With music videos taking a turn for the 80s, spandex fabrics are back in full force! But what makes this miracle fiber so stretchy?
Spandex is a lightweight, synthetic fiber that is made up of a long chain, or polymer, of polyurethane molecules. Polyurethane is composed of various resins that are flexible in shape. This is what makes it an elastomer, which means spandex can be stretched and recoiled.
Not only can spandex fibers be stretched to almost 500% of their length, but spandex is lightweight, soft, and smooth. Spandex can also be blended with almost any fiber to create a desired strength. Here at Pine Crest Fabrics our appreciation of spandex is never-ending because it is so easily dyed. Our sublimation printing techniques allow us to have the best prints on the best spandex blends of stretch fabric.
And now I wonder… is it a coincidence that the word ‘spandex’ is an anagram of the word ‘expands?’
(http://www.answers.com/topic/spandex#cite_ref-0)
