It is clean, perhaps, but not resilient (9)

I believe the answer is:

inelastic

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'not resilient' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'it is clean perhaps' is the wordplay.
'perhaps' indicates anagramming the letters.
'it'+'is'+'clean'='itisclean'
'itisclean' anagrammed gives 'INELASTIC'.

'but' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for inelastic that I've seen before include "stiff" , "Not giving" , "unable to bend?" , "Without a spring" , "Firm, not springy" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.

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