spandex

Spandex is an anagram of the word 'expands.' The fiber — a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer — was invented by DuPont chemist Joseph Shivers in 1959 at the company's Waynesboro, Virginia, plant. DuPont marketed it under the brand name Lycra. Shivers needed a generic name for the fiber type, and someone (possibly Shivers himself, though the attribution is uncertain) rearranged the letters of 'expands' to create spandex. It is one of the few English words that is a deliberate anagram.

Spandex can stretch to 500–600% of its resting length and recover completely. No natural fiber can do this. Rubber has elasticity but degrades with sweat, heat, and chlorine. Spandex is resistant to all three. The fiber was originally intended for girdles and foundation garments — the 1950s corset industry wanted something better than rubber. Spandex gave them a fiber that stretched, breathed, and lasted.

The fitness revolution of the 1980s transformed spandex from underwear to outerwear. Aerobics classes, cycling, and running all adopted spandex-blend fabrics for their body-hugging, movement-allowing properties. The fabric that was designed to be invisible under clothing became the most visible clothing of the decade. Jane Fonda's workout videos put spandex on national television.

The word spandex is used primarily in North America. In Europe and most of the world, the same fiber is called elastane. In common speech, the DuPont brand name Lycra is often used generically. Three words for one fiber: spandex (an anagram), elastane (from elastic), and Lycra (a brand name). The fiber does not care what you call it. It stretches and returns.