The 3%

Elastane is in 80% of your clothes. It is marketed as chemically inert. But nobody has tested what happens to it during the 17,500 hours it spends against your skin. In this episode, we debate: is the assumption that elastane is safe based on evidence — or on the absence of anyone looking? We unpack 5 concepts you will need before reading the article: segmented polyurethane-urea copolymers (what elastane actually is), the body-contact testing gap, aromatic amines (MDA and TDA), the Deferred Release Mechanism, and the breast implant precedent. This is the first episode in The Elasticity Problem — a four-part series examining elastane from chemistry to solutions to desire to meaning. Topics: elastane safety, spandex chemicals, stretch fabric, polyurethane urea, textile chemicals, body contact Read the full article: youreanatural.com/consumer-intelligence/the-3-percent