Supplex: fabric composition
When considering supplex, the composition of the fabric is considered the primary point to which the closest attention should be paid. The structure of this material completely lacks longitudinal and transverse threads, since the production method is based on the spinning method. There are interlacing loops inside the fabric. The product contains several components, each of which gives the textile a certain characteristic or ability:
- Lycra (spandex or elastane). Synthetics, including polyurethane fibers that can stretch 6–10 times, hold their shape perfectly, are not susceptible to creasing, and are resistant to all kinds of stains.
- Nylon. Synthetic material that consists of polyamides. It is durable and has high water absorption.
- Microfiber. Microfiber made from polyester fibers, characterized by crease resistance, strength, and wear resistance. The big advantage of this component is that it does not shed or pill, and dries quickly.
- Lurex. It is a shiny thread with a metallic effect that is woven into other types of materials to give them shine and shine. Lurex is not widely used in independent products, since it has a high level of rigidity and low strength properties.
The composition of supplex may vary slightly at the discretion of the manufacturer.
Properties and description of types
The excellent properties of supplex fabric are determined by its composition. This is a synthetic knitwear that stretches easily without deformation or pulling out clothing items. It has good wear resistance - even after 20-50 or more washes, Beflex products do not lose their aesthetic, neat appearance. These properties are explained even by the very name of this fabric, which comes from the English biflex, that is, bi is “two”, flex is a shortened form of flexible - “able to stretch”.
Sportswear made from supplex has excellent stretch.
The composition of this fabric includes the following types of fibers: lycra, lurex, elastane, microfiber, nylon.
Based on this composition, the easily stretchable properties of biflex and good wear resistance are quite understandable. 80% of lycra alone in the composition suggests that supplex can stretch in any direction, which means clothes made from it are light, durable and comfortable for any movement. Therefore, it is customary to sew the most capricious suits, outfits, dresses, and swimsuits from supplex.
Synthetic knitwear
Synthetic knitwear is popular due to the fact that:
- Long lasting;
- Permeable to moisture: if we talk about sportswear, this is the main indicator of the suitability of the material for such a category of clothing in which the athlete will feel warm, will not sweat, will not rub the skin and the clothing will not hinder his movements. Supplex gives a good fit to the body shape, which is why it is so popular among manufacturers of swimsuits, underwear, gloves, and bandage dresses;
- It does not form pellets;
- Dries quickly after washing, the number of washes does not affect the quality of the fabric;
- It does not wrinkle, that is, you don’t have to iron it after washing, and it will still look equally good.
Supplex is often used for sewing clothes for sports, circus, gymnastics and theater costumes, as well as dresses for dancing.
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Printed supplex
When sewing an elegant evening dress, some designers prefer printed supplex. It is called so because of the printed patterns, which during production serve as a design - a print. This material is popular among people of creative professions. The fabric is famous for its strength, elasticity, variety of colors, durability and high quality. On sale you can also find small pieces with holographic patterns used for decoration.
Printed supplex is used for sewing elegant, tight-fitting clothes.
Features and Specifications
Biflex is a material unique in its characteristics. A number of characteristic features of the fabric make it especially preferable to many others. Numerous users choose this particular canvas for the following reasons:
- The textile is pleasant to the touch, has good heat transfer, does not cause the slightest irritation, it can be worn directly on the naked body, while engaging in active sports without experiencing discomfort. The soft texture provides positive tactility.
- The peculiarity of supplex is that, although it is a synthetic product, it is non-toxic, hypoallergenic and does not have a negative impact on human well-being.
- Painting in any shades is allowed. There are more than 250 options in the color palette. You can apply spraying and hologram. The drawings are stable on the surface. Discoloration does not occur after washing and under the influence of ultraviolet rays.
- High material density. The fabric is characterized by significant wear resistance; due to its density from 70 to 290 g/m2, it is not subject to abrasion and damage after numerous washes. In addition, due to its density, the fabric does not show through when stretched. The tensile index is calculated experimentally using a special formula, which takes into account the size of the fabric in its free and stretched form.
- The ability of supplex to stretch. A unique characteristic is the ability of products to stretch and then return to their original state without sagging and without losing shape.
- Lycra composition (approximately 80%) – this feature increases elasticity significantly. Microfiber gives the material water-repellent properties. The inclusion of lurex allows the fabric to shine.
Depending on the volume of threads used, the properties of supplex may vary.
How to choose
Depending on the designer’s idea and design decision, when purchasing supplex, you can choose a plain fabric of the desired shade or a canvas with a pattern. It is also worth paying attention to the density of the material (it may differ from one manufacturer to another).
- For an evening or dance dress, both supplex with a pattern and a smooth monochrome fabric are equally suitable.
- For training gymnastics leotards, a single-color fabric is most often used, and costumes for performances can consist of two or three combined colors.
- When sewing underwear, preference is given to plain pastel supplex colors, but if desired, they can also be bright or patterned.
Types of supplex
There are several types of supplex, if we talk about its composition and appearance:
- Italian. It features impeccable workmanship. Unusually dense, matte shade, provides a pleasant tactile sensation. Perfectly tolerates the application of any pattern.
- “Matte Prestige”. Produced by Russian manufacturers, one of the most popular types of textiles. Its composition is 88% polyester and 12% elastane. Used in sewing products that require a significant level of thermoregulation.
- "Matte Stretch Premium". There are two varieties. The composition contains 80% polyester and 20% spandex. Characterized by significant density. Used for sewing special items of clothing. The finished products fit the silhouette perfectly and do not wrinkle.
- "Fabriks Biflex matte Stretch Prestige." There are two options that differ in the inclusion of elastane, which is 14% or 12%, and polyester, which is 86% or 88% in the structure. Durable fabric, practically does not wrinkle. An image made on it using flex can last for a long time.
Advantages and disadvantages
Biflex has a large number of undoubted advantages that distinguish this textile from many others. The material is characterized by high performance properties. Among the advantages we cannot fail to note the following:
- Wear-resistant, strong, durable fabric, does not fade in the sun and does not lose its appearance.
- Items made from supplex comfortably fit the body and perfectly allow moisture to pass from it into the external environment. They are not hot or stuffy. This is especially true for sports products such as swimsuits.
- No pellets are formed on the surface of the canvas. The smooth, slightly shiny surface looks like new even after long-term use.
- It dries quickly, does not shrink or wrinkle.
- When stretched, it instantly restores its previous shape.
- A wide range of colors and the ability to apply patterns on fabric allow you to use any design.
- Pleasant tactile sensations when touching the body. Textiles do not interfere with freedom of movement.
- It is undeniably safe.
Supplex can be safely classified as an advantageous category of textiles. Use for sewing is economical. From 1 meter you can create not one, but several things.
Since the fabric is not natural, it has certain disadvantages:
- Low level of breathability.
- If the item is folded for a long time, fold lines will remain on it; they can be removed by steaming.
- The ability of matter to accumulate static electricity.
Characteristics of Biflex fabric - what is it?
There are several types of knitted fabrics, one of which is supplex. This is a beautiful and elastic stretch material of synthetic origin. It removes moisture very well, so in the hot season, products made from it will be comfortable and light. Ideal for sewing gymnastics costumes, circus and variety costumes. It is actively used in decoration, for finishing napkins and tablecloths.
Supplex fabric has the ability to stretch, increasing up to 300%. It is resistant to creasing, removes moisture well and does not attract heat in hot weather. The materials have bright, rich colors. The number of colors in the choice of material includes more than 250 colors, excluding printed colors with spraying and holography.
The colors do not lose their saturation during use, do not fade when exposed to sunlight, and even after washing they retain all their original qualities. Biflex is a durable material that is not subject to defects.
When producing this material, you can create not only different colors, but also shades in the form of matte, shimmer, or in the form of a graphic pattern. Products made from this material fit tightly to the body, and this emphasizes the elegance of the figure. The texture of the material is silky and pleasant to the touch.
What is sewn from supplex?
Biflex - what is it used for? The fabric is never used for sewing clothes for every day, since it has low breathability. At the same time, this is an elegant, modern, stylish material with a lot of advantages, which were mentioned above; from it it is possible to create unique fantasy items for sports and concert events, decorated with various decors, sequins and rhinestones. Due to its existing characteristics, it is actively used to make outfits for dancing, figure skating, as well as sportswear, swimsuits for rhythmic gymnastics and swimming.
The use of the material is optimal for suits used in training and competitions, including the highest international level. High-quality fit, freedom of movement, beautiful appearance, wrinkle resistance and invisible traces of sweat make the fabric indispensable for the above areas.
In addition, this textile has found wide application in interior design. They cover upholstered furniture. It is known to be used in the design of tulles, curtains, and sofa cushions. Printing on supplex using the sublimation method makes it possible to create original dolls and interior design decorations.
The sewing process has a number of characteristic features. Due to significant stretching, processing the canvas is quite labor-intensive. The sewing machine must be equipped with a fabric sewing mode. It’s good if the technique is capable of doing a zigzag stitch. Another option is to use an overlocker. When working with this type of textile, special “feet” designed for elastic material must be used.
Features of care
Supplex is a fabric that requires special care. If you do not follow the rules, things made from this material may be damaged.
Washing should be done by hand or using a washing machine on the delicate or manual cycle. The recommended temperature is no higher than 40 degrees. It is necessary to wash using gentle products, gel or capsules: powder and compositions that include abrasives are too rough for this material and can ruin it. It is prohibited to bleach supplex items. During spinning, the product must not be twisted.
Textiles must be dried on a horizontal surface, away from direct sunlight. It is advisable not to iron. Drying with a heater or radiator is not acceptable.
Product care
Proper use of supplex products is responsible for durability, and such dresses or suits can be used for many years. The products can be washed by hand or in a washing machine, but using the “Gentle Wash” mode. When washing, the water temperature should not exceed 20-30ºС. Using a spin cycle is not recommended. If the supplex material is white, bleaching powders and additives should never be used. The products must be pressed manually, and ironed as necessary with a low-heat iron. It is strictly prohibited to dry the material on heaters and radiators.
When choosing fabric, you should pay attention to the density of the material, stretchability, quality and the manufacturer of the product. You can supplement the supplex with another type of stretch fabric, for example: velvet, stretch, stretch satin and stretch mesh.
These fabrics serve as lining material in skirts, dresses and other products. An analogue of supplex when sewing dresses to standard can be another type of light and translucent fabric (georgette, nylon or organza - all these fabrics are durable, elastic and bright).