Elastane vs. Spandex: A Complete Comparison Guide

Fabrics aren’t an easy world to understand. There are so many different synthetic and natural fibers that getting lost in all the names can happen fast. We all know the basic rules of fibers. Gowns made of 100% silk or satin materials will always cost the most. Cotton is best to wear and breathes the best. Elastane or Spandex will give you wiggle room in tighter gowns.

But this brings us to our big question today. What are elastane and Spandex? Queenly is breaking down these two names and materials today. Our goal: help you make the most informed choices about your clothing. We will define these two materials and give you some options for dresses as well to give you a little styling inspo.

Elastane is a material made from polyurethane fibers. It is a synthetic fabric that has a lot of stretch to it. Technically, its chemical composition makes it a type of rubber. But in the fashion world, elastane is used as a stretcher.

Spandex is a material made from polyurethane fibers. It is also a synthetic fabric that stretches and pulls but will retain its original shape when released. Spandex is also a material used in fashion to give garments pull.

What’s the difference between elastane and Spandex? Spandex is a name brand. That’s right, folks, elastane and Spandex are basically the same things. If you want to think about it like this: all Spandex is elastane, but not all elastane is Spandex. We don’t know if that helped or hurt your understanding of these ideas but that’s the overall takeaway.

As we’ve said before, elastane or Spandex is a stretchy, rubber-like material. It can be pulled and stretched and manipulated to a pretty heavy degree without losing shape. Once released, it will return back to its original shape.

Another great plus to buying garments with significant amounts of elastane is the wearability and easy care. While there might be other materials used that require better attention, elastane is able to withstand conventional washing and regular wear. Just like anything, over time and with excessive wear, you will see your clothing start to lose shape. However, elastane is strong so this will take a lot of wear and tear.

Did you know that elastane was first created during WWII? Its creation was vital as scientists needed to find a suitable alternative or replacement for rubber. During the war, all available rubber was required for aiding in building equipment. Because of this supply and demand, the price of rubber fluctuated greatly. Creating elastane helped the general public provide solutions to both of these problems.

Elastane is combined with a variety of other fibers to give them strength. You can expect to see it with natural fibers like cotton and silk to improve their wearability. With synthetic fibers, you can expect elastane to be combined with viscose or polyester.

You can definitely shop without the information we are providing you here about this fiber. But it’s informed conscientious shopping that helps us become better fashionistas and smarter shoppers.

Knowing what your clothes are made of will help you understand fit and look better. With Spandex in a significant amount, you know you’ll be able to wear the dress a little longer and have room to breathe easier. Gowns and dresses that don’t have this stretch won’t be as forgiving. While we wouldn’t expect them to be rigid or stiff, there won’t be as much give and take with your body as Spandex offers.

Sporting outfits usually feature a decent amount of Spandex or elastane. Usually, it is the name brand Spandex when dealing with items for professional sports, but for youth and school sports, many brands of sports clothing use other brands of elastane. Items like warmup clothing, sweatpants, sweatsuits, and basketball shorts usually have a decent amount of Spandex embedded in the material.

Other sporting clothing is made entirely of Spandex material. Volleyball shorts, yoga pants, and sports bras are generally made completely of Spandex material or only have maybe up to 10% of cotton or polyester mixed in.

Jeans usually have about 5% elastane material mixed in with the denim. It helps give a little elasticity to the pants so wear and tear don’t ruin your garment. It doesn’t provide an ample amount of stretch, but it does help to wear your jeans in without wearing them out.

Jeggings are a different story. These types of pants are usually made more of elastane and less of other fibers like denim. They stretch almost as much as yoga pants but look like jeans. It’s a great option to be comfortable but cute.

Cardigans or lightweight sweaters utilize this material to keep lightweight and comfortable qualities. For the most part, you are wearing these sweaters over cute tops. The stretch allows you to wear the cardigan comfortably over your other layers without causing any pull or bunching of your top underneath. Sweater sets are back in style so if you’ve been eyeing any in stores or even if you’ve just been thinking about them lately, now is the time to invest.

Bodycon dresses are primarily made of Spandex or elastane material. They hug the body tightly and accentuate all your curves. These types of dresses are usually made up of a minimum of 30% Spandex, but generally at least 50%. They are stretchy dresses, to say the least; they give a lot of pull to be able to hug your body specifically.

Bodycon dresses usually come in small, medium, and large so the stretchy aspect helps women with different body measurements find the right size for them. These are a great dress style to have on hand as they’re versatile dresses that are easy to throw on for late-made plans.

This is another style that can be kept in your fashion staples to easily throw on for last-minute dates. A cute skater or A-line dress is very flattering to a woman’s body as it cinches the waist and flares out above the hips to give the wearer a great shape.

It’s also a style that generally has a high amount of elastane mixed into the fabric. It’s another style that is used a lot by designers as well as some “fast fashion” brands. Because of this, you can expect to see a lot of options in this style that come only in generic sizes. So again, to accommodate more women with fluctuating measurements, Spandex is added to help with fit.

Velvet is a strong fabric, but without any amount of Spandex, you can expect the fit to be tight. Add in the elastane, and you’ll have a form-fitted dress with enough pull to make it easy to put on and take off.

Velvet is a luxurious look and gorgeous texture, so being able to wear this fabric comfortably helps to keep the dress form-flattering and desirable to own. Of course, it’s a heavier material, so it is always at home during colder months, but thanks to variations like crushed velvet, you can wear it all year.

We are sure that you’re able to check labels more and understand better what those labels mean. Having this information helps you make the right choices for your body and comfort in clothing. Happy shopping!