From women’s stockings to nylon shoes, nylon is a popular fiber because it has some great elastic properties.
Plus, nylon is cheap, durable and it doesn’t shrink easily. This makes this stretchy fabric one of the most popular materials for clothing.
In this article, we explore how much nylon can stretch and how you can stretch your nylon clothes safely.
Does Nylon Stretch?
Yes, nylon can stretch and it is a stretchy fabric which is used in many types of clothing.
The stretchiness of clothes depends on how much nylon an item contains and how it is made.
You can stretch pure nylon 15% and 30% of its normal size. Beyond this, the fiber may start to break and tear.
Nylon can give an item of clothing additional stretch which makes clothes more comfortable to wear.
While nylon can stretch a lot to fit a wearer’s body, it also has its limits. After too much stretching, nylon can tear when you aren’t careful.
How Nylon Fabric Is Made?
The production of nylon is a chemical process where diamine acid is extracted from crude oil, and it is mixed with adipic acid to create a polymer.
This polymer has a crystal form which is brought up to a high temperature and melted.
Then, the polymer solution is turned into fibers which are loaded onto a bobbin and wound onto a spool.
This is the final nylon polymer fiber which can then be used to knit or weaver other fibers into fabrics and clothes.
It’s worth mentioning here that nylon in itself isn’t a very durable material. That’s why, it is often combined with other fabrics, such as polyester or spandex.
Can Nylon Clothes Stretch Over Time?
No, nylon doesn’t stretch over time as the fabric itself is already very stretchy. Nylon doesn’t take much maintenance and you can keep your nylon fabrics in good shape for many years.
Raw nylon also doesn’t stretch with washing or wear but it can stretch when it is mixed with other fibers.
One reason why nylon is so popular with clothes manufacturers is because it doesn’t shrink when soaked in water.
However, it can absorb liquids, such as sweat, easily which doesn’t make it ideal for wearing in humid conditions.
As nylon is usually part of a fiber mix, its shape and flexibility depends on the other fibers in the fabric.
This will also impact how stretchy nylon is over time, and how well your nylon clothes keep their shape.
If you stretch your nylon fabrics beyond capacity, then the nylon will slowly tear and it will lose its shape.
Can You Stretch Nylon Fabric?
Pure nylon fabrics can be stretched only a small amount but mixed fiber clothes may be more stretchy.
It all depends on the blends and blending ratios of nylon in a piece of fabric. For example, if you combine nylon with spandex, you can get a much stretchier piece of clothing, than nylon and polyester.
This is because spandex is a lot more stretchy than polyester.
How To Stretch Your Nylon Clothes
If your nylon clothes are too tight, then you can easily stretch them. There are a couple of different ways to make your nylon fabrics bigger for a better fit.
Wear And Stretch Nylon Clothes While Wet
One way to stretch your nylon clothing is by wearing the nylon when it’s wet.
Put some hot water into a bucket and soak your nylon clothes for half an hour. Then put the garment on while it’s still wet.
Move around with the nylon garment until it dries. It’s a good idea to do all the things you would usually do with this piece of clothing.
This will help the nylon to adapt to your body shape better and it will fit more loosely once it has fully dried.
Alternatively, you can also put your nylon clothes into the washing machine and wash it at the same water temperature.
Put it on after the wash and wear it until it’s dry.
Use Baby Shampoo To Stretch Nylon Clothing
For this nylon stretching method, you just fill a bucket with lukewarm water and add some baby shampoo to the water. Mix everything thoroughly and then put your nylon clothes inside the bucket.
Make sure that your nylon fabric is fully submerged in the shampoo-water mix, and allow everything to soak for half an hour.
Then, remove the clothes and wring them out to remove any excess water. This allows the shampoo to work its magic: relaxing the nylon fibers in your garment.
Once you removed all the excess water, put your nylon fabric down flat and pull it in the directions where it needs to stretch more.
You can also use some heavy weights to put on the stretched fabric. Leave them on your clothes until the nylon item has fully dried.
How To Stretch Nylon Shoes
You can find nylon not just in garments but also shoes occasionally contain some nylon. If your nylon shoes are too tight, then you may need to stretch them a little.
The best way to do this is by using the freezer method. Fill some bags with water and stuff the sealed bags into your shoes.
Then put the shoes into the freezer. The water inside the bags will expand as it is slowly freezing, and it’ll expand your nylon shoes at the same time.
Another way to stretch your nylon shoes is by simply wearing them as often as possible with thick socks.
This will stretch the shoes over time and you can easily break in your nylon shoes.
Final Thoughts
Nylon is an important fiber in many clothing items because it is naturally stretchy. However, you need to be careful not to overstretch it as even stretchy fabrics can break and tear.
Hi, I’m Jessica Strouss and I was born a fashionista.
When I learned as a child that fashion and beauty go hand in hand with “suffering and pain”, I decided to make a difference.My love for animals is as important to me as my love for fashion. That’s why I’m devoted to promoting cruelty free and vegan options for clothes, shoes, accessories and make-up.
I truly hope that my website inspires you to make wise choices when it comes to buying clothes or beauty products.When we all contribute a little, we can make the world a better place.
