Lycra facts for kids
Lycra is a type of synthetic fabric that is very elastic. It is also called Spandex or elastane. The name "spandex" is an anagram of the word "expands".
Lycra was invented in 1958 , United States. It was invented by Joseph Shivers, a chemist. It is made from a combination of polyester and polyurethane.
Because of its elasticity and strength, lycra is often used to make clothing. It is commonly mixed with cotton to make things like tights, bras,Lycra shirt,Dr199 and underwear. Lycra is especially common in sports clothing, such as wrestling singlets. It is also often used to make swimsuits and wetsuits, because lycra dries more quickly than many other fabrics.
Types of Lycra Fabric
Aside from the varied manufacturing processes that can be used to make this fabric, there are no distinct differences between Lycra, elastane, and spandex. It is, however, important to know more about each term:
Lycra: As a registered trademark of the DuPont corporation, the "Lycra" brand is one of the most reliable and high-quality forms of elastane fabric on the market. However, elastane that has been branded as Lycra can sometimes cost more than other types of spandex
Elastane: The term "elastane" is most commonly used in Europe, and each continental European language has a slightly different version of this word. Elastane is the most technically correct term used to describe these polyether-polyurea copolymer fabrics.
Spandex: Despite the persistence of a common misconception, spandex is not a registered trademark of any company. Instead, it is the term that DuPont originally used to describe their polyurethane fabric during the development process. "Spandex" is an anagram of "expands," and the attractive simplicity of this name has made it the preferred term for referring to elastane products in the United States and elsewhere.
Where Is Lycra Fabric Produced? Lycra is a trademark of DuPont, and it is only made by this international corporation. DuPont has manufacturing locations in more than 90 countries, which means that this fabric could be made in any number of areas around the world.
Overall, the international spandex industry has shifted eastward in the last few decades as China has risen to the fore as the dominant manufacturing power in the world. DuPont has a number of factories in China, and many other companies also manufacture spandex in this country.
The future of Lycra fabric production around the world looks bright. A ReportBuyer report from 2018 indicates that this fabric will continue to be made in greater and greater quantities until at least 2023, and all signs indicate that this production boom will continue far past this projected date. ow
Does Lycra Fabric Impact the Environment The production of Lycra is not considered to be inherently detrimental to the environment. While it's true that the production of elastane fabrics requires high levels of energy and the use of a variety of toxic chemicals, unlike fabrics like nylon, the raw ingredients for Lycra are not derived from non-renewable resources like petroleum oil.
Instead, these ingredients are fully synthesized in laboratory settings, and DuPont is one of the world's leaders in sustainable and safe elastane manufacturing processes. There's no getting around the fact that the production of Lycra involves carcinogenic chemicals, but scientific research has indicated that elastane factory workers in Sweden exhibit negligibly greater cancer risk, which seems to indicate that workplaces in which this material is made are not very hazardous. No studies have been done, however, to examine the impact of elastane production on workers in other countries.
Images for kids
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A road cyclist wearing spandex compression garments
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A hurdler in a spandex uniform
See also
In Spanish: Elastano para niños
