Manufacturer · Fashion & Home Accessories
Coloured elastics have long stopped being just a hidden structural part of the garment. In sportswear, lingerie, childrenswear and fashion collections, elastic is increasingly on show – as a contrast waistband, as trim on a sleeve or as a coloured band with a logo. The right colour can tie the elements of a collection together, while the wrong one can make the product look cheap. In this article we look at how to choose the colour, type and width of coloured elastic and how to achieve an exact match with the fabric.
Coloured elastic: function and design at once
Every elastic performs a technical task – to hold, gather or support. Coloured elastic adds a second role: it becomes part of the brand's visual language. Typical solutions are:
- tone on tone – the elastic disappears into the garment and doesn't break the silhouette;
- contrast – a bright waistband on neutral leggings or dark trim on a light T-shirt;
- corporate colour – the elastic repeats the logo colour and strengthens recognition;
- colour coding – different colours for different sizes, styles or departments in uniforms.
Woven and knitted coloured elastics
The structure of the elastic affects not only its stretch but also how the colour looks.
Woven coloured elastic
The dense woven structure gives a smooth surface with a saturated, even colour. Woven elastic is stable, keeps its width and withstands repeated washing. It suits trouser and skirt waistbands, workwear, sports shorts, bags and outerwear. See the range in woven elastic.
Knitted coloured elastic
Knitted elastic is softer and stretchier, and its surface has a slight texture that makes the colour a little more matt and soft. It is comfortable in direct contact with the skin – for lingerie, T-shirts, leggings, children's and casual clothing. Browse knitted elastic.
Widths from 1 to 10 cm
Coloured elastics come in standard widths of 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 cm, on 25-metre rolls. Non-standard widths are made on request. The wider the elastic, the stronger the colour's presence in the design:
- 1–2 cm – fine colour accents on necklines, sleeves and cuffs;
- 2.5–4 cm – visible waistbands on shorts, pyjamas and underwear;
- 4.5–6 cm – expressive waistbands on leggings and joggers, often with a logo;
- 7–10 cm – wide coloured waistbands that become the main accent of the style.
Colour palette
Coloured elastics are produced in a practically unlimited range. Basic colours include white, black, navy, grey, beige and ecru, and fashion colours red, burgundy, pink, purple, green, turquoise, yellow, orange and brown. Neon colours are popular in sports and children's collections, pastels in lingerie and summer lines.
Besides ready colours, the elastic can be dyed in an individual shade to a Pantone code or a fabric sample.
How to achieve an exact colour match
Matching elastic to fabric is more complex than it seems. Elastic contains elastane threads and polyester or polyamide threads, which take up dye differently from cotton or viscose fabric. So:
- send a physical fabric sample – on-screen and printed colours differ;
- give a Pantone code – TCX or TPX for textiles, if the brand works with these;
- approve colour in daylight – some shades look different under artificial light;
- accept a small tolerance – with different materials an absolutely identical colour is not always possible, but the difference should be unnoticeable in normal wear;
- order a sample before series production.
Colourfastness
Coloured elastic must keep its colour after repeated washing and must not stain the adjacent fabric. This is especially important in contrast combinations – for example navy elastic on a white T-shirt. When choosing, pay attention to:
- colourfastness to washing and wet rubbing;
- colourfastness to perspiration – important for sportswear and lingerie;
- colourfastness to light – for products worn outdoors;
- behaviour in drying – some bright colours fade at high temperatures.
The safest way is to wash a sample product with the elastic several times together with the fabric before approving the production run.
Colour by collection segment
Different market segments have their own established preferences for elastic colour:
- Lingerie – nude, white, black and pastel tones dominate, and in premium lines the elastic is often matched to the lace.
- Sportswear – contrast and neon colours, combined with a jacquard logo or reflective elements.
- Childrenswear – bright, cheerful colours, but with a soft knitted structure that doesn't irritate the skin.
- Workwear – dark, practical colours, or signal tones where visibility matters.
- Fashion collections – colours follow the seasonal palette, so it helps to plan the elastic together with the fabric.
When the elastic colour is chosen at the design stage rather than at the last minute, the collection looks more consistent and compromises with available shades are avoided.
Where coloured elastics are used
- sportswear – leggings, shorts, sports bras, tracksuits;
- lingerie and swimwear;
- childrenswear – bright colours and comfortable soft elastics;
- trousers, skirts and pyjamas;
- workwear – colour coding by department;
- bags, backpacks and accessories;
- home textiles and fashion collections.
Design ideas with coloured elastic
- a contrast waistband in the logo colour on neutral leggings or joggers;
- a thin coloured elastic at the neckline repeating the colour of the print;
- striped elastic for sports and retro collections;
- two-colour jacquard elastic with the brand name woven in;
- neon elastic in children's and sports lines for better visibility.
Coloured elastic wholesale from Polkom
Polkom is a Bulgarian company from Sofia with over 30 years of experience as a manufacturer of haberdashery and accessories for fashion, furniture, footwear and bags. We offer woven and knitted coloured elastics in widths from 1 to 10 cm, in a wide palette and with colour matching to Pantone or a sample. You will find the full range in the elastics category.
We make samples quickly and deliver across the European Union. Minimum quantities depend on the article and colour – send an inquiry to info@polkom.com or call +359 876 76 60 50 (also WhatsApp and Viber).
