their processes are certified by Global Recycled Standard (GRS), The American Association of Textile Chemists (AATCC) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

They also incorporate technologies such as Lafgard, which shields these fabrics from dust and liquids, and makes them easy to clean, leading to their exceptional durability,” explained Sandra Monroy.

Biotechnology

Innovation also extends outside of the company to external collaborations, such as with the SINCHI Amazon Institute as part of the BIOB program led by the Inter-American Development Bank and Connect Bogota Region. Through this alliance, a biotechnology research project is being conducted to identify appropriate methods and timeframes for incorporating biotechnology into textile production processes, using environmentally friendly chemicals.

These are just a few examples of projects that fill us with pride. We will continue to transform the textile industry through ongoing innovation and solutions that impact our customers and the environment, Sandra points out, because “We are friendly experts that power your brand.”