HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST FABRIC FOR WORKOUT AND YOGA CLOTHING

How to choose the best fitness fabric regarding workout and yoga clothing is key to helping you achieve your best workout including performance, comfort and looking your best of course! A lot has been written lately in the news regarding too thin fitness clothing fabric, “Pantsgate”, whereby women were revealing all their lady parts. This piece discusses/reviews what key fabric components will help create the best workout experience for you. The science of fitness clothing has come a long way since the days folks worked out in baggy cotton sweatshirts and knit leg warmers of previous.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Fitness Fabric
The first factor to consider when choosing workout out clothes is the type of exercise you’ll be doing. Sport-specific activewear is designed to take into account the types of movements that will be done and what type of fabric the wearer will need to stay comfortable and dry. For yoga and stretching,  points out that cotton/polyester and spandex are OK, less expensive fabrics for allowing the exerciser to bend easily. For high-impact cardiovascular exercises like running and aerobics, she recommends more durable, performance fabrics that are moisture wicking like nylon/cotton blends for staying dry while sweating.

How to choose the right fitness fabric thickness for Fitness Fabric
When choosing workout clothing, fabric thickness is the next step to buying the best quality, best performing—and best look, because we know style counts too! Fabric “thickness” is rated by weight per linear foot within the garment industry. Weight can range on the low side from 180 GSM (grams per meter square) that you’ll find at the massive big box bricks and mortar discount stores upwards to 310 GSM. Fabric weight is important for many reasons beginning with keeping all your junk covered! Other downsides of thin fabric are that it provides very little compressive support and has poor “memory”. This means the fabric will stretch out and bag quickly–typically at the knees, waistline and tushy. Plus, too thin, less expensive fabric will not hold its coloring and last long.

NOTE: Our superior sports performance fabric is classified within the luxury fitness category. All our buttery soft peached nylon spandex fabric weighs in at 271 GSM, which provides just the right coverage without smothering you. It’s luxurious, supportive and moves comfortably with your body throughout every range of movement–just like a Second Skin–and lasts a long time too.

How to Choose the Best Fabric Content
Make sure to read and check the fabric content before you make your purchase, because choosing the right fabric content will guarantee that your garments last longest, hold their color, hold you in and don’t bag and sag after a few washings. Choose garments made from nylon. Nylon is the most durable, strong and long lasting of all sportswear fabric. In fact nylon was developed years ago to mimic the softness and strength of silk. Avoid polyester as it is nylon’s cheap knock off that has little of nylon’s strength–not to mention that is tends to be significantly scratchier. Rayon is yet another poor relation that degrades quickly in the wash and has extremely poor breathability properties.

About Moisture-Wicking Fabrics for Fitness Clothing
Today there are a wide variety of synthetic and natural fabrics to choose from that will keep you dry and prevent you from getting that “Soaked to the bone” look (unless of course you like that look). According to REI.com, avoid “Synthetic fibers that are, essentially, plastic—and virtually nonabsorbent.” Moisture travels along the surface of the fiber, but since it cannot be absorbed, the moisture from perspiration is then dispersed from the inside of piece of clothing and drawn to the outside of it, where it evaporates when it makes contact with the air. In addition to the material itself, a chemical finish is often applied to moisture-wicking clothing in order to enhance its performance, allowing it to quickly draw moisture along its nonabsorbent fibers and transport it to the garment’s exterior. Our superior fabric has certified sports performance Moisture Wicking and Anti-Bacterial properties.

*We do recommend that you NOT put fabric softeners when washing Moisture Wicking fitness clothing as this will dissolve/decrease the Moisture Wicking properties.

Compression Fabric for Fitness Clothing
Using a special knitting process and fabric combination of primarily nylon/spandex, next generation compression clothing is now shown to improve circulation during and after physical activity to help alleviate stiff, sore muscles and hasten muscle recovery. Compression clothing also stimulates blood flow, helping to reduce lactic acid build-up and prevent delayed onset muscle fatigue and soreness. Our fabric is a special custom blend of cotton/poly/spandex using a proprietary super thick spandex thread that creates the compressive support along with the perfect tummy control and body shaping/slenderizing fit.Technologically advancedMany new workout clothes now feature anti-microbial treatments to combat odor (including all our fabrics). Our fabric is certified Anti-Microbial, because smelling funky is just not a good thing at the gym—or ever!Avoid fabrics that don’t breathe. Never wear clothing made out of rubber-based or plastic-based materials, because they keep sweat from evaporating and keep your body temperature too high during exercise. Fabrics made primarily from only polyester/spandex will also not allow your skin to breath or allow your body cool down/perspire properly–let alone polyester is a lesser grade material versus nylon and is always rougher to the touch. These fabrics lead to decreased physical functioning and may contribute to heat exhaustion. Our superior fabric is a proprietary blend of nylon/spandex that not only breaths, but also moves like a second skin on your body.

Comfort Counts for Fitness Fabric
Avoid any rough fabrics that could chafe or irritate your skin during repetitive movement. Choose materials that let you move and don’t constrict you. Pay closer attention to fit than size, as some workout clothes tend to be smaller and more form fitting than regular clothes. Look for items that have a small percentage of spandex listed on the label—about 10% is fitness fabric industry standard. This allows for a greater range of motion during exercise and can provide a comfortable, functional fit without being skin-tight or revealing your lady parts! OUR CUSTOMERS AGREE: Our sueded nylon/spandex fabric feels buttery soft, and has what fit biz clothing buyers call a “beautiful hand” or feel.

The Takeaway: Choosing the right fitness clothing to exercise begins with choosing the best, top quality fitness fabric first. Look for fabric that will provide function, support, coverage and of course make you look your best, because style counts!