Nylon Fabric has been long heralded for its "wash and wear" quality, and has lent durability, strength and softness to a host of materials. Nylon is often blended with spandex fabric to achieve wonderfully elastic and comfortable materials that are visually striking yet economically efficient. Originally designed to be a synthetic replacement for silk fabric, nylon fabric has a soft hand and supple nature, allowing for the manufacture of extremely popular materials like stretchy spandex and breathable powermesh.
source: NY Fashion Center Fabrics