Many of us love good, stretchy garments. They’re comfortable, durable, and often moisture-wicking, which are great properties if you’re into physical activities. If you don’t mind something that hugs your curves, they fit that category, too.
You can thank elastane or spandex—depending on what’s listed on the care tags—for the stretchiness of your clothes.
If you only recognize the name of these materials but nothing else, you’re likely wondering how they differ and which one is better. We’ll also bet you’re curious if they’re a sustainable choice, especially if you’re building a green wardrobe.
Let’s learn more about elastane and spandex to help you stretch your way to a more responsible textile choice.
Understanding Elastane and Spandex
Elastane and spandex are technically the same, composition and function-wise. Both are man-made fibers containing polyurethane (PU) and polyethylene glycol. Such chemical composition lends them their phenomenal elasticity. They can stretch up to 600% of their original length and recover without bagging or sagging.
Their elasticity is what also makes elastane and spandex a favorite among garment makers. The stretchy clothes you often wear, like swimsuits, sports bras, and leggings, are most likely made from this material.
Elastane got its name from “elastic urethane,” pointing to its chemical makeup. It is widely adopted in Europe, the UK, Australia, and the Middle East.
Meanwhile, spandex is rearranged from the letters of the word “expands” and is more known among Americans and Canadians.
Put simply, the terms are interchangeable. You can even throw LYCRA® into the mix, although it’s a trade name for DuPont Corporation’s brand of elastane.
How Elastane and Spandex are Created
Whether you like to call it elastane or spandex, creating this fabric involves multiple, complex steps. The first step is the production of polyurethane prepolymer, which is formed by reacting chemicals to produce a long elastane fiber.
Melt extrusion, solution dry or wet spinning, or reaction spinning are the main methods used in elastane production. Although the exact approach differs per manufacturer and intended material use, producing elastane requires complex chemistry and precise control.
What’s Good About Elastane and Spandex?
Joseph C. Shivers, a scientist at DuPont, invented spandex fiber in 1959. DuPont soon introduced it in the market under the trade name LYCRA®. It became an instant hit that other companies like Fall River, Bayer Corp, and Asahi Chemical Industry created their own versions of the material.
Today, this synthetic fiber is used throughout the garment industry. In 2011 alone, spandex clothes comprised 80% of garments Americans purchased.
It has even found its way into other industries. Automakers use spandex fiber and spandex-infused components on their car seats, cushions, door panels, dashboards, and headliners.
In the healthcare field, the material is used in place of latex to create back or knee braces, rubber tubing, and compression garments. It is also found in household products like furniture, sheets, and pillows.
We’re not really surprised that elastane fiber has become a sought-after textile with a market size worth US$ 9.10 billion. Besides its remarkable elasticity, it has other characteristics that make it a material that’s just hard to beat.
- Resilient. Elastane easily returns to its original shape without losing its form, no matter how much it’s stretched.
- Durable. It doesn’t easily break down even when frequently exposed to perspiration and body oils or washed with detergents.
- Lightweight. It’s naturally thin and lighter than comparable materials like rubber thread, so it doesn’t add bulk when worn.
- Versatile. Spandex works well with other materials, even enhancing the properties of fibers like cotton, wool, and nylon.
- Soft and breathable. It’s soft to the touch and offers a degree of breathability that can be further enhanced when combined with other fibers.
What’s Bad About Them?
It’s not a stretch to say that elastane or spandex is a great textile. But we’re not really keen about its credentials when it comes to sustainability.
As with most synthetic fibers, elastane production isn’t eco-friendly.
Its foundational component, polyurethane, is predominantly made from petroleum-based materials. As you’re likely aware, petroleum is a non-renewable resource whose extraction and processing negatively impact the environment in different ways. That includes:
- Carbon emissions
- Pollution
- Habitat degradation and destruction
- Interference with ways of life
The process of turning polyurethane into elastane fiber is also resource-intensive, demanding significant amounts of energy and water for all its stages. Likewise, it involves various chemicals that can be harmful to people’s health and the environment when not properly managed.
In a study quoted by The Guardian, it was found that substances from human sweat help chemical additives to come out from synthetic fibers which can then be absorbed by the skin. It focused on brominated flame retardants (BFRs), a group of compounds added to different consumer products to reduce their flammability. These chemicals are known to cause endocrine disruption and thyroid dysfunction.
To achieve their vibrant colors, manufacturers use synthetic dyes on spandex fabrics. During coloring, only a percentage of color is absorbed by the fabric. The rest becomes waste, which is then dumped into water bodies. Colored waste water decreases the amount of sunlight passing through water bodies, resulting in toxicity to aquatic life.
The environmental impact of spandex isn’t limited to its production. When stretchy clothes reach the end of their useful lifespan, they often end up in landfills. Unfortunately, spandex isn’t biodegradable, which means it can take years for those garments to decompose. They’ll add to the millions of tons of textile waste that people produce each year.
Sustainable Alternatives to Elastane and Spandex
There are growing developments in making elastane more sustainable. For instance, scientists in Vienna have developed a process to separate elastane from other fibers. This is a significant breakthrough because elastane, even in small amounts, can make textile recycling impossible.
We’re also seeing manufacturers making spandex fabrics more eco-friendly, for example, by using recycled waste fiber.
While we’re excited about these developments, we think the textile industry, in general, is still far from becoming fully sustainable. So, if we can switch to more eco-friendly fabrics, that would be really helpful in encouraging the industry to become more responsible.
If elasticity isn’t really a big deal, you don’t need to search long and hard to find a sustainable alternative to elastane. Below are some of the best ones we recommend:
- Organic cotton with spandex. Sure, it still contains a bit of spandex for added stretch. But the organic cotton in this material is sourced responsibly, making its environmental and social impact significantly lower compared to all-spandex clothing.
- Tencel™ Lyocell. This is a cellulose fiber derived from wood pulp. Its production generates little waste, as the chemicals and solvents used are recovered and recycled.
- Recycled materials. Fabrics like recycled polyester and regenerated nylon have properties similar to spandex but with minimal environmental impact.
- Natural materials. Bamboo, hemp, organic cotton, and wool are fabrics that biodegrade over time, making them a sustainable choice.
Expanding the Lifespan of Your Stretchy Clothes
It’s almost impossible to have a wardrobe free of elastane and spandex. That is especially true if you’re into physical activities or just love wearing garments that let you move more flexibly.
As we’ve mentioned earlier, the problem with this material is that it’s not biodegradable and poses a recycling challenge. So, the best way to keep your elastane clothes out of landfills is to use and care for them well. Here are some ways you can do that:
- Wash them in cold water in a mesh laundry bag using a gentle or delicate cycle in your washing machine.
- You can also hand wash your clothes, but avoid wringing them hard.
- Use a sustainable detergent to remove stains and stink.
- If you use spandex gym clothes, soak them first in a solution of cool water and a cup of baking soda to remove trapped grime and smell.
- Refrain from using a machine dryer since elastane has a relatively low melting point. Heat from a dryer can affect its elasticity.
- You should avoid ironing your stretchy garments for the same reason above.
Closing Thoughts
We’ve cleared the air about elastane and spandex, allowing you to use the terms without confusion. Also, there’s no denying that the material is unparalleled in terms of elasticity, durability, and versatility.
When it comes down to sustainability, though, we’re not big fans.
Elastane is made from petroleum-based materials that harm the environment, and its production process isn’t eco-friendly either. That’s evident from its intensive resource consumption and use and disposal of toxic chemicals.
Still, we know that it can be a challenge to completely strip your wardrobe off stretchy garments. That is why it’s a good idea to consider sustainable alternatives.
Some of the options we offered might not be as stretchy as elastane, but you can be confident that they’re not as damaging to the environment. There are even options that are biodegradable, allowing you to recycle or use them as compost when they’re no longer usable.
Also, take great care of your spandex garments. That will help you get the most wear out of them, keeping them out of landfills for longer.
