A chemical and textural investigation into the grain-banding effect found through 1.6 mm gauge aluminium-lithium aerospace sheet is presented. Wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was used to measure the copper content profile through the sheet whilst laser-induced ion mass analysis was used to establish the lithium profile. The pole figures derived by X-ray goniometric analysis are given at 400, 530 and 800 μm through the sheet, together with pole figures, collected via the electron backscattering technique. Both illustrate the textural data of grains at the surface and centre of the alloy sheet.