Lycra fabric is a polymer, which means it comprises long chains of monomers that are connected with a special type of acid. Lycra is highly resistant to heat, and it was recognized as an excellent addition to heat-sensitive synthetics like polyester and nylon. Cotton lycra fabric is a blend of two materials cotton and Spandex.
Lycra is a fully synthetic fiber, which means that all of its components are created in laboratory settings. While some manufacturers may still use reaction spinning, solution wet spinning, or melt extrusion to make elastane products, a method known as solution dry spinning makes up almost 95 percent of global Lycra production.
The thinned solution is loaded into a cylindrical machine called a fiber production cell. This machine contains a specialized type of spinneret, and once the solution is loaded, the fiber production cell begins to spin, which forces the solution through the spinneret. The solution comes out the other side of the spinneret in the form of fibers, but these fibers still must be exposed to a heated nitrogen and solvent gas solution before they transition from a liquid into a solid state. Once they are solid, the fibers can be extruded from the cylindrical spinning cell, and they are then formed into strands with a compressed air device. This high-pressure air also twists the strands, and the resulting yarn can be formed in a variety of different sizes to fill the various uses of Lycra in the consumer textile industry.
According to the Cotton Lycra fabric manufacturers is a blend of two materials, cotton and Lycra. Cotton the natural fiber and Lycra is an stretchy, synthetic fiber with increased elasticity and is famous under the name ‘Spandex’. These are generally used in making of daily wear and sport outfits so as to offer comfort. These fabrics are manufactured by wrapping cotton fibers into the spandex filaments, so called a bunch of several tiny synthetic filaments.
In general Lycra is 82% of polyester and 18% of spandex. Some of the advantages of the Lycra fabrics along with cotton are stated :
According to the cotton lycra fabric manufacturers, the outfits made out using this fabric will have enhanced comfort and breath ability similar to that of a cotton outfit because of the increased presence of cotton in this manufacture. As spandex is present in these fabrics, they do not wrinkle or stretch easily leading to easy maintenance. For more increasing the life of the fabric an individual should follow the specifications laid by its manufacturers. Cotton Lycra fabric manufacturers have provided some specifications for the washing and the maintenance of the fabric.
The fabric should not be subjected to a wash of hot water because the spandex present in the fabric is heat sensitive and will get uneven rolling and distortion to the garment .
Never use chlorine bleach on a fabric with Lycra. The spandex in the garments do not support hot irons.