The Spandex You Cannot Avoid

Added: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]wear sports bras or leggings. If you do, they probably have spandex in them. I would bet that every single sports bra you own has some form of spandex in it.

[00:00:10]In fact, there is a reason for that, and brands are usually not being honest about that when they're marketing their products as organic cotton. It did not exist before synthetic fibers were invented. The four-way stretch, the compression, the shape recovery that we so adore from these fabrics are the mechanical properties of a synthetic polyurethane, aka elastane, aka elastic or spandex. No natural fiber can replicate them at the commercial scale today, but it could be coming soon. When a brand announces that it removed polyester from its leggings, check the care label, please. Elastane, spandex, Lycra is likely still in there. It always is. And removing polyester while retaining spandex is a real improvement.

[00:00:58]In fact, it is less toxic. That is true, but it's not plastic-free. Here's what's actually changing. The world's largest spandex manufacturer has invested a billion dollars in a factory producing bio-derived spandex from sugarcane. Production should start this year. Lycra is converting part of its production to corn-derived fiber, which is also great.

[00:01:21]Yulex launched a natural rubber alternative in 2025, and as far as I know, it's in Gap jeans today. The petroleum's The petroleum source is being replaced. The mechanical performance is staying the same.

[00:01:33]The most significant shift in act- activewear materials in 50 years, and it's happening quietly. Until then, your leggings still contain plastic, so make sure you read the label.