Shop Spandex Fabric by the Yard for Fashion, Dance, and Performance
Spandex — also called elastane, or Lycra by brand name — is the fiber that puts true stretch into modern textiles. It is almost never used alone: as little as 3–8% spandex twisted into polyester or nylon transforms how a fabric fits, drapes, and moves, letting a garment hug the body and then recover its shape wear after wear. Our spandex fabric by the yard collection spans both stretch knits and stretch wovens, so you can match the hand, weight, and sheen your pattern calls for. If you want to compare against mechanical-stretch options without spandex, browse the full stretch fabric collection.
Common Applications
Dance, Skate, and Stage:
High-spandex knits like power mesh, sequin stretch mesh, and stretch velvet are built for choreography — they flex through full range of motion and spring back between numbers, with saturated color under stage lighting.
Bodycon and Eveningwear:
Woven blends with 2–7% spandex, like stretch taffeta, stretch mikado, and stretch satin fabric, keep the structure and luster of a formal textile while easing fit through the bodice — the difference between a gown you wear and a gown you can actually sit down in.
Athleisure and Everyday:
Poly-spandex scuba, ponte, and ITY jersey sew into leggings, wrap dresses, skirts, and travel-friendly separates that resist wrinkles and keep their shape all day.
Costume and Cosplay:
Four-way stretch spandex blends conform to body suits, character builds, and fitted silhouettes without complex pattern shaping, and stand up to repeated wear and cleaning.
Understanding Spandex Percentages
The number on the contents label tells you how the fabric will behave. At 2–5% spandex, wovens such as stretch taffeta and stretch satin gain comfort stretch while keeping crisp body. At 5–10%, knits like scuba crepe and ITY jersey deliver all-day flexibility with excellent recovery. From 10–20% — power mesh and performance knits — you get compression-grade stretch for dance, shapewear, and activewear. Check each product page for the exact fiber contents, weight in GSM, and width.
Key Considerations
Fiber Partner:
Polyester-spandex blends bring wrinkle resistance and easy care; nylon-spandex blends feel silkier against skin and suit swim, lingerie, and dance applications.
Stretch Direction:
Two-way stretch flexes across the width; four-way stretch flexes in every direction and recovers in both. Fitted activewear and bodysuits generally want four-way.
Continuous Yardage:
Most items ship in uninterrupted cuts, so long bodycon gowns, unitards, and production runs come off the roll without seam breaks.
How to Order Your Textile
Filter by color, weight, or fabric type to shortlist candidates, then request free swatches to test stretch percentage and recovery in hand before committing. When you’re ready, order exact yardage — from a single sample garment to full production quantities.
Pro Tip: Pull a swatch along both grain directions and let it go. A quality spandex blend should return to shape immediately — that recovery, more than the stretch itself, is what keeps waistbands, necklines, and knees from bagging out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is spandex fabric?
Spandex is a synthetic stretch fiber — the generic terms are spandex and elastane, while Lycra is a trademarked brand of the same fiber. In fabric, it is blended in small percentages with polyester, nylon, cotton, or rayon to add stretch and recovery to the base textile.
What’s the difference between spandex fabric and stretch fabric?
All spandex fabric is stretch fabric, but not all stretch fabric contains spandex — knits also stretch mechanically through their looped construction. This collection is specifically fabrics with spandex in the fiber contents; our stretch fabric collection covers the broader category.
How much spandex do leggings or dancewear need?
Fitted activewear and dancewear typically use knits with 10–20% spandex and four-way stretch for full range of motion and compression. Everyday fitted garments do well at 5–10%, while formal stretch wovens need only 2–5% for ease.
Can I sew spandex fabric on a regular sewing machine?
Yes. Use a stretch or ballpoint needle and a stretch stitch or narrow zigzag so seams flex with the fabric. A walking foot helps feed slippery, high-stretch blends evenly; sergers produce the cleanest activewear seams but are not required.
How do I care for spandex blends?
Machine wash cold and hang or lay flat to dry. High heat is spandex’s enemy — hot dryers and direct ironing break down the elastic fiber over time and cause bagging, so keep temperatures low to preserve stretch and recovery.