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Swimwear

What are sportswear fabrics?

Sportswear fabrics are a group of functional fabrics used for active, swim, travel and movement-focused clothing. They are not one single fabric type, but a selection of knitted, woven and technical fabrics with different performance properties. Some sportswear fabrics are highly elastic, while others are stable, lightweight or quick drying.

This category can include stretch fabrics such as Swimsuit Jersey and Traveler Jersey, but also woven fabrics such as Swimshort fabric. That makes sportswear fabrics especially diverse: the construction, fibre content and finish determine how each fabric behaves.

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Specifications

  • Construction Knitted jersey, interlock, power stretch, softshell or woven technical constructions such as Swimshort fabric
  • Composition Commonly polyester, recycled polyester, polyamide, elastane, viscose or blends
  • Fabric weight Commonly around 95 to 240g/m², depending on construction, density and intended use
  • Stretchability Varies by fabric type: Swimsuit Jersey and Traveler Jersey usually have stretch, while Swimshort fabric often has little to no stretch
  • Abbreviations PES = polyester, RPL = recycled polyester, PA = polyamide, EL = elastane, CV or VI = viscose

Properties of the fabrics

Sportswear fabrics are often made from polyester, recycled polyester or polyamide, sometimes combined with elastane. Polyester and recycled polyester are commonly used for strength, shape retention and quick drying. Polyamide can give a smooth, flexible and strong hand feel, while elastane adds stretch and recovery.

Swimsuit Jersey is a smooth stretch jersey for swimwear and close-fitting active garments. Traveler Jersey is a stretch jersey for comfortable travel clothing with a clean appearance and easy-care behaviour. Swimshort fabric is usually a woven technical fabric, often made with recycled polyester, and generally has little to no stretch.

Applications

  • Leggings and fitted sports trousers.
  • Training tops and T-shirts.
  • Swimsuits and bikini tops in Swimsuit Jersey.
  • Swim shorts in Swimshort fabric.
  • Travel trousers and wrinkle-friendly dresses in Traveler Jersey.
  • Dancewear and gymnastics clothing.

Care instructions

  • Wash sportswear fabrics usually at 30°C or 40°C, depending on composition and finish.
  • Wash inside out to reduce friction and help protect the surface.
  • Avoid fabric softener, because it can affect moisture transport, stretch recovery and technical finishes.
  • Avoid high tumble-drying temperatures, especially when elastane is included.
  • Rinse swimwear and swim shorts after contact with chlorine or salt water.

Certificates

  • Most sportswear fabrics are available with OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification, depending on the specific article.
  • Many qualities are available with GRS certification when recycled polyester or recycled polyamide is used.
  • QuickDry may be listed for fabrics designed to dry quickly after washing, perspiration or water exposure.
  • Some sportswear qualities offer UPF50 UV protection, which helps reduce UV exposure in outdoor or swim-related use.

Practical tip

Test sportswear fabrics in the same conditions as the final garment. Check stretch recovery, opacity during movement, drying speed and colour behaviour after contact with water, perspiration, chlorine or sunlight.

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Written by

Dave Van der Steen Nooteboom Textiles

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