Natural fabrics are sourced directly from the earth, while synthetic materials are made from chemicals. A mixture of both may sometimes create a more durable or comfortable garment.
Breathability is crucial for shapewear, as trapped moisture can lead to discomfort. This is why cotton-based shapewear is the preferred option.
Cotton
The type of fabric used for shapewear plays a significant role in how the garment fits and performs. Nylon and spandex fabrics are standard in shapewear as they are stretchy and lightweight. However, they don’t allow your body to breathe, which can cause heat build-up and discomfort. Choosing the right fabric for your shapewear will ensure you enjoy comfort and confidence while sculpting your curves.
Cotton is an eco-friendly, natural, and biodegradable material safe for extended wear. It also doesn’t irritate the skin or cause rashes. Additionally, cotton is naturally absorbent and wicks moisture away from the body. This makes cotton-based shapewear an excellent choice for summer.
While shapewear is generally used to smooth out lumps and bumps in the body, it’s also great for reducing back pain and improving posture. It can also conceal loose skin after weight loss. When choosing shapewear, it’s important to consider the fabric, as different materials offer varying levels of shaping.
Nylon and spandex shapewear are usually more effective in cinching and sucking the body into shape, whereas cotton-based shapewear provides a gentle compression that’s more comfortable to wear. The fabric should feel soft and flexible against the skin and shouldn’t be too tight or restrictive, as this can lead to discomfort, chafing, odor, and soreness. When shopping for shapewear, look for a fabric similar to your clothes’ material. This will ensure that your shapewear is invisible to people around you.
Nylon
The fabric of your shapewear makes a difference. Some fabrics are made of nylon, while others are designed with natural fibers like cotton or microfiber. These fabrics are often more breathable and offer anti-bacterial and moisture-wicking properties. The materials in your shapewear are important, as they help you stay comfortable and confident throughout the day.
Nylon is a synthetic textile introduced in 1938 by DuPont, and it immediately became popular due to its promise of being tougher than steel. Nylon is made by forcing diamine acid to react with adipic acid, which is then extruded into long threads loaded onto bobbins. The bobbins are then drawn through a process that causes the polymer molecules to arrange in parallel lines.
While this process is less expensive than producing natural fabrics, it’s not environmentally sustainable. Nylon is a derivative of petroleum oil and requires a lot of energy to produce. It is also not biodegradable and contributes to the climate crisis.
Nylon is also prone to static electricity, which can cause skin rashes. It can also cause unpleasant odors that are caused by bacteria growth. To combat these issues, many manufacturers now mix nylon with other fabrics to eliminate the undesirable qualities of this fabric. These mixtures include polyester, spandex, and cotton.
Spandex
The elasticity and stretch of spandex fabric make it ideal for shapewear, particularly when worn under bodycon dresses or tight-fitting clothes. This type of shapewear helps sculpt a curvy figure, smooths out lumps and bumps, and conceals loose skin after weight loss.
It’s also important to choose a shapewear that breathes. This is because fabrics that don’t breathe trap moisture next to the skin, leading to chafing and itchiness. In contrast, lightweight natural materials like the ones used in the Damidols shapewear are breathable and will help you feel comfortable all day.
Spandex is made from a synthetic polymer called polyurethane, first developed in 1937 by IG Farben in Germany. After the end of World War II, many top scientists left IG Farben for jobs at DuPont in the United States. This resulted in the invention of nylon and other synthetic textiles, including elastane.
When manufacturing spandex, a polyurethane solution is pumped into a cylindrical spinning cell and spun into solid fibers. These are then twisted into strands and coated in a finishing agent, such as magnesium stearate. The finished product is then ready to be woven into spandex fabric.
The elasticity of elastane fabric is because the polymer chain contains both low-melting, amorphous “soft” segments and high-melting, crystalline “hard” segments. The low interaction force between the molecular chains allows them to expand and contract freely, which results in their high elongation performance.
Microfiber
Various synthetic fabrics are made from polymers such as nylon and polyester. The most common of these is microfiber, a type of fabric created through a chemical process known as “polymerization.” Microfibers are made from very small, thread-like strands of polyester and polyamide that are up to a quarter the size of human hair. These tiny strands can grip six to eight times their weight in water.
Initially developed as an affordable, mass-produced alternative to natural fibers, these fabric strands are not susceptible to the same stretching and shrinking that can plague other textiles. They also offer resistance to wrinkling and UV protection. Many people are drawn to synthetic clothing because it is often easier to maintain than its natural counterparts. This is especially true in today’s fast-fashion world, where garments are produced quickly and usually discarded in favor of newer styles.
Despite their durability, synthetic fibers tend to trap heat and moisture in the skin and may cause some people to experience irritation or allergies. They also do not breathe as well as natural fibers, which can lead to discomfort in warm weather. Additionally, they rely on non-renewable resources such as crude oil, an energy source subject to price fluctuations and supply disruptions.