Is the fabric elastic? The fabric used in tensile structures is not stretchy or elastic in nature. This is due to the threads of the weft being woven in and out of the warp threads, which are already tightened. The fundamental rule for stability is that, a tensioned fabric structure must curve equally in opposite directions; this gives the canopy its 3-dimensional stability. Will the fabric stretch over time? Fabric, being flexible and normally woven, is a 'live' medium that stretches across