Stretch clothing or clothing with stretch inserts

Workwear manufacturers have added stretch garments to their product lines to maximize body mobility. These are stretch garments. There are also professional garments with stretchable stretch fabrics added to specific areas to aid ventilation and comfort (hybrid garments). Let's take a closer look at stretch fabrics and how they can be used and mixed to optimize comfort, fit and freedom of movement.

What does stretch mean?

The word stretch means in English “to stretch”. As its name suggests, stretch fabric is a fabric that stretches, is extensible and instantly returns to its original shape. This fiber is extremely resistant, light as a second skin, the stretch fabric dries quickly. Very valuable properties for professional clothing.

Stretch material, a new level of working comfort

The general idea behind stretching in womens-workwear or men is to optimize body mobility. The use of stretch fabrics such as stretch material, also known as elastane, in workwear means that it is possible to adapt them to a slimmer fit when needed. Besides, it also makes them much more comfortable. The clothes do not hinder the movements, on the contrary they follow each of them. The design of professional outfits has evolved. In order to offer more ease to professionals, the Workwear brands have made more comfortable workwear ranges: stretch work pants, stretch jeans or even stretch shorts, the choice is widening.

What is stretch fabric?

Stretch fabric is a very flexible and stretchy material, but contains a small amount of elastane. The latter represents only between 3% and 7% of the entire garment.

The appearance of the first elastane fiber was in 1959. This revolutionary fabric was born in the United States and was launched on the market under a very atypical name: K fiber. Stretch fabrics on clothing today are still referred to as "Lycra".

Elastane is a fully synthetic fabric, resulting from a special treatment applied to polyurethane which comes from a molecule derived from petroleum. The term spandex is the name attributed to this fiber in the majority of countries, in Europe, we speak rather of elastane fiber.

The different stretch directions of stretch fabrics

The construction of spandex is as complex as its characteristics. It is designed to stretch in several directions. Thus, there are two ways of stretching a stretch fabric.

Bi-directional stretch

Two-way stretch only stretches in one direction and is used for garments that require a bit more flexibility, while maintaining a sturdy look.

Four-way stretch

Four-way stretch provides maximum flexibility in all directions. Generally, on hybrid garments, manufacturers choose the four-way stretch double weave technique for a more durable result. This notably meets the comfort and robustness requirements sought in certain trades.

Stretch or hybrid clothing

The extremely stretchy workwear perfectly follows the movements of the body. They feature a unique combination of advanced stretch materials ensuring a perfect fit and soft comfort, without any irritating feeling. They are the optimal choice for outdoor work requiring maximum freedom of movement.

Thanks to the stretch fabric, the garments can cope with harsh weather conditions. When mixed with a double-weave stretch fabric, the garment also offers increased breathability. This is exactly what workwear brands achieve with stretch garments or with stretch inserts. The combination of materials optimizes freedom of movement while working.

Where to buy work pants, jeans, men's and women's stretch jackets?

Among the different brands that we offer on our website, some of them offer pants, cropped trousers, jeans for men and women with various details: multifunction pockets, floating pockets, reflective strips, knee pads, etc. But you can also find stretch tops: jackets, sweaters, etc. This is particularly the case for the following brands: LMA, Blacklader, Cahartt, etc. come and make your choice at oxwork.com

How much does a stretch cost?

Oxwork offers a wide range of clothing made from stretch fabric: tops, bottoms and accessories available in different price ranges. Who says workwear says functionality, that's why we offer you many stretch pants with multifunction pockets.

Comfort, functionality, you will find what you are looking for on our website.