The rise, fall, and return of the super-stretchy material.

The Super Hero Issue 2023

In the year 2000, superhero movies were on the brink of a major shift into the mainstream, led by the X-Men.

However, this new era called for a different approach. The snug and stretchy costumes seen in the team’s comics and iconic ’90s cartoons weren’t going to cut it.

Instead, the X-Men suited up in sleek black leather bodysuits. Yet, not even that was deemed cool enough for the toughest X-Man.

When Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine first lays eyes on the X-Men’s bodysuits, he quips, “You actually go outside in these things?” To which Cyclops, played by James Marsden, retorts, “Well, what would you prefer? Yellow spandex?”

In just seven words, X-Men slyly changed the game for the entire superhero movie genre. The days of colorful, skin-tight spandex suits were over. Superheroes needed to look cool, and in 2000, that meant ditching the spandex.

But how did spandex become so closely associated with superheroes in the first place? When did it go out of style? And, in simpler terms, what exactly is spandex? The story of this remarkable material and its unexpected connection to the world of comics reveals how an apparently unassuming invention altered the course of pop culture history, in more profound ways than you might think.

SPANDEX = EXPANDS

 

Ms. Marvel takes out a bank robber using her stretchy superpowers. MARVEL COMICS

Spandex, which interestingly is an anagram for “expands,” is a highly stretchy material mixed with other fabrics, found in common modern items like workout leggings and underwear. Its creation in the 1950s brought a revolution in clothing, elevating comfort, influencing fashion trends, and enhancing athletic performance.

Suze Kundu, an expert in materials chemistry and research director at Digital Science, a tech research investment company, sheds light on spandex. She explains, “Spandex, also known as elastane, is a man-made fiber known for its remarkable elasticity. It can be stretched considerably, sometimes up to seven times its original size, and then bounce back to its original shape and size once the stretching force is released.

“The first actor to play Superman actually wore wool tights.”

What makes spandex so fantastic is its unique properties. It was initially created by the U.S. chemical company DuPont in 1958 as an alternative to rubber, which was commonly used in various clothing, including girdles.

However, rubber had its drawbacks – it was uncomfortable, didn’t keep its shape well, could be damaged by sweat and sunlight, and was in short supply after World War II.

DuPont chemist Joseph Shivers set out to find a synthetic alternative and came up with the process to make spandex, initially named “Fibre K” and later branded as Lycra by DuPont.

The name Lycra was randomly generated by a computer to be meaningless in most languages. Spandex became the generic term for the material, much like how “Kleenex” is used for tissues.

So, what’s the science behind spandex’s stretchiness? It involves polymers.

Spandex is essentially a spun form of polyurethane, a fibrous polymer composed of numerous long chains with repeating units. Imagine these chains like individual links in a necklace or a tall stack of Lego bricks.

These polymer chains consist of alternating building blocks called monomers. The key chemicals forming this sea of building blocks are processed to create a concentrated polymer solution.

This solution is forced through small holes on a spinning nozzle to produce the famous spandex fibers as the solvent evaporates. The fibers are quickly treated to prevent them from sticking together before being twisted into threads and woven into spandex fabric.

To understand why spandex can stretch and still keep its shape, think of it like noodles. “Long-chain polymer molecules tend to exist in a bundled-up state, like a colander full of freshly drained linguine,” explains Kundu. “Without any olive oil, the overlapping strands of linguine start to stick to each other where they overlap or cross over.”

But unlike a pasta dish, spandex is designed to bond together.

In the same way, the long molecules in elastane overlap and form bonds between different strands,” Kundu says. “These bonds are weak enough to allow for some movement and manipulation, like when the fabric is stretched, but strong enough to return the material to its original form.

THE SPANDEX REVOLUTION

Spandex, also known as Lycra, is everywhere. It’s a fantastic material that’s often blended with other fabrics to make clothes stretchy and fit better, from underwear to jeans. Its versatility knows no bounds.

Over the years, spandex has revolutionized fashion, making clothes more flexible and stylish. Lycra, a type of spandex, was blended into fabrics to make the iconic mini dresses of the 1960s form-fitting. As fashion evolved with shorter hemlines, spandex ensured that bright tights could keep up. In the 1980s, spandex played a vital role in the rise of streamlined sportswear trends.

This remarkable material has even left its mark in history. Spandex is a crucial component in high-performance clothing worn by athletes at the Olympics and was used in the spacesuit NASA crafted for Neil Armstrong, marking a historic achievement.

The crew of the Apollo 11 wore spandex-enforced space suits.HUM IMAGES/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP/GETTY IMAGES

Spandex, also known as Lycra, is everywhere. It’s a fantastic material that’s often blended with other fabrics to make clothes stretchy and fit better, from underwear to jeans. Its versatility knows no bounds.

Over the years, spandex has revolutionized fashion, making clothes more flexible and stylish. Lycra, a type of spandex, was blended into fabrics to make the iconic mini dresses of the 1960s form-fitting. As fashion evolved with shorter hemlines, spandex ensured that bright tights could keep up. In the 1980s, spandex played a vital role in the rise of streamlined sportswear trends.

This remarkable material has even left its mark in history. Spandex is a crucial component in high-performance clothing worn by athletes at the Olympics and was used in the spacesuit NASA crafted for Neil Armstrong, marking a historic achievement.

“S” IS FOR SUPER (AND STRETCHY)

Fun fact: Chris Reeves didn’t wear spandex in 1978’s Superman. It was a special type of nylon. DOVEMEAD LTD.

Almost every iconic superhero from Batman and Spiderman to Superman and the X-Men, at some point in comic book history, sported a suit that resembled spandex. Even if it’s not explicitly mentioned, their costumes often mimic the look and properties of spandex.

Louie Dean Valencia, Ph.D., an associate professor of history at Texas State University specializing in comic books and youth culture, traces this trend back to the 1930s and the inception of the very first superhero.

“The trend of wearing skintight costumes began in 1936 with the Phantom, a crimefighter and adventurer who donned a tight purple outfit despite lacking superpowers,” Valencia explains.

He further notes that while Buck Rogers showcased a similar fashion in 1929, it wasn’t as form-fitting. It was the debut of Superman in 1938 that solidified the image of the modern superhero, clad in the iconic, snug red and blue ensemble.

Interestingly, the iconic spandex look in comics existed before the actual invention of spandex. In real-life appearances, such as Superman’s debut at Superman Day during the New York World’s Fair in 1939, and in early on-screen portrayals, actors wore different fabrics.

“The first actor to portray Superman on the silver screen, Kirk Alyn, wore wool tights in the 1940s to depict Superman,” Valencia mentions.

During that era, the focus was more on what the snug costume symbolized rather than the material itself.

“His bold attire and the ‘S’ emblem were influenced by a familiar theme of that time, reminiscent of strongman circus performers who often emulated the biblical strongman, Samson,” Valencia explains. “These strongmen represented a vision of strength in the eyes of the public due to their costumes and performances.”

When spandex was eventually introduced, it became the perfect choice to emphasize these characteristics and pay homage to the strongmen stereotype.

“Adam West’s Batman notably sported a predominantly spandex costume in the 1960s,” Valencia adds, “solidifying spandex as the fabric of choice for superheroes in popular culture.”