Comprehensive analysis of spandex fabrics-MELION

Comprehensive analysis of spandex fabrics

What is spandex fabric?

When you wear tight yoga trousers, do you wonder how they fit your body without feeling constricting? Do you notice that little bit of spandex on the label of your jeans when you realise that they don’t lose their shape even after many wears？From sportswear to everyday wear, spandex (Spandex/Elastane) has long been the invisible champion of modern textiles. Born in a laboratory, this elastic fibre is redefining comfort and functionality as the ‘invisible tailor’ of clothing.

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01 The “past life” of spandex

From the laboratory to the wardrobe of the reverse spandex scientific name is polyurethane fibre, the earliest by the German Bayer company in 1937 research and development, in 1959 by the United States DuPont company to achieve industrial production, and with the brand name of ‘Lycra’ (Lycra) is known around the world.

Its molecular structure is like a spring, interwoven with flexible and rigid chain segments, giving the fibre** 5-8 times the stretching capacity** and the ability to recover quickly after stretching. This characteristic revolutionises the limitations of traditional clothing, allowing clothes to be both shaped and stretched freely.

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02 Why it’s the ‘Transformer’ of fabrics

The king of elasticity, free and unfettered The elastic recovery rate of spandex is as high as 95%, which is far more than rubber yarn and traditional elastic fibre. Take yoga trousers as an example, adding 20% spandex can make the fabric stretch freely with the body movement, no tightness during exercise, and perfectly fit the curve when stationary. The application of spandex in swimming costumes is even more extreme – it is resistant to seawater and chlorine bleaching, and retains its elasticity even after long periods of immersion.

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Wear-resistant and anti-deformation, double the life span Spandex is 2-3 times more wear-resistant than latex yarn, and is resistant to acid, alkali and sweat stains, so it is not easy to deteriorate with long-term wear. Adding 5-10% spandex to jeans not only improves wearing comfort, but also reduces deformation of easy-to-wear parts such as knees and hips.

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Invisible partner, versatile master Spandex can’t be made into fabric alone, but it can be blended with any fibre such as cotton, linen, silk, polyester, etc., and it only needs a ratio of 1%-10% to significantly improve the performance of the fabric. For example, blended with cotton T-shirt more fit and breathable, blended with wool suit more stiff and wrinkle-resistant, and even in the medical elastic bandage, spandex can also provide just the right amount of support.

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03 These shortcomings you must know

Fear of heat and sun, maintenance needs to be careful Spandex heat resistance is poor, the softening temperature of about 200 ℃, high temperature washing or exposure to the sun may lead to hardening of the fibres, elasticity decline. It is recommended to use warm water below 30 ℃ to wash, avoid bleach and chlorine detergent, and choose shade drying.

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Costs are arrogant, high prices are justified The production process of spandex is complex, involving sophisticated polymerisation reactions and spinning technology, resulting in higher costs than ordinary chemical fibres. However, with technological advances, the emergence of bio-based spandex (e.g., corn and straw as raw materials) is gradually reducing environmental costs and production costs. Comprehensive analysis of spandex fabrics插图8

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04 Selection & Maintenance Guide

Look at the label, identify the content of everyday clothing spandex content is usually 5% -20%, sportswear up to 30% or more. Choose according to the use of judgement – shapewear can choose high spandex content, daily clothing needs to balance the elasticity and breathability.
Wash smartly to prevent deterioration – Use neutral detergent and avoid mixing with rough clothes in machine washing; – Turn the garment inside out and tumble dry or tumble dry at low temperature; – Iron with a damp cloth at a temperature of not more than 150°C.
Store in a dry and ventilated place Moisture may cause spandex fibre to become mouldy, it is recommended to store in a breathable dust bag when not worn for a long time.

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