Finding the right activewear fabrics is often the hardest part when sewing our own workout wear. There are so many types, brand names and proclaimed functions, and picking the wrong fabrics can result in pretty unpleasant workouts So I decided to enlist the help of some activewear fabrics vendors that sells fabrics to us homesewists and ask them some questions that we all have about activewear fabrics.
Picking the right fabric with Sew Active Fabrics
Sew Active Fabrics was created to fill a very specific niche in the Australian domestic fabric market. Owner Laura went looking for technical performance fabrics to make bespoke activewear and realised she couldn’t get any locally, so decided to rectify that for other Aussie activewear sewists and started Sew Active Fabrics.
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What is the difference between a compression fabric compared to regular Spandex knits?
From a garment life point of view, compression fabrics tend to have greater recovery and will, therefore, have a longer lifespan in your wardrobe. From a sports performance point of view, compression garments have been shown to provide a range of benefits including reduced muscle fatigue and soreness, injury prevention, increased oxygenation, faster post-workout recovery and even greater jumping ability!
There are even some studies showing a psychological benefit of ‘improved perceived exertion’ – if you think the compression is going to improve your workout, then it probably will!
Of course, getting the fit of a compression garment right is paramount for gaining these benefits, so a certain amount of experience with sewing stretch fabrics would be beneficial if you wanted to make your own compression wear. The fit of your favourite leggings made in a standard Lycra will be different if made in a compression fabric, so it might take a couple of trials to get the fit that’s going to work for you.
I’m only doing pilates and yoga, should I use different fabrics than, say, a runner?
I would say that might depend on your intensity level. If you’re really sweating it out, then you want a really good wicking fabric to keep you dry and comfortable – but if you’re working at a lower intensity, then you might not need it to be quite so high-performance.
It also depends on your tolerance level – if being a bit sweaty bothers you, or not, could determine your choice. Runners also need to consider seam placement and chafing as well as fabric performance.
How can I tell if the fabric is moisture wicking?
Hopefully, your fabric vendor can tell you! But if it’s a mystery fabric, it can be hard, but you can try to do a water test:
- Cut a sample piece of your fabric, about 10cm square. If it’s a solid colour, you might want to mark the ‘Back’ and ‘Front’.
- Spray or flick some water onto the back of the fabric, hold it up and keep an eye on both sides.
- The water should travel through the fabric. You probably won’t see droplets coming out the front, but it might feel damp, and the back should feel dry. I sometimes hold a tissue against each side (if I feel like I can’t tell if it’s moist or not) and see if it comes away damp.
- If the piece just feels wet all the way through, then it’s not going to wick.
What’s the best fabric for leggings?
For leggings, you want something with good moisture management properties, around 260gsm or more (anything less than about 250gsm probably isn’t going to pass the ‘squat test’). A high percentage of Spandex/ Lycra/Elastane will provide good recovery – anywhere from 8-30%, depending on the blend.
Activewear fabrics for outdoor activities with Discovery Trekking Outfitters
About Discovery Trekking Outfitters
They are a Canadian manufacturer of multiple, diverse product lines for outdoors, sports, equestrian, and even Special Needs. In addition to using highly technical fabrics in their own products, they offer hard to find performance textiles to the home sewist in the online store DiscoveryFabrics.com
There are so many versions of fleece. What do all the numbers and names mean?
All fabrics are sold by weight, but in the case of Polartec, the original developer of fleece, there are so many weights and styles that they created classifications.
100 weight is thin and an example would be a fleece base layer
200 weight is what you would commonly see in activewear
300 is much heavier and would be for cold weather garments
There are also many versions of Polartec fleece:
Polartec Windpro is a fleece made with a super-tight knit yarn, and that creates wind resistance. Often Windpro is made water repellent (DWR) by a special finish.
Hard Face, which creates an added durability on the face and is often recognized by the pattern (often called Treads, as it looks a bit like a checkmark) Windpro also comes in stretch styles.
Windbloc usually has a traditional fleece face, but can also have a smooth nylon face. Its bonded to some kind of lining, from moisture-wicking fleece to base layers like Power Dry. The face is normally water repellent, and the fabric has a polyurethane layer sandwiched in between that adds to the wind blocking but also breathes.
A step up from Windbloc is Polartec Neoshell and Polartec Power Shield. Both are laminates that are highly breathable and super water repellent.
However, there are literally hundreds of styles of each “family” of fabrics, and often no two are exactly alike on our site. We do try to classify them as to their use, as much as possible.
In outdoor activities the terms base-layer, mid-layer and shell are commonly used. Can you give me examples of suitable fabrics for each layer?
Base-layers mean garments that are next-to-skin. We like to use fabrics that are moisture-wicking so we can stay dry. We have such a huge selection, it really depends on the climate as to the weight you choose. We particularly like Polartec Power Dry, and if you love the benefits of wool, we also recommend Polartec Power Wool, which is a blend of merino and synthetic. It gives you the best of both worlds without any itch.
For mid-layers, you are looking for warmth. They don’t have to be water repellent but they can be. Mid-layers should be multifunctional so that they can be worn alone, or with a waterproof, windproof shell. We have too many choices to name. Fleece is always good, and you can get Thermal Pro (the highest warmth to weight ratio) or if you want tons of stretch, Polartec Power Stretch.
Shells are fantastic. They are a thin, wind and water repellent fabric that can be worn alone in warmer weather, and layered to enhance the mid layer warmth. Neoshell is the top choice for us, as it is so incredibly breathable. But, we also have hi-vent and other really technical shells that are wonderful as well.
Water-proof and shower-proof. What is the difference?
Most fabrics are treated with DWR (Durable Water Repellency) to make water repel. We refer to shower-proof as a water repellent. Water-proof is normally something that you would find in a non-breathable rubber type fabric, not suitable for clothing, it’s more like a wetsuit.
However, some of the latest outerwear fabrics such as Polartec Neoshell are advertised as waterproof. It is twice as a water repellent and breathable as Gore-Tex. Even Polartec Power Shield has a durable nylon face that water literally runs off.
Activewear fabrics and the environment with Sew Dynamic Fabrics
About Sew Dynamic Fabrics
Launched in March 2019, US-based Sew Dynamic Fabrics began when owner Michelle attended a fabric expo, where she learned about Repreve fibres and was instantly intrigued. Repreve fibres are made from recycled materials with their polyester fibres being made from plastic bottles and nylon fibres being made from pre-consumer waste. In addition, they are traceable, transparent and certifiable. She wanted to bring those fabrics to the sewing community, a recycled option for polyester and nylon fabrics.
I want to make sustainable, eco-friendlier, activewear. What types of fabrics do you recommend?
It depends on what type of activity you are sewing for. Not all of these fabrics are suited for high intensity or sweaty workouts, so you must consider the type of activity you want to sew for. You also have to pay attention to what the fabric is blended with.
While all of these fabrics have their pros and cons when it comes to the environment, these are some of the more widely available fabrics I would look for:
Hemp
Hemp needs no pesticides or irrigation, and returns almost 70% of the nutrients it takes back to the soil.
Lyocell
Lyocell and the brand version Tencel, are cellulose fibres made by dissolving wood pulp. They are biodegradable and require little water. A closed loop production process is used, which means 99.5% of the chemicals used are captured and reused in continuous processing.
Recycled fabrics
Recycled fabrics like the generic rPET, and the brand name Repreve, are made from post-consumer recycled plastic such as water bottles, containers, and secondhand polyester garments. The use of recycled materials reduces the use of oil, reuses waste, and cuts out the need for the virgin polyester industry.
Merino wool
Merino Wool is renewable and biodegradable. However, I would look for fabric with standards and certifications that ensure the fair treatment of animals.
Bamboo
Naturally produced bamboo does not require insecticides, pesticides or replanting. It also requires very little water.
Modal
Modal is made from a renewable crop, biodegradable, and made using a closed loop process.
Some thoughts about cotton
While not ideal for high-intensity activities I’ll also include organic cotton. It is grown with non-GMO seeds and without chemical pesticides and fertilizers. It would work for activities where you do not expect to sweat or if blended with a quick drying or wicking fabric.
It’s also a good idea to find out what sustainable certifications the fabric mill has. The production process and employee well being are also important factors to consider when buying fabric.
What about fleece? It sheds micro-plastic, which is bad for our waters, but it’s a great fabric to keep warm. What should I do?
A single fleece jacket could shed as many as 250,000 synthetic fibres during laundering. Many of these fibres are too tiny to be caught by our washing machine filters and the filters at waste treatment facilities, and may eventually make their way into our oceans.
The easiest solution is to not wash your fleece jacket. But in times when a wash is needed, there are a couple of easy and affordable solutions. One is to put the jacket (and any synthetic garments) into a Guppyfriend Washing Bag (Amazon affiliate link) This washing bag is designed to both prevent and capture any microfibers released during washing. It reduces shedding by 79% (for partly synthetic blends) up to 86% (for completely synthetic garments).
Another option is to use a Cora Ball when washing synthetics. The Cora Ball is a laundry ball that you toss into your washing machine. It collects microfibers and once enough has been collected turns into lint that can then be easily removed.
I list several other filters you can install and other tips on washing your activewear in a more eco-friendly way on my website.
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Hope you found this guide useful! I plan to update it more moving forwards with more questions and answers, so if you have any please share and I’ll ask them moving forward!
This post contains Amazon affiliate links, meaning that a commission is earned from qualifying purchases.
