Fabrics of Sportswear

Sports fabrics are technical materials that help the wearer maintain comfort during exercise. The type of fabric required depends on the intensity and activity of the exercise. Yoga clothing should use fabrics with good stretching ability to facilitate exercise, which may require the fabric to be a knitted structure. If long-distance running clothing has excellent moisture absorption properties that can transfer sweat from the inside of the clothing to the outside, it will enable the wearer to maintain good comfort. Outdoor sportswear for winter or snow sports should use breathable fabrics with good insulation properties. This is the knowledge that athletic wear wholesale suppliers need to master.

Sports fabric characteristics

Heat tracing insulation
Fabrics with good thermal conductivity are not very good insulators, so these fabrics will be cooler to wear. Air is one of the worst heat conductors, which is why the more still air a fabric can hold, the warmer it will make you.

Capillary action
Perspiration refers to the transportation of moisture through the fabric. Moisture can be transferred between fibers, yarns and fibers. The ability of moisture to pass through the fabric depends on the fabric's structure and fiber type. Synthetic fiber is easy to dry and is currently the most commonly used fiber in sportswear.

Water vapor transmission
When doing high-intensity exercise, sweating will evaporate the heat from the skin. If clothes are not breathable, there is nowhere for moisture to escape. This causes moisture to accumulate inside the clothes and on the skin, causing the body to become hotter. Another consequence is that when the movement is reduced and the body stops producing heat, moisture (worse insulation than static air) will rapidly increase heat loss, especially in cold environments. From this we can conclude that clothes need to prevent rain and wind from entering, but at the same time allow moisture to escape from the inside. This process is called water vapor permeability, and fabrics that can do this are called waterproof and breathable fabrics.

Different Kinds of Sports Fabrics

Lycra
Lycra is dupont's brand name for elastane. It is a synthetic fiber that is always combined with another fiber in the fabric. Lycra is not used as the main fiber because even a small amount of fiber (only 2%) can provide considerable elasticity and give the fabric a better drape. Lycra is known for its ability to stretch 4 to 7 times its original length, and it can still return to its normal state and length after release. Other excellent properties of Lycra include anti-sun, anti-perspiration, improved comfort, ease of movement and shape retention on the fabric. Lycra itself looks like a continuous filament, but it actually contains many tiny filaments combined together. These filaments are composed of elastic and rigid molecules that make Lycra both soft and strong. Elastic rubber can also be used in sportswear such as gym outfits to improve blood circulation, reduce lactic acid and delayed muscle soreness, and it can also be used to help support clothing. When considering buying Lycra, the heavier Lycra fabric becomes less transparent after stretching. 

Mesh

A mesh is a fabric that includes a certain amount of open space; a typical mesh is 85% material and 15% holes, although different mesh fabrics have different weights and hole sizes. Mesh fabric is good for sportswear such as sport pants because it provides good comfort and stretchability, allowing air to circulate and reach the skin, which means it is ideal for clothing ventilation areas, especially for places where heat builds up very quickly , Such as the back. 

Neoprene
Neoprene is a kind of synthetic rubber-like foam, made of neoprene chemicals. It does not wear out, is a good insulator and waterproof. There are two types of neoprene: open cell type and closed cell type. Closed-cell neoprene is cheaper and the most common type; it is filled with nitrogen gas in separated bubbles and allows a small amount of water to pass through, which is heated by the human body. This type of neoprene has a lining and is suitable for those who want to continue to be active in the water so that the body heat will continue to maintain the water layer in the spacesuit. For very cold environments and activities that require waiting, open-cell neoprene is the right choice. Open-cell neoprene is virgin (without lining), which is softer and more elastic than closed cells, and closed cells are rigid and strong. Open cells are composed of interconnected air spaces and operate by attaching tightly to the body. It can contain up to 98% air, giving it good insulation properties. The open cabin is more insulated and, depending on the thickness and type, can be used for deep-sea diving and staying in the water for a whole day.
Neoprene is used for water sports and is now very popular in casual sports clothing and swimsuits. 

Waterproof
Waterproof fabrics are used for outdoor sports to protect from weather factors. If a fabric is waterproof, it may also be wind resistant. Some fabrics are waterproof, which means they only allow a certain amount of water to enter. If a fabric can withstand a water pressure of at least 13,000 Pascals, then this fabric can be called a completely waterproof fabric. Polyurethane coating is a method of fabric waterproofing, suitable for jackets and track pants.
Below is one of our lightweight waterproof fabrics.

Microfiber
Microfiber fabrics are essentially fabrics made of very fine fibers. If the linear density of a fabric is less than 1 denier, it can be classified as superfine fiber. You can compare how good this is. When you think about how thin a 15 denier tights are, you can compare how thin a 1 denier tights are; and, microfibers are 100 times thinner than human hair! Microfiber fabrics are usually made of They are made of polyester, polyamide or polypropylene; they are made of man-made fibers because they are so small that natural fibers cannot be so small. The fineness of the fiber means that a yarn needs more fiber. Microfiber fabrics are practical and luxurious sports fabrics because they have a variety of excellent properties, including lightweight, luxurious folds, breathability, and resistance to wind and rain. 

Waddings
They are non-woven materials made of continuous synthetic polyester filaments, capable of trapping air between many fibers. Cotton wool can maintain a high air content, thereby providing excellent insulation to resist the cold. You will find it is used between the outer and inner cloth of clothes. When using this material to make clothes, you can choose your own lining fabric for the inside. We also store fillers ourselves, including 2 ounces, 4 ounces and 6 ounces.

Sports wool
Wool has several different weights and different downs, and some are longer or more textured than others. This fabric fluff traps a lot of still air, making it an insulating fabric. Wool fabrics are often used in sportswear, sweaters and tops with zippers. The fabric will not fray, which makes it very easy to sew (unless it is very thick) and the grain is parallel to the edges.