Fabric Guide: What is Lycra? Is it the Same as Spandex?

Lycra is undoubtedly one of the most popular fabrics in the fashion, sports and athleisure industries. Sometimes idolised, sometimes overlooked, so what is lycra fabric? Lycra is first and foremost a type of synthetic fabric that is extremely elastic. We also appreciate lycra fabric for its durability. Is lycra breathable? Yes, thanks to its texture, lycra is very much so! 

What Is Lycra? How Is Lycra Made?

What is lycra yarn? Lycra fibre is the trademarked brand name of a class of synthetic elastic fibers that people call the brand spandex in the US, and lycra fibers are a registered brand for elastane in the rest of the world. Whether called a brand name for elastane, which is an elastomeric polyurethane fiber or the brand spandex fibers, there is no difference between lycra, spandex or elastane fibers. In fact, lycra comprises one of the world’s most popular fabrics for sports clothes.

What Do We Use Lycra For?

We use lycra fabrics to produce activewear, sports clothes and dancewear. Thanks to its extreme elasticity, lycra allows body movements without any restriction. Lycra also boasts some impressively versatile natural uses. 

Lycra is an extremely stretchy high-quality material that stretches up to eight times its size. Lycra fabric is used for sports clothing that requires a lot of flexibility, such as yoga, pilates and weight lifting. Right, let’s talk about all things lycra, including the spandex fiber brand and elastane!

Our Choice of Elastane & Spandex Lycra Brands

Ensure you’re investing in good-quality lycra fabric, whatever garments you’re considering producing. Depending on your requirements, you can opt for a synthetic or nylon lycra fabric, and there are also various eco-friendly choices. Below we list all the types of lycra fabric made with stretch in our collection. Check out our extensive list before you start production.

Is Lycra Sustainable?

Unfortunately, lycra fabric has earned a bad reputation, but as more fabrics are being made from recycled waste materials and plant derivatives (including corn crops), these aren’t as unsustainable. So your athletic shorts, socks and T-shirts may not have the environmental impact you think, depending on how they were manufactured.

If you find a fabric that has the following certifications, it’s considered less harmful to the environment:

1.     The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) supports the fabric and fashion industries by recommending we “switch to fibers and materials that have better environmental and social outcomes than their conventional alternatives”. They “encourage the use of recycled or regenerative materials and let no new virgin fossil-based fibers enter the system”. The standard GRS sets is given to fabrics that contain more than 20% recycled material.

2.     The OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 label means that these certified products do not risk human health, because they don’t contain any banned chemical substances. You can read the comprehensive guide we compiled on OEKO-Tex® and other fabric certifications here.

Recycled Lycra Fabric

This type of fabric is revolutionising the athleisure and fabric industries because it’s much more sustainable than regular polyester lycra fabric, is of excellent quality and performs much like most lycra and spandex materials. The fabric is produced by recovering and regenerating used clothing items or plastic textile waste, including plastic bottles. The method used minimises the environmental impact of the resulting fabric, which contributes to a circular economy; this stimulates creative innovation in the fabric industry.

How is recycled lycra produced? A selection of fabric scraps or recycled polyester plastics are collected, then washed and shredded into fibers. Sometimes, advanced technology is used to maintain the material quality and ensure the fibers don’t degrade during the process. The material is then spun and woven into fiber to produce fabric.

Current Lycra Trends

One of the fabrics that has become popular currently has a multi-directional stretch. The fabric’s elasticity ensures freedom of movement, and even with stretching, it can return to its previous shape. 

In a blog on Key Fabric Trends in Athleisure and Urban Wear, fabric company Regen-tech discusses some of the key developments in fabric and clothing, including recycled nylon and polyester.

• “Some of these fabrics which incorporate “Repreve® or Econyl® fibers reduce reliance on virgin materials but still maintain performance. For instance, post-consumer recycled (PCR) polyester can now achieve the same tensile strength as virgin polyester, making it viable for high-stress applications like cycling shorts.”
• They also talk about “Bio-based synthetics like plant-derived TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane)” which offer eco-friendly alternatives to traditional elastomers. “Materials such as castor bean-based elastane provide comparable stretch recovery while reducing carbon footprint,” the article says.

·  Add Some of maake’s Lycra Fabrics

• Active Eco Lycra:  This 100% polyester fabric is a smooth material with fabulous stretch. It’s ideal for activewear, accessories and swimwear. A stunning lightweight material, it has a smooth surface and great stretch. It’s identical on the print face and backing, and colours print vibrantly on its white polyester base.
• Eco Glitter Dot Lycra: 
• A stretch fabric with silver-foiled dot effect, popular for activewear, dancewear, leggings and swimwear. The fabric is a mix of elastane and recycled polyester. Ideal for all sorts of activities, it’s stretchy and eco-friendly and is used for various types of clothing. Colours print beautifully and vibrantly on the fabric. 
• Heavy Lycra:
   The thickest weight, heaviest lycra fabric in our collection is perfect for leggings, activewear, and accessories including upholstery, cushions and light outerwear. This smooth fabric is made of 82% polyester and 18% elastane, and is almost indestructible. It has a superb stretch: you can pull the material in any direction, and it will spring back to shape every time.
• Eco Dynamica Lycra

  This heavyweight matte polyester stretch fabric is ideal for loungewear, active clothing and team sportswear. It’s a thick 230gsm fabric blend of recycled polyester and elastane that is often used for leggings and other durable garments. The fabric’s matte finish is another asset, and it’s also strong, hard-wearing and recyclable. Colours print vibrantly on its white base.
• Organic Jasmine Lycra Jersey
  : Mediumweight organic cotton lycra fabric with jersey properties that boast excellent stretch and recovery. Ideal for kids’ clothing, leggings and T-shirts. It’s soft to the touch and smooth-textured, so it’s easy to sew and doesn’t fray. Because of the material’s natural composition, colours may appear lighter after printing. The fabric is certified safe for kids.
• Recycled Eco Lycra:
   Smooth, sustainable fabric with excellent stretch, used for activewear and loungewear. As its name implies, this is an environmentally friendly material created from recycled fabrics. It boasts a smooth surface and, with its superb stretch, it's a popular choice for exercise and leisure clothing. Made from 78% recycled polyester (rPET) and 22% elastane.
• Stretch Jersey
  : A butter-soft, polyester-elastane blend, this medium-weight fabric is ideal for leggings, dresses, T-shirts and kids’ clothing. It’s also used for underwear and scarves. The fabric’s four-way stretch means it can be pulled in every direction and will spring back to shape every time. Colours print strong and vibrantly on the material, and its print face and backing are identical. It’s certified safe for children, too.
• Diego Stretch
  : A smooth, mediumweight matte dress fabric with a slight stretch, this soft textile has a slight diagonal texture in the weave. Comprising  88% polyester and 12% elastane, it’s densely woven and ideal for fitted dress patterns, or skirts and outerwear that don’t need a lining. Colours print vibrantly on this material, and blacks print deeply.
• Eco Power Net
  : One of the lightest-weight lycra fabrics in our selection, this one boasts a four-way stretch and is extremely fine. It’s perfect for activewear, swimwear, stockings, gloves, and other garments. The open mesh in the fabric creates a smooth base, and the drape is flowy and stretchy. The 50% recycled elastane blend in the fabric provides a great bounce-back and stretch recovery. Print face and backing are identical.
• Eco Micro Jersey
  : With its smooth surface and excellent stretch, this fabric is often used for activewear, fashion garments and accessories. Its sustainable lycra base comprises 60% recycled polyester and 40% elastane. It’s lightweight, excellent quality and can be pulled in any direction before it springs back to shape. Print face and backing are identical. Colours print vibrantly on the white polyester base.
• Eco Jogger Fleece Back
  : A blend of 95% recycled polyester and 5% elastane, this beautiful, soft fabric is ideal for loungewear and sports garments. Its French terry base provides a soft pile print face with a warm, fleecy reverse, so it’s perfect for sweatpants, hoodies and rompers. Colours print exceptionally vibrantly, providing strong, deep shades. 

How to Print on Lycra?

It is a joy to print on lycra fabrics. The great part about lycra fabrics is that they have superb wrinkle-resistance. Printing on lycra fabrics results in strong, durable fabrics which hold print and colour beautifully. 

At maake we print on all of our polyester fabrics using the sublimation printing method. This print process is ideal for the production of polyester and poly blend lycra fabrics; it involves using special thermal paper to print on before the products are produced.

Sublimation Printing for Lycra & Spandex Fabric

Sublimation printing is a chemical printing process where designs are printed on special dye sublimation paper using special water-based inks to create a mirror image. We use heat and pressure to transfer the design from the paper to the dry lycra fabric. This scientific process involves the ink changing to a gas, which then embeds itself into the lycra fabric fibers to create a permanent print.

We use no water in the sublimation printing process for lycra company open products. All the inks we use are certified; they meet Oeko-tex requirements and pass EN71-3 certification. Read all about fabric certification right here.

Before you start to sew your main content lycra fabric, read our go-to guide on How to sew stretchy fabric.

Become A Lycra Fashion Designer

 Upload your own design and create your unique lycra prints – start here!

Choose your lycra material here

Need Assistance With Lycra Fabric?

If you need more help on choosing lycra material, printing on these stretchy fabrics or choosing a design to print on lycra before your products are manufactured, feel free to email orders@maake.com, and we’ll find a solution to your problem.