Why do old socks seem to lose their elasticity? What causes this?
In: 2
“Elastics have a lifespan. It’s as simple as that. None of them are able to last indefinitely and the heat from dryers, or hot water washing, causes damage just like wearing the clothes causes damage.
Every time elastic is stretched, it wears a bit and over time, it has less ability to snap back and eventually it just stays stretched. This is irreversible.
If natural rubber is part of the elastic, well, rubber can and does ‘perish’ due to age, exposure to light, or heat and certain chemicals, like petroleum derivatives. Synthetics last longer but they are also harmed by heat, agitation and wear.
Sometimes it’s possible to replace the elastic and give the clothes a new lease on life, but that depends on how the garment was constructed. It’s not always possible to do it.”
I thought this answer is already really good. It is written by Karen J Gray in [this forum](https://www.quora.com/Why-does-elastic-in-clothing-lose-its-stretchy-quality-and-can-it-be-rejuvenated).
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