Nylon is one of the most useful and versatile synthetic fibers in the world. It is a kind of plastic that has found a place in almost everyday products and is also used in making fabrics. It radically changed the world when it was launched in the 1930s.
It’s also a common material for clothing and other textile materials. You’ve probably worn lots of nylon-based clothes and may have even worked with a nylon-based yarn.
If you’re going to use it in your next project, however, you’ll want to understand it and its properties better. Especially if you will be sewing with it, you’ll want to know how your finished product will behave.
So is nylon stretchy? Nylon is a stretchy fabric that is utilized for its elasticity. It regains its shape easily and is a strong material that resists shrinking. Nylon is commonly blended with other fabrics.
You may be using a nylon umbrella while it rains or maybe brushing your teeth with a nylon toothbrush. It is so commonly used in our day-to-day life. Getting familiar with the finish, texture, and applications will help you get creative with this fabric for your next project.
So read on for more about this fabulous material.
What is Nylon?
Have you ever wondered how one material can be in the form of both plastic bristles and as pliable as a swimsuit? Nylon is generally a bracket term used to refer to synthetic materials. These are processed in different shapes and textures for various applications.
Nylon is primarily a plastic that comprises of long and heavy molecules. This polymer is mixed with various substances for achieving variations in properties. This explains why this material has such varied applications.
The Origin and History of Nylon
DuPont, an American company, introduced nylon in the 1930s when researchers were on a hunt to find a material that could function as an alternative to silk.
The creation of this versatile fiber took nine years and was done under the guidance of American chemist Dr. Wallace Carothers.
Two polymers were created by Carothers and his team. One was neoprene, a synthetic rubber and the other was an elastic strong paste that became nylon later. The new material was touted to be tougher than steel.
In 1939, 4000 pairs of stockings made out of nylon were sold in a matter of hours. The excitement around Nylon also created a lot of problems. There were high expectations that this fiber would be better than silk and would be long-lasting and strong.
A majority of the public did not have faith in synthetic fabrics as a news story claimed that the production of nylon involved using Cadaverine, a chemical extracted from corpses. Scientists had a hard time reassuring the public that the chemical could also be extracted by heating coal.
However, over the years the production of nylon fabric shot up and it was around 1300 tons during the 1940s. Nylon production was geared by 1942 and was used in making tents and parachutes during the war.
Once the war ended, the fabric was used for making lingerie and stockings. However, the stockings were fragile and the textile did not demonstrate absorbency under moist temperatures.
The fabric also felt itchy and hugged the skin due to static electricity. This problem was fixed by mixing nylon fibers with other materials such as spandex, polyester, and cotton. The blends had desirable properties such as strength, elasticity, and the ability to be dyed. Moreover, it was low-cost.
What is Nylon Used For?
Earlier, nylon was used for making hosiery and women’s stockings. Nylon blends are used for making track pants, windbreakers, swimwear, and more.
Its other uses include netting for veils, umbrellas, parachutes, etc. It is also used for making ropes because it is lightweight, strong, and resistant to cold and heat.
Does Nylon Shrink or Stretch?
Nylon stretches well but is shrink-resistant. Despite being extremely stretchy, it has excellent elastic recovery. It is this property that makes nylon a perfect material for use in sportswear.
Nylon is a durable fabric and is extremely low-maintenance. The fabric allows the users to move and stretch comfortably. If you want to get innovative in your fashion design, then you can work with a versatile fabric like nylon.
Nylon is a strong fabric. If you have been dreaming of launching your line of lingerie or athlete wear, then your first choice of fabric has to be nylon. Any fabric that has been created with pure nylon will retain its shape even if you subject it to various conditions while washing in a machine.
One of the greatest characteristics of nylon is that it does not shrink. The only time it might shrink is if it is blended with other fibers. If this happens, you don’t need to blame your washing machine, dryer, or yourself. It was just a characteristic of the fabric.
You need to remember that if the nylon fiber is blended with other fibers, then you may encounter a stretching problem. Hence, you need to be extremely careful while choosing fabrics for your sewing projects.
Does Nylon Lose Its Shape Over Time?
As we said above, nylon is highly elastic, so it doesn’t lose shape very easily, even after a long time.
If you use pure nylon for making lingerie, jackets, socks, you should not expect the clothing to lose its original shape or design over time. Nylon is manmade and hasn’t been designed to shrink or stretch in a way that loses shape.
If you are using knitted nylon, however, then the possibility of the fabric stretching over years is there. This is because knitting can stretch, even if the nylon fibers themselves won’t be likely to.
How is Nylon Fabric Used?
Nylon was marketed originally as an alternative to silk stockings. Until nylon was created, silk was the only viable fabric used for making stockings. However, silk was expensive and lacked durability.
Initially, nylon fabric didn’t live up to the hype created by its makers DuPont. However, it managed to become a favorite stocking material among women by the latter half of the 20th century.
Even today, nylon fabric is popularly used for making women’s stockings. It is even used for making yoga pants, tights, and other form-fitting bottoms for women. Though it is commonly used in designing sportswear, it is considered to be inferior to organic and semi-synthetic fibers.
Due to its inability to wick moisture, nylon is considered to be a poor choice for use in any strenuous activity. Its elasticity makes it suitable for use in sportswear. Some sportswear manufacturers prefer using nylon blends for enhancing the lightness and elasticity in their designs.
Other durable materials, like polyester, don’t stretch well and have to be blended before they can be used in athletic or other stretchy clothes, but nylon already has the properties needed!
Commercial Applications of Nylon
Most Common Fabric In The Textile Industry
The primary application of nylon is in designing fabrics as it can be made into strong fibers. These fibers are woven together to produce a lightweight, silky fabric. Nylon was first introduced as a fabric in 1939 and was used in making women’s stockings.
It became a substitute for silk and was used in the manufacture of parachutes when silk became scarce during the Second World War. It is used even today in making parachute canopies owing to its strength, elasticity, price, and resistance to mildew.
The applications of nylon don’t just end here. This material is also used in making suspension lines, harness straps, sleeping bags, and tents, fishing poles, tennis strings, rope, sails, and more.
Nylon is the most commonly used fiber in the textile industry today, one of the strongest fabrics on the market, and can be dyed easily.
It drapes well and is used in designing a range of apparel. It is used in making bridal veils, wedding gowns, ponchos, backpacks, athletic shoes, flak jackets, swimsuits, camera cases, hats, socks, gloves, and more.
Implemented Into Cookware Due To Its Heat Resistance
Nylon has been used in designing cookware as it withstands high continuous temperatures pretty well. It is shaped into turners, spatulas, brushes, tongs, forks, and more. As nylon is easy to dye, the cookware can be designed in various colors. These cooking tools are gentle on non-stick surfaces.
Used In Designing Machine Fasteners and Parts
Nylon has also been used in designing machine parts are it is long-lasting and inexpensive. It is used commonly in the electronics industry for its heat resistance and non-conductivity. It is also used in making nuts, washers, bolts, screws, and even hardware of the circuit board.
Key Features of Nylon
Nylon is a thermoplastic and is made from petrochemicals. The plastic is semi-crystalline and slowly begins to melt upon the application of heat. It has a high melting temperature of 256ºC. The material is tough and has excellent abrasion resistance. This is a difficult material to tear.
Nylon bounces back and regains its shape even if bent. It is not damaged when exposed to alcohol, solvents, and oils. However, it starts breaking down after exposure to acids. Nylon can also be damaged if exposed to iodine, alkalis, and phenol.
It is a hygroscopic material which implies that it tends to absorb moisture from the surroundings at the molecular level. It is not affected by mildew, molds, and fungi and does not attract insects.
9 Amazing Qualities of Nylon
Nylon is popular for a reason – in fact, it’s popular for several reasons. Here is a small list of some of the benefits of using nylon materials.
1. Stretchy
One of the greatest advantages of nylon is that is just about the stretchiest material you can find in the textile industry. It is a popular choice to blend with other fabrics thanks to this property.
The best thing is that it doesn’t lose its shape despite being stretchy. Due to its great elastic recovery, the fabric regains its original shape after being stretched.
Plus, nylon bedding can easily bear the pulls and stretches of rough sleepers. It provides a warm cocoon with its stretchy and soft drape. This characteristic is highly valued in the stocking and legging market.
2. Versatile
The versatility of the material has contributed to its success, as you probably gleaned from its many applications. As a chemically produced material, desirable features can be embedded into the fibers during production. It is also easy to dye.
3. Moisture Absorbent
Nylon doesn’t absorb much moisture which contributes to its washing functionality. It cleans readily and is more breathable when compared to its synthetic counterparts such as nylon. There’s a reason many wear nylon sportswear when sweating through exercises.
4. Shock Resistant
Its shock resistance ability and fiber strength are highly valued in the military. Some of the first mass-produced parachutes were made from nylon thread, so you know it’s strong.
5. Static Resistant
Static is a curse to animal lovers. Nylon is a great fabric and will not result in any uncomfortable nuance. It is an ideal bedding material if you are sharing your bed with your beloved pooch.
6. Reliable
Nylon is one of the most reliable fabrics. It is cheap and light in weight. You don’t have to worry about it tearing and wearing too much. With little care, it will last for long and will deliver all the desirable properties to the user.
7. Stain Resistant
This fabric is great if you are quite picky about hygiene and cleanliness. These fabrics can be washed easily and are resistant to oil spills. This property makes nylon an ideal choice for making furniture covers and sheets. You can remove any oil or liquid spill easily with a simple wash.
8. Durable
If you are looking for a fabric that doesn’t wrinkle while designing bed sheets, then nylon should be your first choice. This great fabric holds up really well if you care for it appropriately. The per-fiber and tensile strength of nylon are some of the strongest among fabrics.
9. Soft
Nylon bedding keeps you comfortable and warm during cold weather. As the material was initially created to be a substitute for silk, it is obviously quite soft.
Are There Any Concerns About Using Nylon?
Nylon is slightly pricey despite being a mass-produced synthetic fabric. However, it is cheaper in comparison to high-quality natural alternatives. If you are looking for a quality synthetic fabric, then nylon fabric would be your best bet.
The only thing you need to be careful about this product is that it has low melting and burning points. Owing to its thermoplastic nature, it readily melts and starts releasing toxic fumes if ignited.
This is why it is not a great choice to wear nylon fabrics around campfires or BBQs. There had to be something wrong with this awesome material.
Nylon Advantages
- Rugged durability
- Great stretch and elasticity
- Resists wrinkle and shrinkage
- Lightweight
- Easy to wash and dry
- Cost-effective
- Resistant to abrasions and tears
Nylon demonstrates excellent abrasion resistance and strength. It has fantastic elastic recovery which implies that the fabrics can stretch without losing their shape.
Nylon also has great resistance to sunlight and hence is an excellent choice in designing active wear. It can be designed in brighter colors owing to its ability to accept acid dyes.
This is a cost-effective fabric and is ideal for sewers planning to launch their own apparel line. These fabrics have great stretch and are perfect for making swimsuits, jerseys, leotards, and more where great stretch and freedom is desired.
Nylon Disadvantages
- Low absorbency and melts if catches fire
- Can spark due to static electricity
Nylon In Summary
We have explored both the positives and negatives of nylon. Nylon is a versatile synthetic fabric that finds a plethora of applications. You can use it for making stockings, sportswear, lingerie, bedding, camping gear, and more.
It is highly valuable owing to its properties such as stain resistance and excellent elastic recovery. This synthetic fabric has occupied a prominent spot in the fabric world.
It has numerous applications and keeps your bedding comfy and helps you perform swift moves during a yoga session. Its intrinsic properties and characteristics make it suitable to fit in an active lifestyle.
No matter what your project is, you will be able to find an application for nylon fabric in it. Looking into its properties will help you make an educated choice while taking up any sewing project.
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