Sharmon Lebby is a writer and sustainable fashion stylist who studies and reports on the intersection of environmentalism, fashion, and the BIPOC community.

It is hard to imagine that wearing anything now does not "stretch". With the rise of sportswear, sports pants, yoga pants and leggings have taken the lead. The long-respected elasticity and comfort are mainly attributed to a petroleum-based fiber called elastic fiber-a man-made fiber known for its elasticity. The public is more familiar with the word spandex, which is an anagram of the word "expansion" and is the most distinctive feature of elastic fiber. Lycra is another familiar name for this fabric, although it is not a synonym for spandex material but a specific brand name.

In 1938, DuPont released the first synthetic material nylon. Although it was originally used to produce ordinary toothbrushes, its use in socks has attracted the most attention. Nylon is described as "the first man-made organic textile fiber made entirely of materials from the mineral kingdom". In this case, the organic part of nylon is actually coal, and we are familiar with its use as a fossil fuel.

Nylon was later combined with polyurethane polymers to create a new, elastic fabric. Then in 1958, Joseph Shivers created spandex, a fabric based entirely on polyurethane.

A full understanding of the composition of elastic fibers and their sources Polyurethane requires an advanced degree in organic chemistry, so here are the basics: The first part of the building block is the isocyanate, which combines together to form the polyurethane. Chemical polyurethane can be used in the production of various materials; the elastic fiber version of polyurethane is called spandex or elastic fiber.

The fiber is spun from a polyurethane solution and can be spun by melt spinning or dry spinning. In the dry process, hot air is blown through the spun filaments to evaporate the solvent in them. This leads to better elastic recovery. These fibers are then spun into elastic yarns. Depending on the end use of the product, various spinning methods can be used and used.

The source and method of the fabric, as well as the impact on the environment during the production process, are key factors that determine its sustainability. The impact of elastic fibers on the environment increases due to the annual production volume. Spandex is expected to be a 6.9 billion US dollar industry by 2020. By 2027, this number is expected to increase to $12.6 billion. Because of its "stretching and restoring properties", applications are endless, making it a valuable commodity.

Elastic fibers are made from fossil fuels, which is a non-renewable resource that takes millions of years to form. Unrestricted extraction of limited substances can never be sustainable.

The manufacture of elastic fiber is also a heavy chemical process, which has caused devastating health problems. Polyurethane, the precursor of elastic fibers, is a known carcinogen. Due to the nature of the fabric, synthetic dyes are generally used. As we all know, synthetic dyes are one of the most serious pollution factors in textile manufacturing. They not only affect aquatic plants and animals, but also affect the water supply that humans depend on.

Most fabrics fall off, and the fibers from which the elastic fibers fall off are not biodegradable. Synthetic fabrics often produce microplastics. Although the long-term effects on human health are unclear, studies have shown that microplastics are irritating to the gastrointestinal tract and disturb the microbiota.

Fix elastic fibers to cotton, polyester and other common fabrics. Is one more sustainable than the other?

When choosing between elastic fibers and other fabrics, the general rule of thumb is to choose natural fabrics. Man-made textiles will face the same environmental problems as elastic fibers. Even semi-synthetic fibers such as man-made fibers and bamboo can produce similar effects. The biggest difference is that the fibers of cellulose-derived materials are generally biodegradable. However, this is hindered by the processing and dyeing of the fabric. But since textiles of natural origin are renewable resources, they are naturally better for the environment.

Spandex is not an environmentally friendly fabric. The good news is that efforts are being made to reduce its environmental impact.

A 2016 study identified a more sustainable elastic fiber resource. They can make isocyanates from vegetable oils, which are a key component of polyurethane. Isocyanates are highly reactive and toxic, so finding a safer, healthier, and more environmentally friendly way to make polyurethane will be a huge victory.

This is one of many studies seeking new ways to make polyurethane from plant materials and even using greenhouse gases. Unfortunately, most fibers produced have not been found to be as strong as the original method. This particular paper shows how to produce tensile strength similar to typical polyurethane production methods, as well as other similar properties, such as thermal degradation.

In addition to the way polyurethane is used, the company also noticed other factors they can control to improve overall sustainability. The production of elastic fibers is energy intensive, so factories are taking measures to reduce energy consumption. Reducing water consumption and carbon emissions is the top priority.

It is difficult to dye synthetic fabrics with natural dyes, and most natural dye suppliers will tell you this. One problem with the use of natural dyes is that heat must be used to degrade the fabric. The key seems to be the pretreatment of textiles.

One study used a photosensitive oxidation process to chemically alter the surface of a material. This involves the use of ultraviolet ozone treatment to avoid thermal degradation. Although this study only used curcumin (yellow) and saffron (red) dyes, these dyes showed satisfactory results in washing and light fastness tests.

A recent survey confirmed the use of UV/ozone treatment and analyzed plasma treatment. Plasma sputtering is a dry method that involves the use of copper sulfate mordant. Mordants are very important in the natural dyeing process of synthetic fibers because they greatly increase the lifespan of colors.

Global recycling standards certified recycled spandex. A company called Spanflex uses all the waste from manufacturing spandex to make new spandex. Spandex is also often mixed with fabrics made from recycled water bottles to make new swimming and sportswear.

LYCRA stated that its fabrics are never used alone, but are always mixed with other materials to increase elasticity while maintaining their usual appearance. It's actually quite common to mix spandex with fabrics that people think are more sustainable. The global organic textile standard actually allows clothing to contain 5% spandex while still being labeled as organic.

Although manufacturers are implementing new guidelines to improve their sustainability, it is unclear whether and when any measures will be taken to produce more sustainable elastic fiber fabrics.

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Lelis, Bruno, etc. "The impact of textile dyes on health and the environment and the bioremediation potential of organisms." Biotechnology Research and Innovation, Vol. 3. No. 2, 2019, pp. 275-290., doi:10.1016/j.biori.2019.09.001

Kontrick, Amy V. "Microplastics and Human Health: A Bright Future We Need to Think Now." Journal of Medical Toxicology, Vol. 14, no. 2, 2018, pp. 117-119., doi:10.1007/s13181-018-0661-9

Zhang, Keren etc. "Non-isocyanate poly(amide-hydroxy polyurethane) from sustainable sources." Green Chemistry, Vol. 18. No. 17, 2016, pp. 4667-4681., doi:10.1039/c6gc01096b

El Nagar, Khalid and others. "Use environmentally friendly technology to dye polyester and nylon synthetic fabrics with natural dyes." Textile Magazine, Vol. 2014, 2014, pp. 1-8., doi:10.1155/2014/363079

Poval, Shresty. "Application of Natural Dyes to Synthetic Fabrics: A Review". International Journal of Family Science, Volume One. 2. No. 2, 2016, pages 283-287.

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