Laundry Garment Care Labels

Laundry Garment Care Labels

You should always check garment care labels for special requirements before washing, drying or ironing. Below we explain what each symbol on garment care labels mean.

Washing Symbols

Wash Cycle Related

	Machine Wash (Permanent Press)	Garments which have been permanently shaped (are wrinkle resistant) should be laundered in the "permanent press" cycle. This cycle normally involves a cold rinse before a reduced spin cycle.
	Machine Wash (Gentle, Delicate)	Wash only on the gentle cycle, involving a reduced spinning cycle and gentle agitation.
	Hand Wash Only	Wash these garments using water, detergent or soap gently using your hands.
	Do Not Wash	These garments cannot be safely washed. Usually, these will need to be dry cleaned.

Temperature Related

	Machine Wash (NORMAL)	When there is no temperature or dots in the symbol, and no line underneath, it is recommended the garment be washed with hottest available water temperature, as hot water washes better than cold.
	Machine Wash (COLD)	When 30C or one dot is shown, the recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 30°C (85°F).
	Machine Wash (WARM)	When 40C or two dots are shown, the recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 40°C (105°F).
	Machine Wash (HOT)	When 50C or three dots are shown, the recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 50°C (120°F).
	Machine Wash (HOT)	When 60C or four dots are shown, the recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 60°C (140°F).
	Machine Wash (HOT)	When 70C or five dots are shown, the recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 70°C (160°F).
	Machine Wash (HOT)	When 95C or six dots are shown, the recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 95°C (200°F).

Bleaching Symbols

	Bleach As Needed	Any bleach may be used when needed on the garment.
	Bleach As Needed (Non-Chlorine Only)	Only non-chlorine, colour-safe bleach may be used on these garments when needed.
	Do Not Bleach	Garments with this symbol are not able to withstand any bleach.

Drying Symbols

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Drying Procedures

	Tumble Dry (Permanent Press)	Garments may be dried in a tumble dryer, but only on the "permanent press" setting.
	Tumble Dry (Gentle)	Garments may be dried in a tumble dryer, but only on the "gentle" setting.
	Do Not Tumble Dry	Garment may not be tumble dried. Usually one of the alternative symbols below will be supplied.
	Line Dry	Hang the garment to dry.
	Drip Dry	Hang the garment to dry, without shaping or smoothing.
	Dry Flat	Lay the garment out flat to dry.
	Dry In Shade	This symbol may appear in conjunction with Line or Drip Dry. Dry the garment in the shade, away from direct sunlight.
	Do Not Wring	Do not wring the garment to dry.

Temperature Related

	Tumble Dry (Normal)	Garment may be tumble dried at the hottest available setting.
	Tumble Dry (Cold)	Garment may be tumble dried only at the cold "No Heat" or "Air Only" setting.
	Tumble Dry (Low Heat)	Garment may be tumble dried only at a low heat.
	Tumble Dry (Medium Heat)	Garment may be tumble dried up to a medium heat only.
	Tumble Dry (High Heat)	Garment may be tumble dried at a high heat.

Ironing Symbols

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	Iron (Normal)	Garments may be ironed at any temperature, using steam or dry.
	Iron (Low Heat)	Garments may be ironed using steam or dry, at Low setting, 110°C (230°F), only.
	Iron (Medium Heat)	Garments may be ironed using steam or dry, at Medium setting, 150°C (300°F).
	Iron (High Heat)	Garments may be ironed using steam or dry, at High setting, 200°C (390°F).
	Do Not Steam	Garment may be ironed, but only dry. Using steam may damage the garment.
	Do Not Iron	Garment may not be ironed.

Dry Cleaning Symbols

	Dry Clean	Dry clean the garment, using any solvent, cycle, moisture & heat.
	Dry Clean (Any Solvent)	Dry clean the garment, using any solvent. This symbol may appear with others restricting the cycle, moisture or heat.
	Dry Clean (Petroleum Solvent)	Dry clean only using a petroleum-based solvent.
	Dry Clean (Not Trichloroethylene)	Dry clean the garment using any solvent, except trichloroethylene.
	Dry Clean (Short Cycle)	Dry clean using the short cycle.
	Dry Clean (Reduced Moisture)	Dry clean using reduced moisture.
	Dry Clean (Low Heat)	Dry clean on a low heat setting.
	Dry Clean (No Steam)	Dry clean using no steam.
	Do Not Dry Clean	Garment may not be dry cleaned.

Care symbol garment

Garment Care Symbols

DRY CLEANING SYMBOLS This is the dry cleaning symbol, but the symbol itself doesn't tell the full story. There should be an additional letter inside the circle, indicating what type of dry cleaning a garment can be put through. In addition, the bar underneath the symbol gives additional information. Symbol Meaning Instruction Material Types Dry Clean Articles cleanable in all normally available dry cleaning solvents, using any solvent, cycle, moisture & heat. Wool, cotton, rayon, linen, polyester and nylon. Dry Clean (Not Trichloroethylene) Fabrics which are stable inperchloroethylene, and hydrocarbons, without restriction. Wool, cotton, rayon, linen, polyester and nylon, where restrictions on agitation are not indicated. Dry Clean (Not Trichloroethylene) Garments cleanable in the above range but with restrictions on heat, water addition and agitation. Acrylics, polyesters and silks where weaves, surfaces or fibre mixes make garments or fabrics sensitive to treatment. Dry Clean (Petroleum Solvent) Articles cleanable in hydrocarbons (white spirit) and solvent 113 using normal dry cleaning techniques. Garments where surfaces, additions or materials are sensitive to cleaning solvents or heat. Dry Clean (Petroleum Solvent) Fabrics sensitive in normal cleaning solvents but with further restrictions on water addition, agitation and heat. Any fabric with this symbol is very sensitive to heat and movement. It should be cleaned in a bag and not pre or post treated. Dry Clean (Short Cycle) Dry clean using the short cycle. Dry Clean (Reduced Moisture) Dry clean using reduced moisture Dry Clean (Low Heat) Dry clean on a low heat setting Dry Clean (No Steam) Dry clean using no steam Do Not Dry Clean DO NOT DRY CLEAN Polyolefins: Items with special finishes or additions IRONING SYMBOLS The ironing symbol lets you know that you can iron a garment or fabric. However the dots let you know what temperature you can iron at. Symbol Meaning Instruction Material Types Iron (Normal) Garments may be ironed at any temperature, using steam or dry. Iron (Low Heat) Garments may be ironed using steam or dry, at Low setting, 110°C (230°F), only. Acrylic, nylon, acetates and polyester. Iron (Medium Heat) Garments may be ironed using steam or dry, at Medium setting, 150°C (300°F). Wool, Polyester mixtures Iron (High Heat) Garments may be ironed using steam or dry, at High setting, 200°C (390°F). Cotton, linen viscose and derivatives of viscose. Do Not Steam Garment may be ironed, but only dry. Using steam may damage the garment. Do Not Iron Garment may not be ironed. Plasticised materials & some Acrylics WASH SYMBOLS This symbol solely refers to machine washing. The correct temperature for washing has been indicated by a number inside the tub or a series of dots. Symbol Meaning Instruction Material Types Machine Wash(Permanent Press) Garments which have been permanently shaped (are wrinkle resistant) should be laundered in the "permanent press" cycle. This cycle normally involves a cold rinse before a reduced spin cycle. Machine Wash(Gentle, Delicate) Wash only on the gentle cycle, involving a reduced spinning cycle and gentle agitation. Hand Wash Only Wash these garments using water, detergent or soap gently using your hands. Do Not Wash These garments cannot be safely washed. Usually, these will need to be dry cleaned. TEMPERATURE RELATED Machine Wash (NORMAL) When there is no temperature or dots in the symbol, and no line underneath, it is recommended the garment be washed with hottest available water temperature, as hot water washes better than cold. Machine Wash (COLD) When 30C or one dot is shown, wash with gentle machine action for 1/2 load with a short spin. The recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 30°C (85°F). Silk and printed acetate fabrics with colours not fast at 40o. Machine Wash(WARM) When 40C or two dots are shown, wash with reduced action for 1/2 load capacity and short spin. Warm 40o wash with normal agitation, rinse and spin. The recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 40°C (105°F). Wool including blankets and wool mixes with cotton and rayon. Cotton linen and rayon where colours are fast at 40obut not at 60o. Machine Wash (HOT) When 50C or three dots are shown, Hot wash with cold rinse and short spin or drip dry. The recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 50°C (120°F). White nylon or white polyester/cotton mixes. Machine Wash (HOT) When 60C or four dots are shown, wash on maximum agitation normal rinse and spin. The recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 60°C (140°F). Cotton, linen and rayon item which are both colour fast and have no special surface finishes Machine Wash (HOT) When 70C or five dots are shown, wash with 1/2 load capacity and short spin. The recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 70°C (160°F). White cottons and linens with delicate weaves prone to distortion. Machine Wash (HOT) When 95C or six dots are shown, wash 95oto boil wash with maximum agitation, normal rinse and spin. The recommended maximum temperature for washing the garment is 95°C (200°F). White cotton and linen with no special finishes DRYING SYMBOLS Symbol Meaning Instruction Material Types Tumble Dry (Permanent Press) Garments may be dried in a tumble dryer, but only on the "permanent press" setting. Tumble Dry (Gentle) Garments may be dried in a tumble dryer, but only on the "gentle" setting. Do Not Tumble Dry Garment may not be tumble dried. Usually one of the alternative symbols below will be supplied. Wool, acrylic and most flocked polyesters Line Dry Hang the garment to dry. Any kind of fabric. Drip Dry Hang the garment to dry, without shaping or smoothing Soft polyesters & acrylics Dry Flat Lay the garment out flat to dry. Acrylics, Cashmere Loose knitted knitwear Dry In Shade This symbol may appear in conjunction with Line or Drip Dry. Dry the garment in the shade, away from direct sunlight. Cotton, Linen and any vivid colour garment Do Not Wring Do not wring the garment to dry Wool, acrylic, Silk and most flocked polyesters TEMPERATURE RELATED Tumble Dry (Normal) Garment may be tumble dried at the hottest available setting. Tumble Dry (Cold) Garment may be tumble dried only at the cold "No Heat" or "Air Only" setting. Tumble Dry (Low Heat) Garment may be tumble dried only at a low heat. Polyester, nylon, acetates, loose weave garments and those with surface finishes. Tumble Dry (Medium Heat) Garment may be tumble dried up to a medium heat only. Cotton and linen. Tumble Dry (High Heat) Garment may be tumble dried at a high heat. Cotton and linen. BLEACH SYMBOLS Symbol Meaning Instruction Material Types Bleach As Needed Any bleach (including chlorine) may be used when needed on the garment. Cotton, acrylic, polyester Bleach As Needed (Non-Chlorine Only) Only non-chlorine, colour-safe bleach may be used on these garments when needed. Some wools & silks, anything OK with chlorine bleach Do Not Bleach Garments with this symbol are not able to withstand any bleach. Wool, silk

apparel care symbol

Clothing Care Labels May Now Use Symbols Instead of Words
According to a recent study, four out of five consumers read care labels before they buy clothing and follow label instructions when washing garments. A recent change in the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Care Labeling Rule means that consumers may soon find a new "language" on those care labels.

As of July 1, 1997, FTC now allows apparel manufacturers to use symbols instead of written instructions on garment care labels. For 18 months after that date, garments that have care labels with symbols must be accompanied by additional information that includes the care instructions in writing

The symbols were developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), using a system that is simple and easy to learn. Members of the detergent, textile, apparel and appliance industries, as well as retailers and related media and educational organizations, are working with the FTC to help consumers become familiar with the new symbols.

care textile symbol

At a minimum, laundering instructions include, in order, four symbols: washing, bleaching, drying, and ironing. Dry cleaning instructions include one symbol. Additional symbols or words or both may be used to clarify the instructions. The water temperatures listed are provided as a guideline. Actual water temperatures obtained in the home depend on the washing machine settings (hot, warm, cold), regional water supply temperatures, and water heating settings.

Machine Wash Cycle
Icons: What it means:
Regular/Normal Cycle with regular agitation and spin speed may be used.
Use Permanent Press/Wrinkle Resistant washer setting (which has a cool down or cold spray before the reduced spin).
Use Gentle/Delicate washer setting (slow agitation and/or reduced wash time).
Hand wash only.

Do not wash.
Do not wring by hand or use rollers on wringer washer. Hang dry, drip dry or dry flat.

Water Temperature
Icons: What it means:
Maximum water temperature 200°F/95°C.
Maximum water temperature 160°F/70°C.
Maximum water temperature 140°F/60°C.
Maximum water temperature 120°F/50°C.
Maximum water temperature 105°F/40°C.
Maximum water temperature 85°F/30°C.

Tumble Dry Cycle
Icons: What it means:
Machine dry.
Use Normal Cycle setting.
Use Permanent Press/Wrinkle Resistant Cycle setting.
Use Gentle/Delicate Cycle setting.
Do not tumble dry.

Heat Setting
Icons: What it means:
Set dryer at any heat.
Set dryer at High heat.
Set dryer at Medium heat.
Set dryer at Low heat.
No heat/air.
Do not dry (used with do not wash).

Special Instructions
Icons: What it means:
Line dry/hang to dry - hang damp from line or bar and allow to dry.
Drip dry - hang wet on plastic hanger and allow to dry with hand shaping only.
Dry flat - lay garment on flat surface.
Dry in the shade.

Bleach Symbols
Icons: What it means:
Use any bleach (when needed).
Use only non-chlorine bleach (when needed).
Do not bleach.

Iron - Dry or Steam
Icons: What it means:
Iron - Ironing is needed.
Iron using High temperature setting.
Iron using Medium temperature setting.
Iron using Low temperature setting.
Do not iron or press with heat.
No steam - iron without using steam.

Dryclean - Normal Cycle
Icons: What it means:
Dryclean.
Dryclean using any solvent.
Dryclean using any solvent except trichloroethylene.
Dryclean using Petroleum solvent only.
Do not dryclean.

Special Dryclean Instructions
Icons: What it means:
Low heat.
Short cycle.
Reduce moisture.
No steam finishing.

100 cotton

100 cotton
Cotton is used to make a number of textile products. These include terrycloth, used to make highly absorbent bath towels and robes; denim, used to make blue jeans; chambray, popularly used in the manufacture of blue work shirts (from which we get the term "blue-collar"); and corduroy, seersucker, and cotton twill. Socks, underwear, and most T-shirts are made from cotton. Bed sheets often are made from cotton. Cotton also is used to make yarn used in crochet and knitting. Fabric also can be made from recycled or recovered cotton that otherwise would be thrown away during the spinning, weaving, or cutting process. While many fabrics are made completely of cotton, some materials blend cotton with other fibers, including rayon and synthetic fibers such as polyester. It can either be used in knitted or woven fabrics, as it can be blended with elastine to make a stretchier thread for knitted fabrics, and things such as stretch jeans.

In addition to the textile industry, cotton is in fishnets, coffee filters, tents, gunpowder (see Nitrocellulose), cotton paper, and in bookbinding. The first Chinese paper was made of cotton fiber. Fire hoses were once made of cotton.

The cottonseed which remains after the cotton is ginned is used to produce cottonseed oil, which, after refining, can be consumed by humans like any other vegetable oil. The cottonseed meal that is left generally is fed to ruminant livestock; the gossypol remaining in the meal is toxic to monogastric animals. Cottonseed hulls can be added to dairy cattle rations for roughage. During the American slavery period, cotton root bark was used in a folk remedy as an abortifacient, that is, to provoke abortion.[citation needed]

Cotton linters are fine, silky fibers which adhere to the seeds of the cotton plant after ginning. These curly fibers typically are less than 1/8 in (3 mm) long. The term also may apply to the longer textile fiber staple lint as well as the shorter fuzzy fibers from some upland species. Linters are traditionally used in the manufacture of paper and as a raw material in the manufacture of cellulose. In the UK, linters are referred to as "cotton wool". This can also be a refined product (absorbent cotton in U.S. usage) which has medical, cosmetic and many other practical uses. The first medical use of cotton wool was by Dr Joseph Sampson Gamgee at the Queen's Hospital (later the General Hospital) in Birmingham, England.

Shiny cotton is a processed version of the fiber that can be made into cloth resembling satin for shirts and suits. However, its hydrophobic property of not easily taking up water makes it unfit for the purpose of bath and dish towels (although examples of these made from shiny cotton are seen).

The term Egyptian cotton refers to the extra long staple cotton grown in Egypt and favored for the luxury and upmarket brands worldwide. During the U.S. Civil War, with heavy European investments, Egyptian-grown cotton became a major alternate source for British textile mills. Egyptian cotton is more durable and softer than American Pima cotton, which is why it is more expensive. Pima cotton is American cotton that is grown in the southwestern states of the U.S.

Organic cotton

organic cotton
Organic cotton is generally understood as cotton that is grown without chemical fertilisers or pesticides from plants which are not genetically modified. In the United States the USDA National Organic Program sets the standard although this was designed for food and can lead to some confusion. As of 2007, 265,517 bales of organic cotton were produced in 24 countries and worldwide production was growing at a rate of more than 50% per year. Cotton covers 2.5% of the world's cultivated land yet uses 16% of the world's insecticides, more than any other single major crop. Though organic cotton has less environmental impact than conventional cotton, it costs more to produce. Side-effects of conventional production that are avoided in organic growing methods include:

* High levels of agrochemicals are used in the production of non-organic, conventional cotton. Cotton production uses more chemicals per unit area than any other crop and accounts in total for 16% of the world's pesticides.
* The chemicals used in the processing of cotton pollute the air and surface waters.
* Residual chemicals may irritate consumers' skin.
* The conventional cotton industry relies on a high level of forced child labor.

Naturally colored cotton has also been grown successfully with organic methods
Since organic cotton is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, it should contain fewer pesticides than conventional cotton. Pesticides used in the production of conventional cotton include orthophosphates such as phorate and methamidophos, endosulfane (highly toxic to farmers[8], but not very very environmentally persistent) and aldicarb. . Other pesticides persisting in cotton fields in the United States include Trifluralin, Toxaphene and DDT . Although the last two chemicals are no longer used in the United States Dirty_dozen_(Stockholm_Convention) their long breakdown period and difficulty in removal ensures their persistence. Thus even organic cotton fields may contain them since conventional cotton fields can be transitioned to organic fields in 2-3 years.

Curtain

curtain
A curtain (sometimes known as a drape, mainly in the US, or drapery, mainly in the UK) is a piece of cloth intended to block or obscure light, or drafts, or water in the case of a shower curtain. Curtains hung over a doorway are known as portières. Curtains are often hung on the inside of a building's window to block the travel of light, for instance at night to aid sleeping, or to stop light from escaping outside the building (stopping people outside from being able to see inside, often for privacy reasons). In this application they are also known as "draperies." Curtains come in a variety of shapes, materials, sizes, colors and patterns, and they often have their own sections within department stores, while some shops are completely dedicated to selling curtains.

Curtains vary according to cleanability, ultraviolet light deterioration, oil and dust retention, noise absorption, fire resistance, and life span. Curtain may be moved by hand, with cords, by press-button pads or remote-controlled computers. Measuring the curtain size needed for each window varies greatly according to the type of curtain needed, window size, and type and weight of curtain. Often retail curtain sellers will try to increase their profits from their sales, rather than give accurate impartial advice.

An adaptation of the curtain may be a blind or, in warmer countries, wooden shutters that are fixed to the outside of the building to provide privacy and still keep the building cool inside. Curtains are a form of window treatment, and complete the overall appearance of the house. Window treatment helps control the ambiance and flow of natural light into the room. The effect of drapery or curtains, is best seen in daylight, and with proper indoor light positioning, it can look attractive even at night.
Curtains can be made from varying thicknesses of fabric, each with a differing degree of light absorption and heat insulating qualities. For maximum temperature control, the curtain gap to the window should be small, with minimum convection drafts below or above the curtain. Various architectural structures around the curtain can minimize these air drafts.

A sheer or net curtain is one that is made from translucent fabric, such as a loosely woven polyester voile or a cotton lace. Sheer curtains allow a majority of light to be transmitted through the fabric, with the fabric weave providing a basic level of UV protection while retaining maximum visibility through the curtain. Sheer curtains are sometimes referred to as privacy curtains in reference to their screening abilities; during the day most sheer fabrics will allow people inside the home to see the outside view whilst preventing people outside the home from seeing directly into the home. Due to the loose weave in sheer fabrics, these types of curtains offer very little in the way of heat insulation.

Uncoated fabrics provide the next level of heat insulation and light absorption. Uncoated fabrics constitute the vast majority of fabrics used in curtains, and are composed of a tightly woven fabric, most typically a cotton/polyester blend, which is mostly opaque when viewed in ambient light. Uncoated fabrics provide a reasonable level of heat insulation due to the tight weave of the fabric, however the fabric itself is typically not thick enough to completely absorb strong light sources. As a result, when curtains made from uncoated fabrics are closed in an attempt to block out direct sunlight, light will still be visible through the curtain.

Coated fabrics consist of a standard uncoated fabric with an opaque rubber backing applied to the rear of the fabric to provide improved light absorption. To create a coated fabric a liquefied rubber polymer is applied in a single coat to an uncoated fabric and subsequently fused dry by means of a heated roller, in much the same way that a laser printer applies toner to a sheet of paper before fusing it dry. A fabric that has been through the coating process once is considered a 1 pass coated fabric, anecdotally referred to as dim-out because of the fabric's ability to absorb approximately 50-70% of a direct light source. To improve the light absorption of a fabric it is possible to re-coat a fabric up to a maximum of 3 pass coated, which is considered sufficient to block out 100% of a direct light source, hence such fabrics are referred to as blockout coated.

Fleece fabric

Polar fleece (also known as microfleece or micrafleece), usually referred to simply as "fleece," is a soft napped insulating synthetic wool fabric made from PET or other synthetic fibres. One of the first forms was Polar Fleece created in 1979 by Malden Mills, now Polartec LLC., a new, light and strong pile fabric meant to mimic and in some ways surpass wool. Fleece has some of wool's finest qualities but weighs a fraction of the lightest available woolens.

Fleece is used in casual jackets, hats, sweaters, jogging bottoms/sweatpants, gym clothes, hoodies, inexpensive throw blankets, and high-performance outdoor clothing, and can be a vegan alternative to wool. It can be made partially from recycled plastic bottles and is very light, soft and easy to wash.[1]

Aaron Feuerstein actively did not patent Polar fleece, allowing the material to be produced cheaply and widely by many vendors, promoting the material's wide acceptance.

Fleece garments traditionally come in different thickness: micro, 100, 200, and 300, with 300 being the thickest and least flexible.
Advantages

Advantages of fleece are that it is:

* Soft and comfortable to wear.
* Very warm and provides warmth without weighing a lot.
* Hydrophobic, holding less than 1% of its weight in water when fully soaked and simultaneously highly breathable. Due to this, water vapor from perspiration passes through readily and little is held within the fleece. This makes it a good choice for physical activities where sweating is likely to occur.
* Can be considered environmentally friendly as it can be made from recycled plastic PET bottles.
* Machine washable and dries quickly. Specific washing instructions include cold or cool water (no more than 30–40°C), line-dry, and do not iron.
* A good alternative for those who are allergic or sensitive to wool.
* Dries very quickly and retains much of its insulation capability even when it is wet, because of its hydrophobic properties.
Disadvantages

* Is flammable. Fleece without fire retardant is categorized as a Group I flammable fabric; with fire retardant, a Group II flammable fabric. (Group III fabrics are the least flammable and are made from natural animal hair, such as wool, from silks and from hides.
* Is made from a non-renewable natural resource: petroleum.
* The fabric doesn't absorb moisture as well as natural fiber fabrics such as cotton and wool (however this is usually a desired effect of fleece).[6][7][8]
* It tends to generate very high static electricity charges. This makes it a magnet for pet hairs and other dust and fluff.
* Not windproof (although some more expensive grades are denser and designed to be windproof., and some have plastic membranes laminated with them to block wind.)
* Can be damaged by high-temperature washing (temperatures at or below 30 to 40°C are recommended), or by tumble drying and ironing (only a cool iron is OK).
* Lower-quality grades are susceptible to pilling and to early wear and tear.
* In some instances it may tear easily.

Stretch fabric

Stretch fabric
Stretch fabric is a term that refers to synthetic fabrics which stretch in all four directions. This is in contrast to normal fabrics that will often stretch to a small extent, although only in two directions.

Stretch fabrics evolved from the scientific effort to make fibres using neoprene. From this research, in 1958 commercial stretch fabrics ('elastomerics') such as spandex or elastane (widely branded as 'Lycra') were brought to the market.

Stretch fabrics simplify the construction of clothing. First used in swimsuits and women's bras, fashion designers began using them as early as the mid-1980s. They entered the mainstream market in the early 1990s, and are widely used in sportswear.

On a larger scale, the materials have also been adapted to many artistic and decorative purposes. Stretch fabric structures create contemporary and modern looking design elements that have many uses in corporate theatre and event production.

Drapery

drapery
Drapery is a general word refering to cloths or textiles (Old French drap, from Late Latin drappus[1]). It may refer to cloth used for decorative purposes - such as around windows - or to the trade of retailing cloth, originally mostly for clothing, formerly conducted by drapers. Even small British towns had several drapers' shops until quite recently, when ready-made clothes, curtains, etc have become the norm. Several department stores originated as drapers' shops.

In art history, drapery refers to any cloth or textile depicted, which is usually mostly clothing. The schematic depiction of the folds and woven patterns of loose-hanging clothing on the human form, with ancient prototypes, was reimagined as an adjunct to the female form by Greek vase-painters and sculptors of the earliest fifth century and has remained a major source of stylisticformulas in sculpture and painting, even after the Renaissance adoption of tighter-fitting clothing styles. After the Renaissance, large cloths with no very obvious purpose are often used decoratively, especially in portraits in the grand manner; these are also known as draperies.
Fresco of Mithras and the Bull from the mithraeum at Marino, (3rd century CE)

For the Greeks, as Sir Kenneth Clark noted,[2] clinging drapery followed the planes and contours of the bodily form,, emphasizing its twist and stretch: "floating drapery makes visible the line of movement through which it has just passed.... Drapery, by suggesting lines of force, indicates for each action a past and a possible future." Clark contrasted the formalized draperies in the frieze at Olympia with the sculptural frieze figures of the Parthenon, where "it has attained a freedom and an expressive power that have never been equalled except by Leonardo da Vinci". Undraped male figures, Clark observed, "were kept in motion by their flying cloaks."