LYCRA^® fiber is the world's first and best-known spandex and elastane fiber.

Invented in 1958 by pioneering chemist Dr. Joseph Shivers, the fiber established an entirely new category — spandex fiber, also known as elastane. When knit or woven with other fibers, such as cotton, polyester, wool, or nylon, fabrics made with LYCRA^® fiber become stretchy and more comfortable to wear.

LYCRA^® fiber adds premium stretch and recovery to most types of apparel (and personal care products, like diapers, too). Just picture your own closet: LYCRA^® fiber adds stretch to your jeans, so they move with you and feel great all day. It makes your swimsuit fit snug against your body, so you can surf the waves or swim laps at the pool. Your sock and underwear drawers are filled with LYCRA^® fiber — it’s what gives your undergarments such a comfortable, second-skin fit. And your activewear? LYCRA^® fiber is the mission-critical, high-performance ingredient that makes your leggings, sports bras, running shorts, and other gear feel good and fit like a glove.

However you move, LYCRA^® fiber is your partner in stretch. It’s your run faster, dance better, leap higher, go further sidekick and the secret ingredient that transforms everyday apparel into powerful, can’t-take-it-off gear. Day after day. Wash after wash. 

SUSTAINABLE SPANDEX: INTRODUCING RENEWABLE LYCRA^® ECOMADE FIBER

LYCRA^® fiber has evolved since its invention in 1958. Today, one of our offerings is a more eco-friendly spandex derived in part from plants.

Renewable LYCRA^® EcoMade fiber is crafted from 70% plant-based ingredients, including dent corn grown in the US Midwest. It’s the first renewable spandex at commercial scale, and it can reduce the carbon footprint of traditional LYCRA^® fiber by up to 44%.*

Part of our EcoMade range of products, this bio-derived fiber is crafted with the planet in mind. Because it’s time we stretch our resources further.

^{*Estimate from Cradle-to-Gate Screening LCA for a representative LYCRA® fiber manufacturing facility, June 2022, prepared by Ramboll US Consulting, Inc.} 

IS SPANDEX RECYCLABLE?

We all know textile waste is a problem — there’s simply too much fabric that ends up in landfills. But recycling garments made from different synthetic fibers (think swimwear or hosiery made with a combination of nylon and spandex) has always been a major challenge, since it can be difficult to separate the various fibers and reuse them in new garments.  

Just last year, however, The LYCRA Company took a big leap forward. We collaborated with a variety of recyclers across different fabric types to test methods to separate fibers from mixed fabrics and recycle them into new fibers. These pilot projects bore fruit, resulting in recycled spandex fibers that were ultimately knit and woven into garments. Progress! 

While it’s early days for spandex recycling, The LYCRA Company is leading the way. We’re driving progress on spandex circularity, and we’re invested in advancing the circular economy. 

LYCRA^® FIBER VS. SPANDEX VS. ELASTANE: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

LYCRA^® fiber was the first spandex/elastane fiber ever created and has led the category since it was invented more than 65 years ago. It’s a trademarked brand name owned by The LYCRA Company.

Spandex (a term used in the US) and elastane (more common in the rest of the world) are generic terms that mean the same thing; they describe a category of elastic textile fibers. Only The LYCRA Company produces authentic LYCRA^® brand stretch fibers.

• LYCRA^® fiber: The premium original brand (1958)

• Spandex: Anagram of "expands" (US term)

• Elastane: Generic term (global)

The LYCRA^® brand is known worldwide — recognized by 78% of consumers, according to our 2025 Global Insights survey* — as a mark of quality in stretch apparel. And for good reason: Since its invention, we’ve been innovating to solve consumer pain points and make clothing fit better and feel great.

One thing that sets LYCRA^® fiber apart is its exceptional recovery power — that’s the ability to snap back to its original shape after wearing and washing. The high recovery power of our fibers ensures your clothes don’t sag, bag, or lose their shape, and that they provide consistent compression and fit when you need it most. Not every elastic fiber can do the same.

With LYCRA^® fiber, your stretch apparel — including jeans, undergarments, activewear, swimwear, socks, tights, and more — looks better for longer. Our high-quality products are built to last, so you can move, stretch, and live in your clothes without worry.

^{*Source: 2025 Global Insights Study, 2CV}