Spandex is a synthetic fabric that is prized for its elasticity. Contrary to popular belief, the term “spandex” is not a brand name, and this term is used to generally refer to polyether-polyurea copolymer fabrics that have been made with a variety of production processes. The terms spandex, Lycra, and elastane are synonymous.

This fabric can stretch to 5-8 times its normal size, and it is commonly used in form-fitting consumer apparel. In most cases, pure spandex isn’t used in garments, and instead, small quantities of this fabric are woven into other synthetic, semi-synthetic, or organic fibers.

The base material used to make spandex is polyurethane , which was developed in 1937 by IG Farben in Germany. At the end of World War II, hundreds of top German scientists began new careers in the United States, and many of the textile engineers at IG Farben transferred to the DuPont Corporation, which was the era’s unquestioned leader in synthetic textile development.

Using polyurethane research, DuPont sought to create a new polymer fabric with high elasticity. During the development process, scientists at DuPont referred to this fabric as “spandex;” once this fabric was completed, it was sold under the brand name Lycra, but consumers seemed to prefer to call this material spandex, and it was this term that entered the public lexicon to refer to this synthetic fabric.

Like other polymers, spandex is made from repeating chains of monomers that are held together with an acid. Early in the spandex development process, it was recognized that this material is highly heat-resistant, which means that notoriously heat-sensitive fabrics like nylon and polyester are improved when combined with spandex fabric.

Elastane’s stretchiness immediately made it desirable around the world, and the popularity of this fabric persists to this day. It is present in so many types of apparel that practically every consumer owns at least one article of clothing that contains spandex, and it’s unlikely that this fabric’s popularity will decrease in the near future. Regrettably, however, elastane has a significantly detrimental environmental impact after it is introduced into the consumer market.