Fabrics & Materials
Spandex (Elastane)
Spandex, also called elastane, is a synthetic stretch fiber blended in small percentages into fitted and athletic apparel to add four-way stretch and recovery.
Spandex fibers can stretch to several times their resting length and snap back to shape, which is why even a small share — often just 2-5% blended into a cotton or poly knit — gives a fitted tee or legging real four-way stretch without changing how the base fabric looks. Higher spandex percentages, closer to 10-20%, show up in compression and athletic-fit garments built to move with the body.
It's what separates a compression-fit performance tee from a plain athletic-cut cotton one, and it's standard in leggings, fitted racerback tanks, and athleisure joggers. We flag every spandex-blend order for a lower press temperature before it goes to production, because spandex breaks down under sustained heat well below what a standard heat press runs for a cotton hoodie.
Spec low-cure plastisol or a heat-transfer vinyl rated for stretch fabric, keep dwell time short, and favor cooler application temperatures over longer presses whenever spandex content climbs above roughly 10%. Skipping this is how a design ends up with a yellowed halo where the fiber degraded under the platen.
Buyers often don't realize their "athletic tee" order even contains spandex, since it's usually a small percentage buried in the fabric content line. That small percentage is exactly why the shirt needs different press settings than a standard cotton crew, and catching it before production avoids a scorched or discolored run.