The demand for sportswear worldwide has been steadily growing and the market is forecast to increase by $50 billion USD between 2018-2023, accelerating at a CAGR of more than 5% during the aforementioned period. This growth is being driven mainly by the popularity of athleisure wear in everyday fashion as well as specialised sportswear to cater to enthusiasts and professional sportspeople from running to rowing to mountaineering. With increasing awareness related to health and the benefits of keeping fit, consumers are taking up a broad variety of sports and seeking out sportwear apparel that offer comfort as well as performance.
When sourcing textiles for sportswear apparel, there are a variety of fabric types available as well as customised special treatments for enhanced performance such as anti-bacterial for sport socks, moisture management for running tops, UV protection for outdoor sports such as mountain biking and various others. In conjunction with the right choice of fabric, these specific features can enhance a sportwear apparel collection by combining comfort with unbeatable performance specifically suited to the sport in question.
The best fabrics for sportwear apparel sourcing:
Spandex—also known by the brand name Lycra—puts the stretch in workout wear. The synthetic fabric can expand to nearly 600 percent of its size, offers an unrestricted range of motion, and then snaps back in place. Spandex is also breathable, wicks moisture, and dries quickly.
Polyester– Polyester is one of the most functional fabrics with the added advantage of being able to mimic the feel of natural fibers such as cotton, linen or silk. Polyester can provide warmth in cold climates and and breathability while still being a very lightweight textile. It is therefore popular for use in outerwear products such as running jackets and rain protection for mountaineering and hiking.
Mesh – Mesh and mini mesh fabrics can be used as very effective elements of high-performance sportswear by providing breathable ventilation panels in areas such as under the arms to keep the wearer cool and dry. Highly versatile, this can be used on its own such as for basketball jerseys or alongside sweat wicking polyester fabrics for running and cycling wear, among others.
Nylon – Nylon offers a comfortable fit with plenty of stretch and therefore moves with the body. It is especially popular as a fabric for producing running wear due to its breathable and sweat wicking properties.
Shinta Indah Jaya is a trusted fabric supplier to numerous multinational sportswear brands offering a range of fabric types and custom finishes to create distinctive sportswear apparel collections that meet the demands of athleisurewear, all round sportswear and specialised sports apparel.
Contact us to find out more about our range of custom finishes as well as fabrics and how we can create tailored solutions to suit your sportswear fabric sourcing needs.
