{"id":3505,"date":"2026-09-23T09:11:50","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T01:11:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dmramp.com\/blog\/?p=3505"},"modified":"2026-09-23T09:11:50","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T01:11:50","slug":"is-polyester-spandex-fabric-water-resistant-4f3c-69eade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.dmramp.com\/blog\/2026\/09\/23\/is-polyester-spandex-fabric-water-resistant-4f3c-69eade\/","title":{"rendered":"Is polyester spandex fabric water – resistant?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey everyone, Sarah here, and I\u2019ve been getting a ton of DMs and emails lately from customers, new and old alike, all asking the same question: \u201cIs polyester spandex fabric water-resistant?\u201d Let\u2019s cut to the chase\u2014this is one of the most misunderstood questions we get as a polyester spandex fabric supplier, and honestly, it\u2019s no surprise. You see, polyester spandex is used for everything from activewear leggings and swimwear to athletic tops and even everyday casual pieces, so it\u2019s normal to mix up water-resistant, water-repellent, and waterproof, right? I\u2019ve worked with this fabric for 7 years now, so let me break this down like I would to a client who\u2019s staring at a pile of swatches, half-ready to place an order but confused about what they actually need. Polyester Spandex Fabric<\/a><\/p>\n

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First, let\u2019s get one super important thing straight: polyester spandex itself is not naturally water-resistant. Wait, hold on\u2014don\u2019t hit that unsubscribe button yet! That doesn\u2019t mean it can\u2019t handle water at all, and it definitely doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s useless for sports or activities where moisture is a factor. Let\u2019s start with what makes up polyester spandex, because that\u2019s the root of this whole confusion. Polyester is a synthetic polymer, right? It\u2019s made from long chains of plastic molecules, and those molecules are tightly packed together, with no gaps between them for water to seep through. Spandex, also called Lycra if you\u2019re familiar with that brand name, is another synthetic fiber that\u2019s stretchy\u2014think 4-way stretch for leggings that move with you. Most polyester spandex blends are 80-20 or 90-10 polyester to spandex, so polyester is the main player here.<\/p>\n

Now, here\u2019s the key: pure polyester is hydrophobic, which means it repels water, but spandex is a little different. Spandex can absorb some moisture, but only a tiny amount\u2014way less than cotton, for example. But when you mix them together, the base fabric isn\u2019t just sitting there waiting for water to sink in. But wait, that\u2019s not the same as being water-resistant. Let\u2019s define terms real quick, since everyone uses them interchangeably: water-resistant means a fabric will resist light to moderate water exposure, like a light rain or a quick splash. Waterproof means it won\u2019t let any water through at all, no matter how hard it rains or how long you\u2019re submerged. And water-repellent is similar to water-resistant, but usually refers to a coating that makes water bead up on the surface, not just the fabric\u2019s natural properties.<\/p>\n

So where does that leave polyester spandex? The base fabric\u2014no coatings, no treatments, just plain polyester spandex\u2014will repel small amounts of water, like a single drop of coffee or a splash from a water bottle. But if you get caught in a 20-minute downpour, that fabric is going to get wet through. Why? Because even though polyester is hydrophobic, the seams, the hems, and any other openings in the fabric are gaps where water can get in. Also, if the fabric is stretched tight, like in a pair of running tights, it can develop tiny micro-pores as it moves, which let water seep through over time. That\u2019s a big point I always bring up to activewear brands who come to me asking for \u201cwater-resistant polyester spandex\u201d for winter running gear\u2014if you don\u2019t account for stretch-related pores, you\u2019re going to end up with gear that lets rain in halfway through a run.<\/p>\n

Now, here\u2019s the fun part: polyester spandex is super easy to treat to make it actually water-resistant. That\u2019s why so many of our custom-blend fabrics have a DWR coating\u2014Durable Water Repellent, for short. Let\u2019s talk about DWR, because that\u2019s the game-changer here. DWR is a thin coating that\u2019s applied to the surface of the fabric, and it works by making water form into beads that roll right off, like water on a freshly waxed car. I always explain this to clients as: untreated polyester spandex is like a new t-shirt you just pulled out of the package\u2014water hits it and beads up for a second, then sinks in. DWR-treated polyester spandex is like that same t-shirt sprayed with a rain repellent\u2014water hits it and rolls right off, no sinking.<\/p>\n

But wait, there\u2019s a catch with DWR: it wears off over time. How long does it last? Depends on how you care for the fabric, how often you use it, and how harsh the conditions are. For example, a pair of DWR-treated polyester spandex hiking leggings that you wash once a month might keep their water resistance for 6-12 months. But if you\u2019re washing the same leggings every week with harsh detergents or fabric softeners (which break down DWR), you might only get 2-3 months of good water repellency. And if you\u2019re using it for something even more intense, like waders? Yeah, DWR alone won\u2019t cut it there\u2014you\u2019d need a full laminate, like a Gore-Tex membrane, which is a different fabric entirely. That\u2019s another thing I always clarify: if a client asks for waterproof polyester spandex, I tell them straight up that it\u2019s not a \u201cset it and forget it\u201d waterproof layer, but it\u2019s perfect for light to moderate water exposure.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s also talk about common use cases, because that\u2019s where this confusion really hits. Let\u2019s say you\u2019re a yoga studio owner looking for new mats, wait no\u2014wait, activewear. If you\u2019re making swimwear: polyester spandex is great because it dries fast, but it\u2019s not water-resistant for long swims, right? Wait, no\u2014swimwear actually absorbs a tiny amount of water, but that\u2019s a feature, not a bug. If your swimsuit was totally water-resistant, it would stay full of water and be super heavy in the pool. So for swimwear, we don\u2019t do DWR coatings\u2014we just use plain polyester spandex, because its natural hydrophobic properties help it dry way faster than cotton, which stays wet for hours. That\u2019s a perfect example of when water resistance isn\u2019t what you need, and plain polyester spandex is better.<\/p>\n

Another use case: running tights for cool, light rain. If you\u2019re doing a 5K on a misty morning, DWR-treated polyester spandex will keep the light mist off, but if you get caught in a sudden downpour, those tights will get wet. I had a client last year who tried to use untreated polyester spandex for rain jackets, and guess what? The fabric repelled water for 5 minutes, then got soaked through, and the seams were dripping. He came back to us, and we worked with him to develop a 92-8 polyester spandex blend with a lightweight DWR coating and taped seams\u2014now his jackets hold up to light rain for hours, and they\u2019re still stretchy enough to run in. That\u2019s the sweet spot, right? Balancing stretch, durability, and water resistance for the specific use case.<\/p>\n

Wait, let\u2019s address another myth I hear all the time: \u201cpolyester spandex is waterproof because it\u2019s synthetic.\u201d No, that\u2019s not true. All synthetic fabrics are hydrophobic to some extent, but none of them are fully waterproof as a base fabric. Even the most tightly woven polyester spandex has tiny gaps between the fibers that are big enough for water molecules to get through, especially when the fabric is stretched. The only way to make a fabric fully waterproof is to add a membrane layer or a lamination, which adds weight and reduces stretch\u2014so if you need stretch, you\u2019re never going to get fully waterproof fabric, just water-resistant. That\u2019s a key point I always make clear to customers who come to me thinking polyester spandex is some kind of magic waterproof material.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s talk about how we test our fabrics, since I\u2019m a supplier, and we take quality control seriously. For water resistance, we do a spray test first\u2014you know, the one where you spray water on a fabric sample and see if it beads up or absorbs. If it beads up and rolls off, that\u2019s a pass for light water resistance. We also do a rain test, where we hang the sample under a simulated light rain for 10 minutes, then check for water seepage. And for durability, we wash the sample 20 times in a standard washing machine, then retest the spray and rain resistance to make sure the DWR is holding up. We don\u2019t just slap a DWR coating on and call it good\u2014we make sure it works for the life of the product, not just the first wear.<\/p>\n

I also get questions about care, because if you want your polyester spandex fabric to stay water-resistant, you have to take care of it right. That\u2019s another thing a lot of people don\u2019t realize\u2014even the best DWR coating will break down if you wash it wrong. So what\u2019s the rule? Use mild detergent, no fabric softener, no bleach, and wash on a cold, gentle cycle. Tumble dry on low heat, or air dry if you can\u2014high heat can also break down DWR. And if your fabric does start to lose its water repellency, you can reactivate or reapply DWR treatments, but that\u2019s a whole other blog post. For now, just remember: skip the fabric softener, it\u2019s your worst enemy when it comes to keeping water resistance.<\/p>\n

Let me switch gears for a second and talk about when you should and shouldn\u2019t use polyester spandex for water-related uses. If you need something for heavy, prolonged water exposure\u2014like waders, whitewater rafting gear, or deep-sea fishing suits\u2014polyester spandex isn\u2019t the right call. You\u2019d be better off with a heavier, laminated waterproof fabric that sacrifices stretch for complete water protection. But if you need something for light water exposure, moisture-wicking, and stretch\u2014like hiking leggings, running jackets, casual rain tops, or even beach cover-ups\u2014DWR-treated polyester spandex is perfect. It\u2019s way more comfortable than heavy nylon rain gear, it dries fast, and it still holds up to light rain and splashes.<\/p>\n

Wait, let\u2019s circle back to the original question one more time to make sure I\u2019m not missing anything. Is polyester spandex fabric water-resistant? The answer is: it can be, if it\u2019s treated with a DWR coating or another water-repellent treatment. Untreated polyester spandex has minor natural water-repellent properties, but it\u2019s not suitable for any significant water exposure. That\u2019s it, plain and simple. A lot of suppliers will try to sell you \u201cwater-resistant polyester spandex\u201d without mentioning the DWR coating, so always ask\u2014ask if it\u2019s untreated, what kind of coating it has, how long the water resistance lasts, and what care it needs. As a supplier, we\u2019re always transparent about that, because we want our customers to get exactly what they need, not something that\u2019s going to fall short.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve had too many customers come to me upset because they bought cheap polyester spandex fabric from a random seller online, thinking it\u2019s water-resistant, and it got soaked through the first time it rained. That\u2019s why I\u2019m so open about this stuff\u2014no hype, no empty promises, just the facts. Polyester spandex is an amazing fabric, but it\u2019s not a waterproof miracle worker. It\u2019s flexible, durable, moisture-wicking, and it can be treated to be water-resistant for light use, which makes it perfect for so many products.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re here because you\u2019re looking for polyester spandex fabric for a project, whether it\u2019s activewear, outdoor gear, or something else, and you want to talk about water resistance, stretch, coatings, or anything else, I\u2019d love to chat. We work with all kinds of brands, from small startup activewear lines to large outdoor companies, and we can custom-blend and treat fabric to fit exactly what you need. Don\u2019t hesitate to reach out\u2014we\u2019re here to help you pick the right fabric, not just sell you whatever we have in stock.<\/p>\n

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Now, quick recap for anyone who scrolled to the end: Polyester spandex is not naturally water-resistant, but it can be made water-resistant with DWR coatings. Untreated has minor water repellency, good for small splashes. DWR-treated holds up to light to moderate rain for months with proper care. It\u2019s not waterproof, so it\u2019s not for heavy, prolonged water exposure. If you need fabric for water-related projects, we can help you find exactly what you\u2019re after.<\/p>\n

Nylon Spandex Fabric<\/a> References<\/p>\n

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  1. Textile Institute. (2021). Hydrophobic and water-repellent textile coatings: A practical guide. Textile Technology Series.<\/li>\n
  2. ASTM International. (2019). Standard test method for water repellency of textiles (spray test). ASTM D751.<\/li>\n
  3. Plog, S. L., et al. (2018). Performance properties of polyester-spandex blends for activewear applications. Journal of Textiles and Polymers.<\/li>\n
  4. Outdoor Industry Association. (2020). Fabrics for outdoor recreation: Understanding water resistance, waterproofing, and durability. OIA Technical Report.<\/li>\n
  5. McCurdy, D. L., et al. (2017). Effects of laundering on DWR coatings on synthetic textile fabrics. Textile Research Journal.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Shaoxing Haoman Textile Co., Ltd.<\/a>
    As one of the most professional polyester spandex fabric manufacturers and suppliers in China, we’re featured by quality products and good service. Welcome to wholesale custom made polyester spandex fabric at competitive price from our factory. If you have any enquiry about cooperation, please feel free to email us.
    Address: Room422, Building19, Keqiao Cross-border E-commerce Industrial Park, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province
    E-mail: 30473967@163.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.haomantextile.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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