Second Skin: The Science of Stretch

If you have ever knitted a hat or scarf, then you have used the same technology people have been using to create stretch fabric for a thousand years.

The looped stitches created by knitting gives cotton and wool fabrics their stretch. This kind of “mechanical” stretch is different from the stretch created by synthetic fibers.

Nylon, the first synthetic fiber with stretch, was created by a team at DuPont in 1938. It quickly replaced silk as the fashionable fiber for women’s stockings. When the stockings were introduced on May 16, 1940, “Nylon Day,” four million pairs sold out within two days.

“I have read about the wonderful new stockings made from dirty old coal—surely you must have the angels working for you.” Letter from a customer in the 25th Anniversary of DuPont Nylon, 1939–64.

Following DuPont’s success with nylon, chemist Joe Shivers tried to create a synthetic rubber primarily for use in women’s foundation garments.

In 1959, Shivers invented spandex. The spandex in thread like this consists of two groups of molecules: one that expands to provide stretch, and one that is rigid to provide stability. 

Mid-century and modern swimsuits would be unrecognizable to Victorian women, who swam in knee-length wool bathing dresses and full bloomers. Contemporary bathing suits are made of synthetic materials to allow for a tighter fit and a greater range of motion.

The suits in this ad were made with Lastex, an elastic yarn in which a natural fiber (like cotton or silk) is wound around a thread of latex, providing greater stretch to garments. It was registered as a trademark in the U.S. in 1931.

“I felt freedom, I felt empowerment, I felt like I owned the pool…” Lebanese-born Australian designer Aheda Zanett described the feeling of swimming in the burkini (a portmanteau of bikini and burqa) that she designed. 

This swimwear provides women whose religious beliefs ask them to wear modest clothing the chance to swim and wade comfortably in public settings.

Running does not require much more than a pair of sneakers and for some people, a supportive bra. In 1977, Lisa Lindahl made the first sports bra out of two jockstraps. 

Named the Jogbra, this bra featured a wide waistband, sturdy straps, and supportive cups.

The Playskin Lift is an assistive garment for young infants with weakness or movement problems due to brachial plexus palsy, cerebral palsy, or various other forms of muscular dystrophy/atrophy. 

This soft, comfortable, supportive stretch garment is designed to help strengthen arm muscles by providing light upward resistance. This prototype was completed in 2014 and can be custom made or even sewn at home, providing a low-cost physical therapy solution for families.