Enjoy Fabulous 4 Way Stretch Fabric

By Edward Olson


In the old days, jeans were stiff, especially when new, and tended to bag at the knee and in the seat after a hard day's work or play. Blouses were hard to keep tucked in, and underwear had to be laced up to fit correctly. However, 2 and 4 way stretch fabric changed all that. The basic stretchy synthetic was developed by DuPont in the late 1950s, and once the clothing trade picked up on the new invention, the rest is history.

In 1978, Peter Golding, a British designer with a shop in trendy Chelsea, introduced the first stretch jeans. He used a fabric from Japan and sold the shape-revealing pants in several bright colors. These form-fitting garments delighted the fashion-flouting and fashion-setting rock stars and teens of Chelsea.

Of course, many clothing manufacturers use cloth with 1% to 4% stretch. At first, the new materials were used mainly in women's underwear and swimming suits. Now you see it everywhere. All riding breeches are form-fitting today, and the stretchy cloth they're made of keeps its shape, allows the rider to lift a leg to the stirrup without constraint, and doesn't wrinkle or chafe. Tank tops, leggings, ballet clothes, skinny jeans, comfy pajamas - where would we be without them?

However, it's hard to argue with true comfort and utility, and today almost all sports clothes use Spandex, Lycra, or another form of the original DuPont discovery. Bike riders can bend and pedal in form-fitting clothes that wick away sweat and never catch in the bike's moving parts. Yoga enthusiasts can twist themselves in knots and their clothes follow right along.

All sorts of stretchy cloth is sold by the yard to crafters, home decorators, and needle workers. The selection is astounding; just go online to browse through the cloth. There are velvets, smooth and brushed cottons, drapery material, printed cloth for sheets or kid's pajamas, and more. Shiny satins in jewel colors or metallic sheens make even those who don't sew think of making their next evening gown.

All the stretch comes from elastane, the original discovery. It was developed in 1959, but didn't really hit the fashion world until Golding's introduction almost twenty years later. At first only the rich and famous could have these comfortable clothes, but the mass market grew rapidly, with the jeans companies leading the way.

This combination fabric washes well in the machine and can even go in the dryer. However, if a garment represents a major investment, or you like it so much you want it to last forever, avoid hot water and high heat. It will last longest if you hand wash it in mild soap and hang it on the line to dry. Never subject a stretch fabric to chlorine bleach.

There seems to be no limit to what can be found in a stretch fabric. Even faux furs and leathers are sold by the yard or made into fashionable clothing. Shop online if you want cloth. If you want clothing, pick up any catalog, visit any department store, or tell any friend what you need to borrow. Stretch is everywhere.




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