The INVISTA Company trademarked this name for the synthetic fiber invented by DuPont in 1959. Stronger than rubber, it is generically refereed to as spandex in the United States and elastane in Europe. The fiber can stretch up to 600 percent and spring back to its original length. Xtra Life Lycra was introduced to the public in 2005. The fiber resists chlorine and holds its shape five to ten times longer than unprotected spandex. Lycra, as its advertising campaigns have stated, is woven into all aspects of clothing design. Traditional wools and cottons take advantage of the added design flexibility of stretch. Lycra has been used in the activewear, swim-wear, hosiery, and intimate apparel markets for more than thirty-five years. In 2000, Brazilian designer Carlos Miele introduced natural leather with Lycra.
Historical Dictionary of the Fashion Industry. Francesca Sterlacci and Joanne Arbuckle.