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Fashion & Textiles vocabulary · Fibres & Fabrics

Elastane

Meaning in fashion & textiles, with examples

/ɪˈlæsteɪn/nounCore term

In fashion & textiles, elastane means: A synthetic fibre that can stretch to several times its length and spring back, added in small amounts to fabrics to give stretch and recovery.

In Turkish: elastan, likra

How it is used

Usually 1–5% in jeans, shirts and T-shirts, and much more in swimwear, leggings and shapewear. Buyers talk about stretch and recovery: a fabric should stretch comfortably and return to shape without bagging at the knees.

Example sentences

  1. With 2% elastane, the chinos are much more comfortable to sit in.

  2. Elastane can be damaged by high heat, so keep the dryer temperature low.

Common collocations

  • 2% elastane
  • cotton-elastane blend
  • stretch and recovery
  • elastane content
  • compositionThe fibres a fabric or garment is made of and their percentages, for example 60% cotton, 40% polyester.
  • fibreA very thin, long strand of natural or man-made material that is spun into yarn to make fabric, such as cotton, wool, polyester or viscose.
  • denimA strong cotton twill fabric, traditionally with indigo-dyed warp yarns and white weft yarns, used mainly for jeans and jackets.
  • polyesterA strong synthetic fibre made from oil-based chemicals; it dries quickly, resists creasing and is the most produced textile fibre in the world.

More terms: Fibres & Fabrics

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