Fibers

The History of Spandex

During World War II, most of the rubber was being used for war equipment, which made the prices of rubber increase. Therefore, scientists began to look for a replacement for rubber. The first scientist to come up with an experimental spandex fiber was a pioneer in polymers, named Bayer. In 1959, scientists at DuPont and the U.S. Rubber Company created the final development of this fiber and called it Lycra.

Lycra is a man-made elastane fiber that any other man-made fibers can be mixed with. Even very small amounts of Lycra added with another fiber can alter the performance of a fabric. Lycra adds comfort, fit, shape, durability, and a wide range of flexibility to a fabric. The complete manufacturing of Lycra began in 1962. Now, the U.S. Rubber Company is the world’s leading producer of spandex fibers. 

Spandex is considered to be a great substitute for rubber because it is stronger, lighter, and more flexible. Spandex also does not react to sweating, lotions, oils, or detergents, which makes it an obvious candidate for clothing fabrication. However, spandex does react to heat, light, and chlorine, which is why stabilizers were added to help protect the fabric.

First, spandex was used in undergarments, such as ladies corsets. Over the years, spandex has become very acceptable in fashion for both men and women. The comfort, flexibility, and tightness of the fabric are some of the reasons why it has become so desirable. Spandex is also very important for sportswear such as swimsuits, ski pants, yoga clothes, ballet tights and more. Another great quality of this fabric is that no matter how many times it is stretched, it will recover to almost exactly its original length and shape. Spandex can be stretched more than 500% without tearing. Thus, spandex is not only a comfortable material but also a well fitting one for nearly any body shape or size.  Nowadays, whether we realize it or not, spandex is worn on a daily basis.