ABSTRACT
Elastane fibres were initially developed as a replacement for natural rubber. But due to their unique performance and comfort characteristics, they became an essential part of clothing in the late 1980s. Lycra is the commercial brand of the Du Pont company, which developed the polyurethane-based elastane and commercialized it. This chapter details the history of elastane fibre development in a nutshell and outlines the manufacturing in detail. The first part of the chapter deals with polymer interaction mechanisms and the latter discusses the spinning methods. The last section of the chapter details the various physical and chemical characteristics of elastane fibre along with their application and scope.
