The production of elastane is, therefore, highly energy-intensive, but if renewable energy sources are used to produce the prepolymers that this fabric consists of, this problem can be solved.
There's a possibility that the same health issues that workers encounter in the production of polyurethane are encountered in the production of spandex, but no research has been done into this subject.
Additionally, it's possible that isocyanates , which are toxic chemicals commonly found in polyurethane, may also be present in spandex, but there is no clear indication that this is the case. The notable environmental impact of elastane comes into play only after it is sold to consumers.
It has been determined that 60 percent the trash in U. Even if spandex is disposed of properly in landfills or other designated trash disposal areas, tiny fibers of this substance are introduced into the waterways whenever elastane garments are washed, which harms aquatic life, reduces drinking water quality, and ultimately contributes to the giant trash islands that are steadily accumulating in the world's oceans.
Elastane and other non-biodegradable textiles will be around long after human civilization has departed the planet, and at this time, there are no known methods for converting spandex fabrics and similar materials into biodegradable substances.
Safe disposal and limited washings are the only ways to mitigate the environmental impact of this fabric. Since spandex fabric is entirely synthetic, organic and non-GMO certifications do not apply to this product. It is, however, possible to have this fabric certified by the Global Recycled Standard GRS if it is made from percent recycled materials. This type of manufacturing process is, however, somewhat rare, and using recycled materials does not mitigate the environmental effect that spandex causes once it is introduced into the consumer market.
About the author:. Sewport Support Team is the founder and CEO of Sewport - an online marketplace connecting brands and manufacturers, former founder of various clothing manufacturing services. He is passionate about e-commerce, marketing and production digitisation. Connect with Boris on LinkedIn.
Did you know we helped over brands find garment manufacturers and specialists and we can help you too Table of contents What Is Spandex Fabric? How Is Spandex Fabric Made? How Is Spandex Fabric Used? Where Is Spandex Fabric Produced? Spandex Certifications Available. However, confusion can ensue due to the different terms that are used to describe this fabric: Spandex: This term is not a trademark, and it is, in fact, an anagram of "expands.
Elastane: Most Europeans use variants of the term "elastane" to refer to this type of fabric. Elastane is the most chemically correct way of referring to this fabric.
Lycra: This term is a registered trademark of the DuPont Corporation. Only spandex made by DuPont can be called Lycra, but this fabric is chemically identical to fabrics that are called spandex or elastane, and it has the same attributes. About the author: Sewport Support Team is the founder and CEO of Sewport - an online marketplace connecting brands and manufacturers, former founder of various clothing manufacturing services. Start your project.
You may also like. Just before you go. We can help you take the next step Learn more. Learn more. Athletic wear, stretch pants, yoga pants, skinny jeans, underwear, bras, socks, motion capture suits. In the U. Bayer also makes spandex in Germany.
So valuable is DuPont's spandex technology that it was the subject of an extortion attempt 10 years ago. After a globe-trotting chase that included stops in Wilmington, Del.
The operation went awry, but the Swiss police ended up nabbing the extortionists on the rebound in a Geneva parking lot. Ladies' foundation garments are still the foundation of the spandex business, reports Robert L. Kirkwood, DuPont Lycra end use research manager. Spandex started a boom in the s, ushering in an era of "comfortable, soft-support pantyhose and other intimate apparel. In the s, cyclists traded in their woolen shorts for "aerodynamic" spandex shorts, and the versatile fiber began to find its way into dancewear, tights, and stretch jeans.
By the s, Kirkwood says, spandex had a commanding presence in hosiery, and the fiber enlarged its presence among champion and amateur athletes who donned spandex garments to improve their performance if not their appearance. Skip to content. There are also lots of places you might be surprised to find spandex: some disposable nappies, bandages, car interiors, shoes, home textiles such as curtains, cushions, throws and carpets.
Like this: Like Loading This entry was posted in Fabric , Sewing Help , Writing for Magazines and tagged activewear fabric , elastane content , environmental impact elastane , environmental impact lycra , environmental impact of fashion , environmental impact spandex , how to wash elastane , how to wash lycra , how to wash spandex , laundry tips , lycra content , spandex vs lycra , sportswear fabric , Wendy Ward , what is elastane , what is lycra , what is spandex.
Bookmark the permalink. Wendy Ward January 16, at am Reply. All Sew Petite January 14, at pm Reply. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Enter your comment here Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:. Email required Address never made public. Name required. Another fab day yesterday working with Fashion 1st years artanddesignshu thinking about longevity, favourite clothes and doing some nice slow hand stitching to let our minds wander Introducing another of my wellwornwellloved garments for my thepeopleswardrobe project - my trusty old dungarees.
I bought these from a vintage clothing shop I think it was Dirty Harry's in Brighton in the summer of Enjoyed a full-on day yesterday artanddesignshu teaching first year fashion students about fashion waste. There's a new post on my blog. It's about this jacket I'm wearing, a workshop I delivered 2ndhandcultures online conference and an invitation you Search for:. Blog at WordPress. Follow Following.
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