You may notice most leggings and sport bras are made from nylon/spandex fabric.
Why most leggings are made from nylon/spandex fabric? Is nylon a good fabric for working out?
The answer is Yes! Nylon/spandex is a good fabric combination for workout wear like popular yoga pants. Nylon is known for its durability and strength. When mixed with spandex, which is a highly elastic material, it creates a fabric that is tough and resilient. This means that the fabric can withstand stretching and pulling without easily tearing or losing the sportswear clothing shape.
To know why nylon&spandex material is a good fabric for workout wear. We might start with nylon and spandex separately.
Nylon was developed in 1935 by the American scientist Carothers and his team from DuPont company. It is the first synthetic fiber that appeared in the world.
The earliest application of nylon was in making toothbrush bristles. On October 24, 1939, DuPont publicly listed nylon stockings, which caused a sensation and was regarded as a rare item. People rushed to buy it. People once used the stockings to praise this fiber "as thin as spider silk, as strong as steel wire, and as beautiful as silk".
From the outbreak of World War II until 1945, the nylon industry was shifted to manufacturing military products such as parachutes, aircraft tire cord fabrics, and military uniforms.
Nylon fiber can be widely used for many reasons. It's because of its unparalleled properties and advantages.
- 1. Nylon has extremely high heat resistance. Crystalline nylon will not damage the quality even in an environment of 150 degrees Celsius.
- 2. Nylon is famous for good wear resistance. The molecular chain structure of nylon fiber is tight and high in strength, which can effectively resist wear and friction. Its wear resistance is 10 times that of cotton and 20 times that of wool.
- 3. Nylon fiber is quick drying. Nylon fiber is a non-hydrophilic material and is hydrophobic. When we wear clothes made of nylon fibers, sweat is not absorbed by the fibers, but evaporates and is discharged quickly. The drying speed of nylon fabric is more than 1.5 times that of cotton fabric.
Spandex is another amazing high-tech fiber.
- 1. Spandex has excellent strength, its strength is 2 to 3 times higher than latex silk.
- 2. Spandex has excellent elasticity. It has strong stretchability and can be stretched to 500% of its original length. What’s more, it can be restored to its original shape at any time. The elasticity of Spandex fiber allows the fabric to be stretched easily and can stick to the surface of the human body after recovery. The binding force on the human body is very small.
3. It can be used in combination with a variety of different fibers, because the fibers of spandex are very fine, so it will not change the appearance and texture of the fabric.
So when the two are combined, nylon/spandex fabric has high strength and wear resistance, making it more durable than other fibers. This makes nylon/spandex fabric suitable for use in athletic sportswear, where there may be more friction and wear during exercise. Secondly, nylon/spandex fabric has good resilience and can better maintain the shape of the garment. After high-difficulty yoga postures, the womens yoga set won't lose its design! In addition, nylon/spandex has good hygroscopicity and can help athletes stay dry and comfortable. Those are very essential features needed for all activewear outfits.
However, it should be noted that the breathability of nylon/spandex fabric is relatively poor. It’s not breathable enough to allow the body to dissipate heat during strenuous exercise, making athletes uncomfortable. Therefore, when designing sportswear, designers can use hollow designs or mesh splicing designs to increase the exposed area of the skin and achieve the purpose of breathability.
But don't worry, you can shift to seamless gym wear to have more design possibilities and can help the fabric improve its breathability.
Post time: 2024-03-19 20:38:11