Stretch in jeans

[rasmusDoh]

I have these April 77 jeans that fit me really really well. They are 98% cotton, 2% elesthane. My question is:

Do Elesthane, spandex and lycra all stretch an equal amount?

And how much more will a pair of jeans stretch givin the amount of, say, elestane is increased by 1%?

 

[drizzt3117]

Originally Posted by rasmusDoh

I have these April 77 jeans that fit me really really well. They are 98% cotton, 2% elesthane. My question is:

Do Elesthane, spandex and lycra all stretch an equal amount?

And how much more will a pair of jeans stretch givin the amount of, say, elestane is increased by 1%?

I think the difference between elastane, spandex, lycra, and polyurethane is negilible. Increasing the amount of elastane or lycra will increase the stretch, but I'm not sure it can be quantified by a percentage. Suffice it to say, they will stretch more. Some women's jeans have as much as 10% lycra, and they stretch ALOT.

 

[Joel_Cairo]

My understanding is that jeans with some minute percentage of these stretchy materials are built to stretch while being worn, but allow them to bounce back to their original shape when not being worn. With stretch denim, you avoid the "OMG my APCs are now 4 sizes too big" problem... at least that's what I've gathered.

 

[drizzt3117]

Originally Posted by Joel_Cairo

My understanding is that jeans with some minute percentage of these stretchy materials are built to stretch while being worn, but allow them to bounce back to their original shape when not being worn. With stretch denim, you avoid the "OMG my APCs are now 4 sizes too big" problem... at least that's what I've gathered.

I'd say, conceptually, that's about right, but stretch jeans do stretch out, at least a bit. My 7FAM bootcuts are about 1" bigger in the waist then when I bought them. Then again, that was five years ago.

 

[Joel_Cairo]

Originally Posted by drizzt3117

I'd say, conceptually, that's about right, but stretch jeans do stretch out, at least a bit. My 7FAM bootcuts are about 1" bigger in the waist then when I bought them. Then again, that was five years ago.

7FAM has really let itself go and started packing on pounds in the time since its peak.

 

[drizzt3117]

Originally Posted by Joel_Cairo

7FAM has really let itself go and started packing on pounds in the time since its peak.

We'll see. I bought a pair of Floyds in Mercer from ADASA that I'll get by the time I'm back in CA. Hopefully they are cool! I saw some pretty neat 7FAMs at Nordstrom Rack, but they were about $100 which was a bit more than I wanted to pay for 7s. They were very understated and had low-contrast back-pocket stitching, and looked pretty nice. I really like the fit/feel of their stretch denim.

 

[bapelolol]

do they also shrink in the wash? i picked up some raw h&m's with 2% stretch in them and a tag says "expect shrinkage up to 5%"

 

[Mrs. Savage]

Usually when I purchase jeans with stretch in them I go down a size. I have found that my non-stretch jeans have actually stretched out much more than any of my jeans with lycra or elastine it them. I believe the stretch makes it more comfortable while wearing without having to break them in.