Cotton, polyester, spandex, nylon, and bamboo – these are the most common materials used in activewear, but what are their differences, and why does it matter? The following article lays out the properties of these five textiles to help you better assess the type of material that works best for you.
An awesome workout session can quickly go south when you find yourself having to deal with chafed skin, soaked clothes, and pants that have long lost their stretch. There’s more to choosing your gym apparel than how comfortable it is and how good you look in the fitting room – that cotton shirt may be cute, but a mile into your run and you’ll be wishing that you didn’t wear a shirt at all.
You may find this hard to believe, but fashion and comfort can go hand-in-hand. Activewear that stretches well, insulates, and perfectly fits can not only make you look great and feel great, but also boost your performance and make your workout experience about a thousand times better. There’s no magic formula to finding the perfect gym clothes – it’s all about what you do and how you need your outfit to accommodate your activity.
Moisture management, breathability, durability, and stretch – the material of your clothing decides how it serves you. If you’re looking to construct the perfect workout wardrobe that is both chic and functional, a basic understanding of various fabrics and their properties can be the greatest weapon that becomes the deciding factor between a superior and lousy gym experience.
Cotton
While your preference takes precedence, we have to be adamant about one thing: for your own good, don’t ever pick cotton (or at least, not 100% cotton) for your activewear. We’re all for sustainability and eco-friendly practices, but cotton is absolutely terrible for sweaty activities. It is extremely absorbent, holding up to 25 times its weight in fluid – causing chafing in hot weather and hypothermia in the cold.
Polyester
Polyester is a popular material used in making activewear, and a popular choice for gym goers. It is a synthetic resin with superior capability to wick sweat away, maintain its shape and size (it won’t shrink even if you toss it in the dryer), and insulate you in cold conditions. Despite these features, it is extremely breathable and lightweight. It’s no exaggeration to say that this material is the workhorse of activewear fabrics. Polyester feels smooth and stretchy, but isn’t always form-fitting so it’s arguably the best type of fabric for ladies who prefer loosely-fitting clothes..
Unfortunately, this isn’t a perfect material. The drawback is that polyester makes an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and fungi, so you have to wash it immediately after sweating in it. Otherwise, it’ll hold onto body odors and stink you up at the gym.
Spandex
Spandex is known for its outstanding stretchability and flexibility, making it the ideal material for activities requiring a wide range of motion, such as yoga and weightlifting. It can stretch up to eight times its normal size with little to no resistance, offering comfort in your full range of motion. It has great recovery, easily going back to its original shape, and it’s a plus on the chic factor as well with its matte finish and smooth texture on the skin.
However, if you’re doing sports where you expect to sweat a lot, then you probably want to opt for other textiles. While spandex offers a decent amount of breathability and moisture-wicking capacity, it doesn’t compare to polyester or nylon. You can’t toss it in the washing machine either – you either hand wash it and let it air dry or risk it shrinking and losing elasticity.
Nylon
Nylon is the best competitor when it comes to durability, and this material has the best moisture-wicking compared to the others. It takes sweat from your skin and to the surface of the fabric, where it can evaporate. It is mold-resistant, very soft, and has great recovery – it flexes with you as you move and easily returns to its original shape.
Known for being the first mass-produced synthetic fabric, nylon can be found in virtually anything – from clothes to tents and carpets. It sits on the pricier side of synthetic fibers, however, and the production is far from eco-friendly.
Bamboo
If an eco-friendly alternative is what you’re looking for, then bamboo might be your friend. Bamboo is a highly renewable resource that doesn’t need pesticides and requires only ⅓ of the water cotton does. As a fabric, it’s good at wicking moisture, it’s incredibly soft compared to other materials, and it’s antimicrobial, therefore, odor-resistant. It’s also an any-weather kind of fabric, offering breathability in hot conditions and insulation in the cold.
The downside, however, is that bamboo only might be your friend when it comes to sustainability because there’s an ongoing debate about the eco-credentials of its production process. The chemical required to process bamboo from tree to textile requires carbon disulfide, an extremely toxic substance that is known to cause damage to the nervous and reproductive systems. Another thing is that it is definitely a premium fabric, so you can expect a hefty price tag on any bamboo-made activewear.
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