Hello, dear readers! Today we will talk to you about another fabric, the name of which is “Elastane”. I am sure that each of you has encountered it at least once in your life, because this type of matter has firmly entered into everyday life. Perhaps you didn’t even suspect that you were wearing it, because... elastane is also called lycra or spandex. I think the picture is becoming clearer now. Is not it?!
On an intuitive level, you have already noticed that elastane is a synthetic fabric that has stretch properties. And you are right! Indeed, elastane is a synthetic fiber, and, to be more precise, elastane is segmented polyurethane (chemists will understand this term). Let's sort it out in order. I propose to traditionally start with the history of elastane.
1. History of the creation of elastane; 2. Elastane production technology; 3. Features of the name; 4. Characteristics of elastane; 5. Varieties of elastane; 6. What is made from elastane? 7. Recommendations for care; 8. Customer reviews
The history of elastane
Who invented elastane, you ask? And I have a definite answer, because... The name of the creator is known to many and is not kept secret. This is American Joseph Shivers, a scientist working in the DuPont chemical laboratory in the mid-twentieth century. It was he who studied thermoplastic elastomer, which had the property of stretching when exposed to temperature. As a result, elastane threads were created, and when added to various fabrics, 20 years later they began to make stockings, corsets, sportswear and much more, which we will discuss below. Elastane is not an independent fabric, but, in simple words, a synthetic additive. Durable, thin, lightweight, resistant to negative environmental influences.
The appearance of cotton fabric with the addition of elastane.
Today, the largest suppliers of fabrics with added elastane are the USA, Japan and Italy. The largest giant in the production of elastane threads is American. It is here that the well-known brand called “Lycra” and “Elaspan” is produced.
conclusions
If we consider how to wash cotton so that it does not shrink or become deformed, you should:
- Prepare items for the process by turning them inside out and securing fasteners and buttons.
- Select the appropriate mode on the washing machine or prepare a solution for hand washing.
- If heavily soiled, the product will need to be soaked and washed.
- If shrinkage occurs accidentally, the cotton will need to be softened and given the required shape using one of the above methods.
- Dyeing items made of cotton and softcotton should be done in accordance with the instructions for the dye and only after washing the product.
Elastane production technology
As mentioned above, elastane is produced chemically in the laboratory, using polyurethane rubbers as raw materials. Let me make a reservation right away: the technology for producing elastane fabric will be described superficially, because We do not pursue the goal of a detailed consideration of the issue of elastane production; let the specialists deal with this. For the sake of a general idea, we will only briefly touch on the main aspects of production. So, there are several types of elastane fiber production:
- Chemical formation;
- Formation from solution (dry or wet);
- Injection from a polymer melt.
The result is a soft, smooth, silky fabric that flows around the skin like water. Further, at the request of the client, elastane can be dyed in any color, printed with a pattern or left plain.
The production of elastane is a labor-intensive process.
Elastane fibers are added to natural fabrics to improve their performance. It often complements: cotton, silk, knitwear, viscose, linen, polyamide, polyester. The proportion of elastane to the main raw material can range from 2 to 30%. The higher the percentage, the greater the density. It is worth noting that in nature there is no fabric consisting of 100% elastane threads. It is always used as a complement. The ideal combination is 95% viscose and 5% elastane. With this ratio, the material has a surprisingly soft structure, is pleasant to the body, breathable and very practical.
What is elastane
Elastane is a textile fiber that is produced from segmented polyurethane fibers. The material consists of flexible, rigidly connected segments and has a porous structure. Thanks to this, fabrics with the addition of such threads are strong, thin, and elastic.
Elastane is a synthetic material that was first developed by scientist Joseph Shivers in an American laboratory in the mid-20th century. The corporation patented the resulting material and began using it to create corsets. When corsets went out of fashion, fibers began to be added to women’s stockings and tights; over time, elastic synthetics began to be added to fabrics for sewing a wide variety of wardrobe items.
There is no fabric that is 100% elastane. This is due to the fact that the fibers of this material are too thin. Elastic threads are added in small quantities to natural, synthetic, and artificial fabrics. Even 5% elastane is enough to increase the elasticity, strength, and durability of the fabric.
The material can be found in various clothing. A description of the main characteristics of elastane explains the popularity of fabrics with its addition:
- Fabric with elastane in its composition can stretch 5-8 times (the indicators depend on the amount of synthetics in the composition) and return to its original size.
- Elastane in the fabric increases its strength.
- The density of the material reaches 1.3 g per 1 cubic meter. meter.
- Despite its fairly high density, elastane is a lightweight material.
- Elastane fibers are thin, which allows them to be combined with any textile threads.
- Synthetic threads are soft, fabrics with this additive drape well and fall in beautiful folds.
- The matter allows air to pass through.
- It is resistant to salt water and ultraviolet radiation.
Elastic fibers are produced in laboratory conditions from polyurethane rubber. Threads are formed in one of the following ways:
- dry or wet formation from solution;
- obtaining fiber by chemical method;
- squeezing liquid polymer through fillers.
The finished fibers are washed, dried, and dyed to the desired shade.
Cotton with elastane
Silk with elastane
Viscose with elastane
Pique with elastane
Wool with elastane
Characteristics of elastane
From experience studying various types of fabrics, I can say that synthetic fabrics have distinctive features from natural ones. Here are some of them: the ability to stretch, higher color saturation, lack of deformation, wrinkling, etc. Let's take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of elastane. The positive aspects of elastane include:
- Elasticity . Just imagine that an elastane thread can stretch almost 10 times, and then quite easily return to its original state. Agree that this property is ideal for sewing clothes of any size and shape.
- Moisture resistance . Due to poor moisture absorption, elastane does not allow dirt to penetrate deep into the fiber structure. Therefore, you won’t have any problems with washing at all.
- Subtlety and lightness . Due to the small diameter of the threads, things will never fill you up.
- Durability . Elastane, as described above, has a very dense structure. The material is wear-resistant, does not tear or tighten.
- Elastane does not wrinkle or fade.
The disadvantages of elastane include the following features (however, these disadvantages are inherent in almost all fabrics of synthetic origin):
- Elastane can cause allergies in people with sensitive skin.
- Elastane has poor breathability, which can lead to overheating.
- Elastane accumulates static electricity.
As you may have noticed, elastane fabric has fewer disadvantages than advantages. If you want to reduce these shortcomings to a minimum, then purchase products with an elastane percentage of 5% or less. By doing this, you will reduce the risk of the mentioned shortcomings, but maintain the practicality of the fabric.
How to bleach and dye cotton fabric at home
In general, special dyes are sold for thick cotton fabrics that will help give the desired shade. How to whiten things using:
- special whitening soap;
- white;
- hydrogen peroxide.
The last two are best used in tandem. To do this, the item is machine washed in white. When the washing is finished, you should rinse the item additionally, and then soak it in a hydrogen peroxide solution for 15 minutes. With white soap everything is much simpler: you just wash the item with it and leave it for 30 minutes. This article will tell you how to remove glue from velvet fabric.
But fabrics should be dyed in accordance with the shades. Sometimes the wrong combination of colors can lead to unexpected and unpleasant results.
| Color of the material to be painted | Brown dye | Red dye | Blue dye | Green dye |
| Brown | brown | red-brown | dark brown | olive |
| Blue | dark brown | violet | blue | blue-green |
| Red | red-brown | red | violet | brown |
| Green | olive | brown | blue-green | green |
Types of elastane
Today, the following elastane fabrics are widely used:
- Lycra;
- Meryl.
According to the characteristics of elongation, elastane fiber can be:
- Two-dimensional (stretches either in length or width);
- Four-dimensional (stretches in all directions simultaneously).
By thread color:
- White;
- Translucent;
- Transparent.
The fiber density of elastane can be 1.1 -1.3 g/cm3
What is made from elastane?
So, from elastane fabric, we can find:
- Casual clothes: turtlenecks, leggings, suits, jeans;
- Sports items: pants, jackets, T-shirts, T-shirts;
- Underwear, swimwear;
- Hosiery;
- Evening dresses;
- Stage, pop, carnival costumes.
Let me note once again that clothes made of elastane always look elegant, modern and festive.
Care instructions
Of course, before washing, always pay attention to the product label (they hang it up for a reason). But I advise you to wash products made from elastane fabric by hand and at room temperature. If this is not possible or desirable, then in the washing machine select only the “delicate mode” and spin at the lowest speed. It’s better to forget about bleaches and conditioner, and opt for “soft” powders (you can even use children’s ones). And most importantly, wash colored items separately, otherwise staining is possible. It is better to dry things away from sunlight and in a horizontal position to prevent stretching. It is also better to iron elastane items at low temperatures on the “delicate” setting.
Proper care is the key to a long service life.
As you can see, products with elastane additives do not require special care. You just have to follow the recommendations shown on the product labels, and, believe me, then your items will delight you with their original appearance for quite a long time.
How to paint
A specific dye is selected, and then you should follow the instructions. To make cotton color rich, you need to:
- Contents of the package and 1 tbsp. dissolve salts in half a liter of boiling water.
- The composition is filtered and placed in a spacious metal basin or pan.
- Water is added so much that the item to be painted is completely covered with it.
- Next, you need to simmer for an hour over low heat, and then leave for another half hour without boiling.
When the manipulations are completed, the item is rinsed in cold water. But it is important to consider that when boiling, the item may “shrink”. This material will tell you how to choose fabric for a sofa in the kitchen.
Many manufacturers show in sufficient detail how to paint something without boiling. In this case, there is a special mark on the packaging.
