1 Miss VN 2009 Before SpandexXLA *TM XLA *TM or Spandex? Spandex XLA *TM or Spandex ?

2 Ready–to-wear (no iron) Swimwear Denim Active Wear Tailored Clothing Intimates Review on Development of New Elastic Fibers For Stretch Apparels Dr. Thoi H. Ho

3 OUTLINE Incumbent elastic fiber: spandex Development of elastic fiber from polyolefin elastomer Properties of XLA *TM fibers and fabrics Conclusion

4 The incumbent material used in stretch apparel applications is spandex. Spandex fibers are co- knitted with a hard fiber such as Nylon to make stretch fabrics. Spandex was invented in 1959 by John Shivers, a chemist from Dupont. When first introduced, Spandex revolutionized many areas of the clothing industry such as pantyhose and swimwear. The swimwear without spandex (pictured on the left) has many wrinkles while the one made with spandex fits contours of the body very well and is without wrinkles (pictured in the center). The incumbent material: Spandex Before the Invention of SpandexAfter the Invention of Spandex

5 Spandex is a urethane block copolymer that consists of a rigid segment and a soft segment. The rigid segment has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 180 o C and provides the high service temperature. The soft segment provides the elasticity. Spandex has set the standard for stretch apparel applications due to its high elasticity, high tenacity, and its thermal resistance up to its Tg. Chemical Structure and Morphology of Spandex

6 The elastic fibers from spandex are well established in the elastic fiber market. However, textile manufacturing leaders continue to seek new market opportunities through innovation and new technology options to simplify the processing and enhance the durability of fabrics. Opportunities exist for elastic fibers with higher service temperature and resistance to stringent chemicals (chlorine, high acidity and alkalinity). Deficiencies of Spandex Spandex has the following deficiencies: Poor chlorine resistance (contains benzylic hydrogen) Inferior UV stability (contains aromatic rings) Poor hydrolytic stability (contains urethane/urea linkage) Low service temperature (Tg=180 o C)

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8 Life of a Textile Resin Elastic Fiber co-knit with hard fibers* Stretch Fabric Pre-heat set (100 o C) Dye/(Bleach) ( o C, Cl 2 ) Heat set ( o C) Stretch Garment Wear (Cl 2, UV) Wash (60 o C, Cl 2 ) Dry (120 o C) Iron ( o C) Red = unmet needs * About 5wt % of elastic fiber are used. Hard fibers can be nylon, polyester, acrylic, cotton, silk, and wool.