Gym Wear Manufacturers for Growing Activewear Brands

Gym fitness wears are always in motion, sweat, stretch and get washed repeatedly. So gym wear manufacturers have to think about all these factors in the design and development of product range for gym or fitness brands. A good collection of fitness wears should be comfortable to the body in gym, free flowing, retain shape and meet with the target customers’ expectations of the brand.

Start With the Way People Train

A weightlifting session puts different stresses on you than a long run.

Weight training squats, presses, pulls and repetitions around the shoulders, hips, knees and legs. Gym clothes require freedom and the scope of movement.

Running generates a whole other set of requirements. Light weight fabrics, moisture management, ventilation and flexibility can be more important.

For yoga and Pilates, it’s all about stretching, balance and stability. Soft fabrics, consistent stretch, wide waistbands and ample coverage could be critical factors.

Thus, from the start, the style of training has to lead the product.

Movement Reveals the Fit

What is perfect in a product photo can be totally different when you are doing exercise.

Leggings should be able to slide up and down with the legs as a squats or stretches are performed. Shorts must be able to tolerate a comfortable fit as the person runs, bends and trains. T-shirts and tank tops must provide plenty of room in the shoulders and arms.

Rules of how a pattern is made up controls many of these details. The length, rise, inseam, waistband, armhole, shoulder width and length of a garment all determines movement.

Sample fitting allows these things to be checked prior to production. If the production team receives feedback from the first sample, or the initial sample reveals an issue, the pattern can be modified.

Sweat Changes the Experience

The fabric in contact with the body will feel different after being worn.

When the body temperature increases sweat can build up rapidly. For example, a fabric that feels comfortable when you are going about your daily routine, may feel very heavy after a hard work out.

AATCC owns test methods, such as liquid moisture management, vertical wicking, drying time, and drying rate. They can be used for brands to compare different fabric‘s moisture management abilities.

This information can enable brands to assess the claims like moisture-wicking and quick-drying. The supplier also needs to clarify the construction and performance of this fabric instead of simply using marketing speak.

Fabric Feel Still Matters

Comfort continues to be even more important than performance.

Polyester, nylon, elastane, cotton and mixed fabrics all feel differently when touching the skin. A smooth stretch material may be more appropriate for tight fitting leggings and different fabric construction for baggier training tops.

Stretch needs to be balanced too. Not enough and the muscles move less than they should. Too much can change the shape, support and recovery.

It also impacts the feel of the fabric as well. Lighter materials are suitable for use as training tops, while heavier ones might be ideal for jackets or hoodies.

The aspects of product, customer, workout and weather condition and price condition should determine the final selection of the fabric.

Washing Tests the Garment Again and Again

Activewear not infrequently is washed several times a week by customers at the gym.

It all looks easy enough wear, sweat, wash, dry and wear again. Repetition reveals a problem that a fresh sample might not.

Colors may run. Fabric may pucker. Seams may wear. Clothes may change size or shape after washing.

AATCC has test procedures for perspiration colorfastness, laundering colorfastness, crocking, abrasion and dimensional changes. These procedures can provide brands with valuable tests to assess how textiles will perform against everyday wear and care.

And brands can use for that when they compare the fabrics or want to know whether they need to be improved.

One Collection Can Need Several Approaches

One gym wear collection can consist of a range of items such as leggings, shorts, sports bras, tank tops, T-shirts, joggers, hoodies and jackets.

And each product has its own different development needs.

Leggings require attention to stretch, coverage, seams and waistband construction. Sports bras require a different management of support, comfort and mobility. Hoodies require yet another focus on fabric weight and construction.

If a manufacturer has a track record in more than one kind of activewear, there can be greater cohesion to the collection.

Construction Affects Performance

Fabric does not do this by itself.

Seams, waistbands, hems, panels, pockets, closures, and other details, may alter the break point, freedom of movement, or general fit of the garment in a way that could affect exercise performance.

A badly placed seam can cause rubbing. A weak waistband can move while in use. A wrong type of hem can restrict movement or affect the shape of the garment.

A well developed sample enables the brand and manufacturer to analyse such details before putting into bulk production.

Material Choices Keep Expanding

Activewear brands will now have many more options of materials to choose from, such as:

Recycled polyester has been another alternative for brands that are interested in offering recycled content. Textile Exchange monitors the recycling of materials across the entire textile industry and promotes the use of recycled polyester through a number of initiatives.

But recycled material is still a material and has to be able to meet the demands of the product. The brands have to consider stretch, performance, hand, color, price, place & sourcing together.

The first criteria for a material choice should be to support the garment rather than the message.

Samples Turn Ideas Into Products

Designs are the best means to make an animation when the garment is lived by a body in movement.

This gives the design team examples to actually inspect. They can view the fit, touch the fabric, test stretch, examine coverage, construction and look.

They appear to be fine on a technical drawing, but when performed a number of levels deep squat a pair of leggings are too transparent. The tank top look great, but may restrict movement of the shoulders. The waistband could also do with some more security.

Sampling can help us make these corrections and prevent larger problems during volume production.

Testing Should Match the Garment

There are different checks required for the various products in the gym.

Sometime a training T-shirt (basic) may require tests for color fastness, shrinkage, measurements, fabric performance. A performance leggings may require tests such as stretchability, recovery ability, moisture absorption and transport and durability.

AATCC test provides methods covering moisture management, colorfastness, laundering, abrasion, appearance and dimensional change. Brand could choose the appropriate tests based on the product intended use rather than apply one standard procedures to all garments.

This provides a manufacturer and brand with a much clearer picture of the performance of individual products,

Look Beyond Factory Size

The fact that a factory is big does not mean that it is the right manufacturing partner.

Brands should consider activewear knowledge, fabric sourcing, pattern development, sample quality, customization, minimum order quantities, quality control and consistency of manufacturing.

Communication matters all the same. A good manufacturer has to be transparent about choice of fabrics, development trouble, production constraints and a practical cost scale.

Past activewear work can also provide a brand with more information than its production numbers of capacity. Through product expertise, it can be used to determine if a producer has the right knowledge to develop gym clothing.

Custom Gym Wear Manufacturing With JiuvelWear

JiuvelWear partners with brands creating custom gym wear and other collections. Dongguan Jiuzuo Clothing Co., Ltd. provides sourcing, sampling, dedicated production, and quality control.

Brands may create their own branded gym T-shirts, tank tops, shorts, leggings, hoodies, joggers, jackets and other training apparel.

A project may be started by a sketch, a tech pack, a reference sample, or even a rough idea for the final product. Then designers, pattern makers, and other development team members take it through fabric selection, pattern development, sampling, refitting, and bulk production.

If brands are working with a gym wear manufacturer the strongest recommendations are to optimize the potential for the clothing to be consistent with the way in which consumers train. Fit, fabric, movement, moisture handling, durability and production quality need to be in harmony through product development.