need elastic supplier

[lute]

A lot of the English style half-chaps or leggings have a strip of elastic from top to bottom that keeps them from rotating around on the leg.

This is a very strong elastic, usually black, sometimes brown, that (obviously) has a sideways stretch. The pieces used on the leggings are a couple of inches wide and up to 18" or so in length.

The closest elastic I could find was from a shoemaker's findings supplier, but it onlyl comes in up to 12 inch width. I've tried other elastics like Spandex but they are too thin and light.

My research tells me this stuff is made on a special loom and is usually only available to the larger manufacturers who can commission a minimum order. I think it's only made in Europe.

Anyone familiar with this stuff?

[Hoyden]

Can you post a picture for me.

I was hunting for a thick comfortable elastic to use in my ren skirts since i detest draw strings and came across a very wide super comfortable elastic at a hole in the wall sewing shop.

[Beaverslayer]

Here's a website that sells a whole lot of diferent elastics.

Lace Heaven

Ken

[barra]

http://www.beta-uk.org/

http://www.abbeysaddlery.co.uk/

Lute. You might want to try the British Equestrian Trade Association. Search thru the member directory/trade. I have also added the link to abbey saddlery who are suppliers to the saddlery trade. Hope this helps.

Barra

[lute]

Thanks for the replies and the links.

I have been researching this for over two years.

The problem with the elastic suppliers is that they all have what are called "narrow" elastics. The stretch is the long way of the material. There are some "wide" elastics available, but they max out at 12 inches in width.

I did correspond with Abbey Saddlery, and they sent me a sample of what they had. It was less than 12 inches. They said they could not find a source for half-chap elastic, either, and if I found one, to please let them know!

None of the equestrian fabric suppliers have elastic wider than 10 or 12 inches.

That's why I say this stuff is made of "unobtanium". It requires a special and rare type of loom to manufacture, and it is only made to order.

I know for a fact that there is at least one mill in Belgium that make this stuff. But I have not found them. Yet.

I'm hoping that some one who reads this board and lives in Belgium, France, or Germany can point me to a source.

Some manufacturers use stretch leather in place of elastic. This is a very thin genuine leather that actually incorporates an elastic fabric.

I think I will post a seperate inquiry for stretch leather; maybe someone has a source for that...

[broncobuster]

did you maybe think of using a heavy lycra or neoprene its solid n stretches 2 or 4 way. n can be in any length as its sold by yardage like fabric.