What Athletic Clothing Manufacturers Need to Get Right for Performance Apparel

The sportswear garments have to perform while moving, sweating, stretching and training. A pair of compression leggings feels uncompromising at the squat even if you foul is sweaty in the training-shirt that molds itself to the body instead of dragging off with sweat. That is why athletic clothing manufacturers require to consider the fabric, fit, construction and the wear-site.

The Fabric Makes a Big Difference

The selection of fabrics impacts the sensation experienced when wearing sport garments.

Polyester/nylon/stretch combinations are common in performance apparel, since they can offer a balance of light weight, durability, stretch and moisture management. Under Armour uses moisture wicking and quick drying fabrics in a number of its performance lines.

Cotton is a popular choice in casualwear because of the soft, comfortable hand. However, it can trap moisture during strenuous exercise and take longer to dry, so the extra difference is significant when heavy sweating is involved.

Sweat Changes the Experience

Any course in a wet T-shirt will teach you how uncomfortable this can be.

A moisture-wicking fabric rapidly drifts the sweat away from the body and quickly moves to the surface of the fabric. Mesh panels can also operate to enhance cooling.

For a brand though, that means “quick-drying” cannot just be a sale line. The material should be able to substantiate the claim with the actual performance.

Stretch Should Follow the Sport

A runner, a weightlifter and a person who practices yoga do not move as follows:

Running clothing should require an easy movement with a lighter weight construction. Gym wear application usually require more stretch, because exercises could require deep bends, wide reaching, and repeated movement. For yoga clothing, more freedom and superior shape recovery are necessary.

The product directions of use that Under Armour employs is 4-way stretch for HeatGear because motion of the leggings in any direction can be accomplished without bunching or pinching.

Fit Controls Movement

Stretch by itself is not enough for a quality sports apparel.

The pattern is just as important. Shoulders, armholes, sleeves, waistbands, rise, opening of the legs all affect the way a garment moves.

A compression top should be tight in fit where as for a training T-shirt you may want to have this looser. Under Armour use a variety of fits throughout its range of performance clothing, from compression, fitted, loose and over-sized fits.

Seams Can Affect Comfort

These small construction details can be highly visible while working out.

Seams located on certain parts of the body can cause rubbing on the skin when running or moving repetitively. Well-placed seams, flat lumps and bumps and appropriate designing, stitching and construction of the garment can greatly improve the feel of the garment.

This is the reason why the development of athletic apparel should focus on the body and the movement, not only the image of the garment on a table.

Breathability Needs the Right Balance

More airflow is an overstatement.

Depending on the activity and the conditions, the piece may need to be different. For instance, a running shirt may require a light, breathable fabric, while the kit to train outdoors in the wintertime needs to retain more heat. Under Armour‘s ColdGear range is an example of this, with the use of a two-layer fabric system to retain the body heat while drawing the sweat away from the wearer‘s skin.

The optimal material varies according to the activity, climate and the purpose of the garment.

Shape Recovery Matters Too

How about if you pull out a pair of leggings and the knees are still loose?

A quality stretch fabric will recover go back to its original state as the fibers are moved in any direction. Under Armour in their newer NEOLAST offering are very much about stretch, longevity, shape recovery and moisture management and this highlights how important recovery is for the performance brands.

This characteristic can have a significant effect on compression tops, leggings, fitted shorts and similar close-fit textile items.

Different Sports Need Different Clothing

A running shirt does not require the same styling as a weight-training top.

There may be other performance factors that are more important than raw weight, for example: moisture wicking, breath-ability, free movement. Gym customers may require higher levels of stretch and greater strength and durability. Yoga customers may require softer hand feel, more stretch and more recovery.

Simplicity in understanding the activity makes the choices of fabric and pattern.

Decoration Needs Some Thought

Sportswear typically incorporate logos, graphics, reflective accents, tags, and such.

Decorating stretch fabric can be tricky. The surface, tensile or weight properties of a stiffly printed fabric may be unsuitable for a very elastic garment while a heavy embroidery can alter the hand of a light weight.

Brands should decide decoration in association with fabric and design.

Testing Should Match Real Use

Fabric can perform well in the shop and not in the exercise.

Now SGS have just made this point in testing for sports apparel. The company suggests examining the integrated conditions of sweat, movement, air movement, abrasion, temperature variation, stretch, fit and recovery with the fabric rather than just testing for the properties of fabric A then the properties of fabric B…

This makes sense since athletes will seldom undergo a single condition.

A Sample Needs More Than a Mirror Check

Fitting a sample can often show problems that measurements do not reflect.

Propel yourself through it. Stretch the material. For example run, squat, bend or do a movement relevant to the intended use of the product. Finally launder the garment and reassess the fabric, seam, print, fit and hand.

These very simple checks can detect problems before a brand has committed to volume production of a new range.

Good Athletic Clothing Starts With the Whole Product

You can‘t just pick one characteristic that makes a sports clothing such a hit.

All the parts including fabric, stretch, fit, seams, breathability, decoration and durabilities interact. It is important for a manufacturer to focus on the synergy of those parts rather than each one as a free individual task.

This means brands can design sportswear that feels natural during activity and maintains high performance through multiple wears.

Developing Athletic Apparel With JiuvelWear

JiuvelWear collaborates with brands for sourcing fabric, developing the product, sampling, printing, embroidery, garment finishing, labels, QC and bulk production. Dongguan Jiuzuo Clothing Co., Ltd. produces T-shirts, shorts, hoodies, sweatshirts, sets, streetwear and other custom clothing.

Sometimes the design process begins with a doodle, a reference garment, a tech pack, or merely an idea for a product. After the team has established the fabric, fit, garment construction, decoration, and finishing then the design moves into large scale production.

When working with athletic clothing manufacturers the aim is not just to create a sporty looking garment. It should feel comfortable, move freely, deal with sweat, retain its shape and be functional.