Hi everyone! As I mentioned in my latest post about Victorian swimwear, I find the history of elastic quite fascinating and I thought it would make a perfect topic for our next blog post. So here we are - today we're diving into the story of this remarkable material! Did you know that it had usages during the Victorian era? Keep reading to find out! 😉
The Origins of Elastic.
Elastic, a material that has become an integral part of our daily lives, has a fascinating history that dates back to the ancient civilizations of South America: the indigenous populations were the first to discover and utilize the rubber sap (Hevea brasiliensis), creating durable waterproof foot protections, balls for rituals and other essential items. This natural substance was later introduced to Europe by Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century, but at first it was viewed more as a curiosity than as a useful material.
In 1736, French explorer Charles Marie de La Condamine presented rubber samples to the Académie Royale des Sciences, describing the material with the peculiar term 'caoutchouc'. This was among the earliest formal scientific introductions of natural rubber to European academia and significantly contributed to growing European interest in the material.
Elastic Bands during Victorian era.
Later on, Thomas Hancock was one of the pioneers in the commercial use of elastic and registered several patents in the 1820s for elastic fastening systems applied to gloves, suspenders, shoes, and stockings. During his works Hancock observed he was discarding large quantities of rubber. This discovery led him to develop the “Pickling machine” or masticator, a tool designed to minimize material waste by reusing the discarded rubber. He did not market the material, mainly because the bands that he created were not practical as they would soften considerably during summer and become hard and brittle during winter.
However, mass production of elastic only became possible during the Industrial Revolution. In 1839, Charles Goodyear (after whom the Goodyear tire company is named) made a very important discovery when he developped the process of vulcanization, which made rubber more durable and resistant to heat. This innovation would eventually establish rubber as a fundamental material for modern industrial applications.
With these technological advances in place, the Victorian era saw the elastic slowly used sometimes for small fashion items, like boot inserts, spats, gloves, and other accessories that required some sort of quick fastening. Elastic was even found in some cases in waist belt straps, and elastic elements were more commonly found in men's footwear.
A pair of women shoes with an elastic insert from 1870.
However, it's crucial to understand that elastic, whether as ribbon or fabric, was not used in the Victorian era as we know it today. Elastic applications remained very limited and did not adapt to the dominant fashion styles and silhouettes of the period. Victorian dress bodices did not feature elastic elements, nor did skirt waistbands rely on stretch materials. While some traces of 'elastic' have been found in a few Victorian-era corsets (some especially designed for sport applications), the vast majority of these essential undergarments were constructed as usual without any elastic element.
A typical late victorian corset in not stretchy materials, dated 1870 from Met museum.
Corset with lateral shirred 'elastic' section, dated 1885. As we see later it includes wire springs.
This choice was deliberate and practical: Victorian women's fashion demanded garments that could bear substantial weight from multiple clothing layers. Corsets served as the foundation for elaborate dress structures, requiring materials that would hold their form without yielding. The fashion ideals of the era - with their emphasis on dramatic silhouettes, cinched waists, and supported skirts via crinolines or bustles for example- necessitated rigid construction. The stretchy nature of elastic, despite being an exciting innovation, was incompatible with the requirements of Victorian dress, where maintaining precise shape and providing unwavering support were fundamental.
It's important to note that the term 'elastic' in the 19th-century fashion had a different meaning than today. In corsets or stays from 1800-1809 for example, 'elastic' referred to tightly wound wire springs sewn into channels of shirred fabrics, not stretchy materials. A revolutionary change occurred around 1830 when Indian rubber began replacing these metal springs. As reported in The Lady's Magazine in 1830, this 'elastic stiffening of a vegetable substance' was praised because 'it neither cuts the cloth that covers it, nor corrodes with verdigris.' By 1831, sources described how 'India rubber is manufactured in strong but delicate fibres which possess all the elasticity of wire without being subject to snap or to corrode.
A stays dated 1805 from Met museum with wire springs.
Today's applications.
Today, we can hardly imagine our wardrobes without elastic - from the waistbands of our favorite jeans to the straps of our sports bras, elastic has become an invisible yet essential part of our daily dress. Beyond fashion, this material has found its way into countless applications, from simple hair ties to cutting-edge medical devices.
Looking back at this journey together from ancient Amazonian discoveries, to modern textile technology, I'm struck by how a simple tree sap has transformed the way we now dress and live. The story of elastic reminds us that sometimes the most revolutionary changes come from the most unexpected places.
But apart from that, I am amazed by how this material was used during the Victorian era, something that is for most quite unexpected. But please remember, if you wish to make a Victorian wardrobe, choose wisely if and where to use it. Better not use it, if possible 😉!
Stay updated for news about my latest sewing patterns and new blog posts. Next week I'll be sharing updates on the Victorian bathing dresses I'm currently sewing!
For further infos and reading:
- A pair of antique shoes
- Wikipedia
- History of elastic
- A blog that talks about wire springs, with various historical references.
- The history of Underclothes, C. Willet Phillis & Cunnington.
- English Women's Clothing in the Nineteenth Century: A Comprehensive Guide (Dover Fashion and Costumes)