What Is Elastane Fabric?

Elastic textiles are indispensable for sewing casual, workwear, sportswear, and lingerie. Elastane fabric gives fabrics the necessary properties and stretching effect. A popular question that many novice seamstresses ask when choosing a fabric is what kind of material is elastane fabric; in clothing, it is used not in its pure form but as part of combined fabrics. Combined with cotton, viscose, and silk, its threads are included in knitted fabrics. Other names of raw materials are spandex or lycra.

Today, we will talk about a fabric called elastane. We once encountered it because this material has already firmly entered everyday life. There are elastane fabrics that stretch perfectly and, at the same time, hold their shape well. Elastane fabric- or elastic textile - is a popular material actively used for sewing any clothing, from service to lingerie knitwear. Among the features of this type of fabric stand out are stretch effect, resistance to wear and tear, and long service life. It is worth considering in detail the characteristics of the material and the possibilities of its use. Such a textile feature is explained very simply - in the composition of the material, in addition to fibers of various origins, there are synthetic filaments of elastane fabric. So, what is elastane fabric? Let's understand.

Elastane fabric is very popular in the world of textiles. It is this additive that makes our clothes so comfortable and graceful. Thanks to it, sports uniforms fit the body well, and jeans fit comfortably despite active movements. Elastane fabric is a synthetic fiber that has changed the world of fashion and textiles. In the US and Commonwealth countries it is also called lycra and spandex. What is elastane fabric, what types are presented on the textile market, how does it differ from other materials, what can be sewn from it, and how does it care for clothes made of elastic fibers? Let's talk about it in today's article.

Elastane fabric is not only lycra but also spandex. In the USA and Canada, the material is referred to as such. Such concepts as "elastin" and "elastane" should not be confused. The first is a protein. The second is a polymer. There is not much difference between elastane fabric and elastane proper. These are trade names of polyurethane fibers with similar characteristics. The difference between the fabrics lies in the translation. In English, the name elastane fabric reflects the chemical composition of the fibers. While spandex translates to "stretch" or "stretch." For this reason, it is impossible to say which of the materials presented is better. They all have similar properties, only produced by different companies.

Polyurethane elastomeric thread is so thin that it is practically not used anywhere in its pure form. Therefore, the fabric, consisting of 100% elastane fiber, simply does not exist. It is just an additive of synthetic origin, which improves certain characteristics of other materials. With a small amount of stretching, threads do not worsen the hygienic properties of natural fabric and do not make clothes less comfortable.

Elastane fabric is used mainly with other synthetic or natural fibers in blended fabrics of different types. These can be, for example, chiffon, silk, knitted fabrics, wool, linen, cotton, crepe, jacquard, and even elastic suede. The addition of elastane fabric makes any fabric elastic and flexible. Without losing shape, such fabric can increase in size, easily stretching along, across, or simultaneously in both directions. The latter is characteristic of bi-elastic types.

Clothing made of elastane fabric tightly fits the body and perfectly sits on the figure without special fitting and darts. In addition, elastic knitwear is perfectly draped; from it, you can sew a dress of almost any style. How much the finished product will be plastic ultimately depends on how many elastic threads are contained in the composition of a particular matter. But even a minimal amount of elastane fabric (up to 5%) makes the fabric more durable, stronger, and more elastic.

The story of the invention of elastane fabric takes us back to the mid-twentieth century when American scientist Joseph Shivers made one of the most important discoveries in the world of textiles in the DuPont chemical laboratory. It was when elastane fabric was born, a material that, over time, has become an integral part of our lives, which had the unique property of stretching when exposed to heat. As a result of his hard work, elastane yarns that could be added to various materials were developed. This was the beginning of a new era in the textile industry.

Two decades after Joseph Shivers' discovery, elastane fabric began to be used extensively to manufacture stockings, corsets, sportswear, and many other products. Elastane fabric is not a fabric in its own right but a synthetic additive that gives materials amazing strength, thinness, and lightness. It is also resistant to negative environmental influences, which makes it indispensable in today's fashion and textile industry. Today, the largest producers of fabrics with added elastane are the USA, Japan, and Italy. The most famous brands producing elastane yarns are Lycra and Elaspan, produced by the American company Invista.

Elastane fabric is a polymer like polyester and nylon. Its building blocks are form polymers that form the basis of elastane fabric, stabilizers that increase the stability and integrity of the fibers, and additional chemicals and dyes that give the fabric its appearance. The synthetic blend undergoes extrusion and spinning processes to form elastane yarns. Its thickness is determined by how many of these fibers are put together. From there, the elastane threads are woven into different fabrics. There is no such thing as a garment made of 100% elastane fabric - that would be too stiff!

The techniques for making elastane fabric come in a variety of ways:

Elastane fabric can be produced using the wet method. Synthetic yarns are washed in water heated to 95 degrees Celsius with this technique. The result is the stretching of fibers with subsequent elongation of 1.5 times. Then, the threads are wound on a roller and subjected to drying in a special chamber where the temperature is set at 120 degrees Celsius. The procedure for drying fibers lasts up to 30 hours.

Elastane fabric can be produced in the dry method. The method involves applying the fibers from the spinning shaft, a special composition-oiling agent. After that, the threads are wound on bobbins and sent to the thermal chamber; the air temperature inside is 80 degrees. Duration of drying - 3 hours.

Chemical methods can produce elastane fabric. Threads are immersed in a solution of macro diisocyanate, with which they begin to actively interact. The result is the acquisition of the necessary properties by the fibers.

Elastane fabric can be produced by extrusion method. In this case, prepare a material solution, which is passed through the molding holes. With the help of this technology, it is possible to obtain a huge number of high-quality polymer filaments.

- Excellent stretchability - thanks to this quality of elastane fabric, any garment with elastic threads fits well to the body and fits to the figure;

- Elasticity and ability to take the original shape after stretching;

- Wear resistance and durability - spandex fibers significantly increase the service life of the elastane fabric, making it durable;

- Water resistance - the elastane fabric does not absorb water and dirt and is easy to care for;

- Elastane fabric with a small amount of synthetic additive does not lose its air permeability and is as comfortable as fabric without elastane;

- Thinness, softness, and lightness - the finest synthetic thread does not weigh down the original material and drapes perfectly;

- UV resistance - elastane fabric can make you not burn out in the sun;

- After washing and drying the color of the elastane fabric does not change;

- Practicality and easy care - elastane fabric does not deform during use and does not wrinkle;

- Density index - up to 1.3 g/cubic centimeters provides the elastane fabric with a "stretch" effect.

Despite the abundance of positive properties, the elastane fabric has some disadvantages:

- It can cause allergic reactions. People with sensitive skin should be especially careful when wearing such clothes. If irritation occurs, you should stop using things of elastane fabric.

- Low air permeability, clothes do not "breathe" well.

- Low moisture permeability. In hot weather, elastane fabric will make sweat remain on the skin, which causes discomfort, overheating, and irritation.

- Insufficient resistance to ultraviolet light. With prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, the structure may be disturbed.

- Do not wash with detergents containing chlorine. This can lead to deterioration and thinning of the structure. Long-term exposure to chlorinated water should also be avoided.

- Accumulation of static electricity (electrifies).

- Comparatively demanding in care. Washing should be done in a delicate mode. Do not iron elastane fabric at high temperatures.

A 100% elastane fiber fabric is practically not used in sewing clothes and everyday life. Blended fabrics are used. Elastane fabric is used mainly in the production of clothing for various purposes: stretch overalls, jeans, dresses , suits, T-shirts, shorts, tracksuits, wetsuits and swimwear, underwear, tights, and stockings.

Since elastane is a synthetic fabric similar to polyester, it is made from fossil fuels that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These are the gases responsible for climate change.

Elastane fabric is also not recyclable and requires several water-polluting chemicals to produce. Elastane fabric is not good for the environment unless people use and make their elastane clothing more durable.