Spandex (Elastane) vs Jersey Knit

Spandex, commonly called elastane outside North America, is a synthetic fiber composed primarily of segmented polyurethane. Developed for commercial use by DuPont chemist Joseph Shivers in the late 1950s, it can stretch several times beyond its original length and recover much of its shape. Because it is usually blended with fibers such as cotton, polyester, or nylon, it is widely used in activewe...

Jersey is a weft-knitted textile characterized by a relatively smooth face and a reverse side with visible horizontal loops. The structure gives the fabric natural stretch, softness, and flexibility even when it contains no elastic fiber. Once associated with wool knitting on the Channel Island of Jersey, it is now commonly produced from cotton, wool, viscose, polyester, or blends for T-shirts, dr...