What is "lycra"?

Dear Cheryl,

Lycra is a generic name for stretch yarns. As little as 5% in a fabric can give the material stretch. You're probably familiar with spandex? This is a fabric used for shape wear. It is a lycra fabric.

Teri

"Lycra" is the registered brand name (first by it's inventor Dupont, now owned by Invista of Koch Industries) for spandex/elastane fibre.

Basically spandex is a fibre with very good stretch and memory capabilities. It is stronger and more durable than it's natural product competitor rubber, which it mostly has replaced. Ask your mother, grandmother or any older female about Playtex's rubber girdles from the

1950's. Rubber was used to replace much of the boning in female undergarments, especially those that were meant to shape an and support. Thing was that rubber only stretched so far, so basically one had to fit the item, rather than the other way round. Once encased it gave one a smooth line, but was damn uncomfortable. Spandex made it possible to design both outer and under garments that were fitted and or gave shape, but "moved with you".

As for differences in fabric, always ask what is the percentage of spandex to natural fibre and what is the natural fibre. A blend of better cotton and spandex will feel different than cheaper grades of cotton and spandex for instance. Also as with any other textile, quality of the weaving and dying will affect the final hand.

Candide.

That's a very informative answer Candide. I can imagine that without being told the other fibers you could indeed end up with some surprises in the mail. Spandex is put into just about every garment I own, wovens and knits both. I would think that what sellers consider plain vanilla "lycra" is a knit, like swimwear fabric.

Cheryl, what did you end up with? I'm so curious!

Pora

'Lycra' is the brand name for an elastic filament that can be woven or knitted into many different fabrics, from nylon and poly swimsuit fabric to gents natty suiting.

Here's a bit of explanation:

It's used generically (like hoover!), but in fact is a brand name for elastane, like Spandex. :)

Well, I have ended up with a variety of types of fabric. First of all, to let you know what I am using them for: I'm making blouses to wear when I show my horse in western events. For comfort I want some stretch, but also lightweight for wearing on hot days. Not knowing what questions to ask, I have ended up receiving heavy fabrics that I think of as appropriate for swimwear (not for me). I have receive beautiful, drapey fabrics which have made up into wonderful blouses. I have receive the "fabric from h*ll" (see my earlier post), which I am still working on. Right now I am working on a sheer, sort of mesh type of fabric, which is a challenge, but I love the fabric and hope it will turn out as nicely as some of the others. I have entered into a realm of learning to sew with a wide variety of fabrics, from easy to very difficult, and the education is fascinating. I have received some great answers to my question here, and feel much more ready to make my next excursion into buying "site unseen". Cheryl

It looks like "Lycra" comes in a large variety of types or so this site shows

This is correct. While the name of the fiber is used in a generic fashion ( like Kleenex) it is a registered trademark for a specific kind of fiber. It is almost always blended with another fiber such as nylon, cotton or polyester to give fabrics a certain amount of stretch.

here is another definition, from the Fabriclink technical fiber dictionary

Lycra®

Lycra is the spandex fiber produced by DuPont. It is lightweight and soft, but stronger and more durable than rubber. Lycra can be stretched over 500% without breaking, and can be stretched repeatedly and still recover it's original length. It provides lightweight freedom of movement in men's, women's and children's apparel. Uses include athletic apparel, bathing suits, foundation garments, ski pants, slacks, tights, slacks, support and surgical hose.

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fascinating.

Thing to remember about Lycra is it does not like too much heat. Pressing/ironing with too hot an iron will cause damage that cannot be corrected.

Candide

I have some uniform shirts made of cotton/lycra blend, which I think is the fabric you're looking for. They fit well and look good, but the fabric is not heavy. However, I also found it to be hot to wear, and have wondered if it couldn't be made into bags to carry water! Even so, I'll bet it's what would suit your purpose.

Try some of the places that will send you swatches - you can waste a lot of money buying fabric that isn't what you want.

Dear Kate,

Well, I got that backwards, didn't I? Spandex is the American generic designation for stretch yarn; Lycra is the registered trademark. I believe elastane is the European counterpart.

Sorry

Teri

Indeed it does. I have several stacks of cotton-lycra that I use for active/workout-wear among other things. None of it is above 10% lycra and I usually try to keep it at 5% or less. Just a little lycra goes a long way! It's extremely stretchy, especially if used on both grains. Fabrics can be quite heavy to downright sheer. Lately, I've been making gloves from it because I have a skin condition on my hands. And while it's a PITA to wear gloves in the summer, these are very light and snug. It's great for leotards and other dance wear too.

Phae

Hi,

many have already said similar, but here is what I found

"Spandex, an anagram of "expands," is the most commonly term used in North America for an elstometric fiber. In Europe, the same fiber is called elastine. (Lycra is the brand name used by DuPont for its spandex products.) Spandex is always used in combination with other fibers and can vary from 2 to 40 percent of a fabrics composition."

That is a quote from the latest issue of Threads Magazine. I got mine in the mail last night. August/September 2006 issue 126. Its from the article "Expert techniques for finishing Stretch Knits" by Hazel Matthys.

I haven't read it really closely, but at a glance it looked interesting for those that can never figure out how to deal with finishing the edges of a garment. (Me included!)

the threads website with a preview of the article. NAYYRaelynn

Lycra is the trade name of a fiber, also known as spandex and elastane. It's stretchy, and chemically related to polyurethane. It is easily damaged by heat (pressing, hot dryers), goes brittle with chlorine bleach, and is the major fiber used today in elastics, replacing natural rubber. Clear elastic is basically pure Lycra; "lycra fabrics" are going to be a small percentage of lycra blended with a large percentage of something else... cotton, linen, silk, wool, polyester, rayon, or nylon blends are most common.

But yes, if you buy off ebay something just sold as "lycra", you're very likely going to be surprised, just as you would be if you bought "cotton" thinking handkerchief and got tent canvas -- both are cottons, but the fabrics aren't interchangeable.

Suggested readings:

Yup! :) But we confuse everyone by 'hoovering' with the Dyson! :D

In my area, it's referred to as a "sweeper". In the region where I was raised, it's a vacuum cleaner and the verb is "vacuum".