What Is Spandex Fabric?
Spandex fabric is a stretchy synthetic fabric known for its flexibility. Contrary to common misconception, “spandex” is not a brand name; rather, it is a generic term for polyether-polyurea copolymer fabrics made through a number of manufacturing procedures. Spandex, Lycra, and elastane are all interchangeable names.
We use this fabric in form-fitting consumer garments since it can stretch up to 5-8 times its original size. Small amounts of spandex are woven into other synthetic, semi-synthetic, or organic fibers. In most cases, pure spandex is not used in clothes.
IG Farben invented Polyurethane in Germany in 1937, which is the basic material for spandex. Hundreds of top German scientists moved to the United States after World war 2, many of IG Farben’s textile engineers went to the DuPont Corporation, which was the undisputed leader in synthetic textile development at the time.
DuPont sought to develop a fresh polymer fabric with excellent elasticity using polyurethane research. During the research process, DuPont scientists referred to this fabric as “spandex;” once finished, we offered it under the brand name Lycra, but consumers preferred to refer to it as “spandex,” and it was this term that entered the popular lexicon to describe this synthetic fabric.
Spandex, like other polymers, we made up of repeated monomer chains bound together by an acid. We discovered it early. In the spandex development process, this material is very heat-resistant, which implies that fabrics that are famously heat-sensitive, such as nylon and polyester, benefit from the addition of spandex fabric.
How Is Spandex Fabric Made?
There are no organic components in spandex because it is a completely synthetic textile. Rather, all of the components of this fiber we created in a laboratory and then mixed under precise stimuli to produce spandex fabric.
A chemical called macroglycol that we combined with a diisocyanate monomer under precise heat and pressure to start the spandex fabric manufacture process. To get the required results, the temperature and pressure conditions must be perfect, and the macroglycol and diisocyanate monomer ratio must be around 1:2.
When we met the necessary circumstances, a substance like a prepolymer we have created and used in the rest of the manufacturing process. After we create the prepolymer, it has subjected to diamine acid, which triggers a chemical reaction known as a chain extrusion reaction.
Because the resulting product is extremely viscous, it must dilute with a solvent before proceeding to the next stage. The prepolymer places into a fiber production cell or a cylindrical spinning cell when it is thin enough to work with.
These solid fibers ultimately force out of the cylindrical spinning cell, where they twist into strands when exposed to compressed air. This pressurized air forms into strands of various sizes.
Finally, we coated the spandex fiber in a finishing agent such as magnesium stearate or a chemical comparable to it. It’s ready to weave into the fabric after it loads onto a spool.
How Is Spandex Fabric Used?
Spandex fabric has grown in popularity since its invention. We can find this in thousands of various types of clothing worn by people all over the world. We can also use Spandex to give typically hard materials like polyester more flexibility.
The most common application for spandex is in fabrics that are form-fitting. We find Spandex fabric in the waistbands of almost every type of stretch garment. This fabric is highly popular in sportswear, such as swimwear and bicycling costumes.
Finally, spandex fabric we have used in industrial environments. For example, motion capture suits, are specific types of bodysuits that performers wear in front of green screens. By ensuring that these outfits stay close to the bodies of actors, spandex makes it easier to create realistic 3D characters.
Where Is Spandex Fabric Produced?
Many different international firms produce spandex fabric. Some of these firms, such as DuPont, have factories across dozens of nations, while others focus on a single country.
China is home to the majority of the world’s spandex manufacturing facilities. Previously, the majority of this fabric has made in the United States, but lower labor costs have pushed the production of many other types of textiles to China in recent decades.
A recent resurgence in the United States’ manufacturing industry may announce the return of spandex production to American shores, but whatever the case may be, market reports predict a bright future for spandex manufacture. While several forms of synthetic fabrics have fallen out of favor in recent years, there is no substitute for spandex. Therefore the fabric business will continue to thrive until at least 2024.
How Much Does Spandex Fabric Cost?
Spandex fabric demands a relatively higher market price due to its uniqueness and the difficult manufacturing procedure of creating it. It is more expensive than polyester and nylon. It is also more expensive than organic materials such as wool and cotton.
However, we use elastane in small amounts in clothes. The higher cost is usually not noticeable to the average consumer. However, the more spandex fabric which we have used in a garment, the more expensive it gets. Certain forms of bicycle gear and professional dance clothing, for example, are particularly expensive because they include a lot of spandex.
What Different Types of Spandex Fabric Are There?
Even if multiple manufacturing procedures to create spandex, the ultimate result is chemically the same. However, because of the various words used to describe this fabric, there may be some confusion:
- Spandex: Spandex is an anagram of the word “expands,” and it is not a trademark. Although the term “spandex” we have never intended to be the dominant term for elastane fabric, it stuck in the public’s consciousness, and most Americans and Canadians today refer to it as that.
- Elastane: This type of cloth referred to as “elastane” by the majority of Europeans. The most chemically correct way to refer to this cloth is as elastane.
- Elastane: The term “lycra” is a registered trademark of the DuPont Company. Only DuPont’s spandex have named Lycra, yet this fabric is chemically equivalent to spandex and elastane fibers and has the same properties.
How Does Spandex Fabric Impact the Environment?
There we have no effective solutions proposed to address the environmental damage caused by spandex fabric. Non-biodegradable textile fibers make up over 60% of waste in US rivers. Elastane is totally have made up of chemicals that we manufactured in a laboratory.
Despite all the environmental effects, spandex fabric still has a high demand on the market. You can make any kind of costume or attire with high-quality spandex fabric from the Beautiful connection group. Beautiful Connection group is one of the best clothing manufacturers and wholesalers in the USA. They make any type of customized women’s clothing. They provide the best quality at a reasonable price.