What are Spandex, denim, satin, and polyester made of?

(Lansing State Journal, April 21, 1993 & January 22, 1997)

All of these are examples of different kinds of fabrics. Denim, the material used for jeans, is made from cotton, a natural fiber. Cotton plants grow, and the cotton is harvested from the plants. Then it is separated from the seeds and made into threads. The threads are then woven into cloth. Denim is different from your cotton shirts in the way that it is woven, which makes it stronger and longer lasting.

Before talking about Spandex and polyesters, we should talk about polymers. Polymers are a class of chemicals that are often known as plastics. Most chemicals are made of small particles called molecules, and these molecules are made of atoms, the smallest particles of matter. Polymers are special because they have long chain molecules, much larger than most molecules. They are formed from smaller molecules that combine to form chains, like people holding hands to make a chain of people. The "poly" part of the name means "many." The molecules tangle like strands of spaghetti, giving special properties.

Spandex is a type of polyurethane, a class of polymers which is also used for foam cushions. Polyesters are another class of polymer. Uses of this polymer vary from clothing to plastic pop bottles. Satin isn't a specific material, but a word used for shiny, soft (silk-like) cloths, like rayon, a different type of man-made fiber. Rayon is made from a natural polymer that is specially treated before making the fabric.

Back to MSU Science Theatre Home Page