Silicone-Printed Elastics

The short answer

Silicone printed elastic is an elastic tape with a silicone design applied to one face. On the inside of a waistband the silicone holds the band against the body or against a baselayer, so shorts stay put and skirts stop rotating. On the outside face the same technique becomes a branded surface with a rubberised feel that no woven or printed tape can match.

The main specification decisions are the base elastic, the width, whether the silicone appears on the inside face for grip or the outside face for branding, and how the artwork is set up to survive being stretched. That last one is where most problems start.

How it is produced

Silicone is applied to the elastic and cured so it bonds to the surface and stays flexible. Because the cured silicone remains elastic, it can elongate with the tape and recover without cracking, which is why this works on a component that is stretched every time the garment is worn.

The silicone can be laid down as a continuous printed graphic, as a repeat of the brand mark, or as a pattern of dots, dashes or bars where grip is the whole objective. Height matters: a low, flat deposit gives a subtle rubberised surface, while a taller deposit gives more grip and more visual presence. Both matte and gloss surfaces are possible, and the contrast between them can carry the design on a tonal band.

Base elastic choices

Woven elastic is firm and holds its width under tension, which makes it the usual base for exposed waistbands where the band should look flat and structured. Knitted elastic is softer and more forgiving, so it suits enclosed casings and next-to-skin product where comfort outranks structure. Jacquard elastic already carries a woven logo, and adding a silicone element on top gives a two-layer effect.

Width should come from the garment, not from the artwork. A wide band on a lightweight short overpowers it, and a narrow band under heavy fabric rolls over. Also confirm the elongation and recovery of the base with the supplier, because a tape that recovers poorly will show as a waistband that goes slack long before the garment wears out.

Artwork: relaxed or stretched

This is the detail that catches out most brands. Artwork is printed on the tape in its relaxed state and then viewed on the body in a stretched state. A logo that looks correctly proportioned on the roll will look wider and thinner on the wearer, and a tight repeat can open up into obvious gaps.

Decide up front which state the design is meant to look correct in, and ask the supplier to set the artwork accordingly. Then check the result on a real waistband at the actual stretch the garment sees, across the smallest and largest sizes. Repeat length needs the same treatment as neck tape: work out where the logo lands at centre back or centre front in each size before approving.

Where it is used

• Exposed sportswear and underwear waistbands, with branding on the outer face
• Inner waistband grip on running shorts, cycling shorts and skirts
• Leg-hem grippers on shorts and cycling wear
• Bra bands and hem bands where slippage is the problem
• Sleeve and cuff bands on close-fitting technical tops
• Inside jacket hems where the layer should stay down over a baselayer

Limitations and things to check

Silicone grip works by friction, so its effect depends on the surface it meets. A gripper that holds firmly against skin behaves differently against a slippery synthetic baselayer, and coverage or height may need adjusting once it is tested in the real combination.

Silicone can also be over-specified. Too much coverage on a next-to-skin band feels tacky rather than secure, and heavy deposits stiffen the tape and reduce how far it stretches. On kidswear and next-to-skin product a lower profile is generally preferred, and any testing requirement should be specified per programme with the brand's compliance team rather than assumed from another product. Finally, confirm bond performance after laundering on the finished garment, not on a loose length of tape.

Common mistakes

• Approving artwork on a relaxed tape and never checking it stretched on a body
• Setting one repeat length and ignoring what it does at the size extremes
• Specifying grip coverage without testing against the actual garment it must hold
• Choosing a base elastic on price and inheriting poor recovery
• Adding so much silicone that the tape loses its stretch
• Wash testing the tape alone instead of sewn into the garment

Questions to ask a supplier

• Which base elastics are available in this width, and how do they recover?
• Should the silicone sit on the inside face, the outside face or both?
• Will the artwork be set to look correct relaxed or stretched?
• What repeat length works across my full size range?
• What silicone height and coverage do you recommend for the grip level I need?
• Can I have a sample band sewn into a garment for a wear trial?
• How does the silicone hold after laundering on this fabric?