What fabric should I choose for my tracksuit?

An active lifestyle implies the presence of a tracksuit - a comfortable and practical wardrobe item in which you can not only train and attend training, but also go shopping, on a walk, a picnic, out of town or meet with friends. The beauty of this clothing is its comfort and versatility. A tracksuit is appropriate wherever there are no strict dress code rules. And besides, we can wear the top and bottom separately, easily combining them with other items of clothing and giving the image a less sporty and more casual character. When choosing a tracksuit, stylists recommend buying equipment in size and paying attention to four main criteria:

• Seasonality: for winter we choose a warm suit with a fleece lining, for the off-season - from medium-density knitwear, for summer - from cotton or high-tech synthetics.


• Activity. There are three options here - equipment for the gym, clothes for outdoor sports and a tracksuit for home and walks.


• Design. For example, the bottom is trousers, and the top can be a sweatshirt, hoodie or classic tracksuit. Or a lighter option, for fitness: leggings + crop top, capri pants + sports tank top.


• Decor is laces, Velcro, decorative buttons, zippers and other beautiful accessories that look, of course, original and can decorate clothes, but do not affect the sports result in any way.

If we discard the last two points, it is clear that only the material of the clothes plays a key role. It remains to decide what fabric to choose for the tracksuit. About 15-20 years ago, the choice would have been between regular synthetics and cotton, but today there are many more options. A whole layer of high-tech fabrics with their own unique characteristics has appeared. We will talk about them today. Let's consider 3 questions:

1. What are the requirements for fabrics for sewing tracksuits?


2. What to choose: natural or synthetic fabric?


3. Types of fabrics for sewing tracksuits.

We will conduct the analysis according to the following parameters: fabric composition, properties (i.e. advantages and disadvantages of the material) plus care recommendations.

FABRIC REQUIREMENTS FOR SEWING SPORTS SUITS

The requirements for fabrics for sewing tracksuits follow from the requirements for sportswear (not to be confused with sports-style clothing). During the training process, sportswear experiences heavy loads - compression, stretching, wrinkling, friction. A good suit is always ready for this. It is like a second skin - it completely repeats movements, without limiting them in frequency and amplitude.

In addition, the protection must be able to wick away sweat, rather than absorb it. The friction of the fabric against the skin should not irritate it, much less cause allergies. The suit must "breathe" well, excluding overheating and hypothermia. It will have to be washed often, so the item should not lose its attractive original appearance and properties. Plus, the clothes should dry quickly, and care for them should not cause difficulties.

From all this it follows that the fabric for a tracksuit should be:

• durable and wear-resistant;


• pleasant to the body and hypoallergenic;


• wick away sweat well and dry quickly;


• stretch well and restore its shape;


• keep warm (for winter suits) and provide good air permeability;


• have an aesthetically beautiful appearance (let's not forget that people still judge you by your clothes).

WHAT TO CHOOSE: NATURAL OR SYNTHETIC FABRIC?

The main advantages of cotton, linen and wool are vapor permeability, hygroscopicity and hypoallergenicity (wool is an exception). They owe this to their natural origin. A tracksuit made of natural fabric is pleasant to the body and does not electrify. At the same time, not having sufficient elasticity, it does not stretch well, wrinkles, quickly loses its original appearance and shape, and when it gets wet (and it absorbs sweat perfectly), it practically does not remove moisture to the outside and dries slowly. Therefore, a tracksuit made of natural fabric is not so much clothing for training as clothing in a sporty style. It is used for home, city, walks, that is, where there is no great activity.

Synthetics (acrylic, lavsan, nylon, polyester, etc.) have a number of unique properties that natural fabrics cannot boast of. Among the main advantages of synthetics, we note:

• strength and wear resistance;


• elasticity and dimensional stability;


• light, pleasant to the touch and practically does not wrinkle;


• does not absorb moisture, but passes it through itself to the outside and dries quickly.

The main disadvantage of ordinary synthetics is that it steams, that is, does not allow air to pass through well. In addition, it becomes electrified and can cause allergies.

That is why sports suit manufacturers prefer to make them from high-tech synthetics or knitwear (blended fabric). These materials combine all the positive qualities of natural and synthetic fabrics, so they can do a lot, including:

• breathe and dry quickly;


• protect from wind and cold;


• retain body heat and release excess heat to the outside.

Sports suits made of synthetics or knitwear are, first of all, clothes for sports, for intensive aerobic and strength training. The most common synthetic fabrics used to sew sports suits include: biflex, dazel, polytaffet, duspo, microfiber, fleece. Among the knitted fabrics based on natural fibers are soft and warm footer, elastic diving, velor, etc.

TYPES OF FABRICS FOR SEWING SPORTS SUITS

The range of modern knitted fabrics based on natural, artificial and synthetic fibers allows you to choose a material for a tracksuit that will meet the needs of demanding athletes and fans of an active lifestyle.

Raincoat

Composition.
The fabric can be 100% synthetic or combined, for example, cotton + lavsan or cotton + polyester. There are more than 10 varieties of raincoat fabric. The most famous are: Lacquer, Melange, Moncler, Memory, Taslan, Duspo, Oxford, Membrana. To enhance water-repellent properties, the fabric is impregnated with a hydrophobic composition or coated with a thin polyurethane layer on the inside. It is considered the most versatile material for sewing outerwear, including: sports suits, uniforms for fishing, hunting and tourism.

Raincoat properties:

• lightweight;


• flexible;


• dense;


• shape-stable;


• retains heat;


• breathable;


• practically does not wrinkle;


• protects from wind and water.

Disadvantages.
They appear depending on the composition. For example, membrane fabric is quite expensive and capricious in care. Synthetic raincoat fabric accumulates a strong static charge. Cotton-based raincoat fabric is much less electrified, but requires more careful handling. And some types of fabric can only be washed by hand.

Care instructions.
The fabric is practical to use and easy to care for. Depending on the fabric composition, machine wash is allowed in the normal or gentle mode, at temperatures of 30-40°C. Dry naturally. Does not require ironing, but is allowed in a gentle mode or with steam.

Velour

Composition.
When you need a warm tracksuit - remember about velour. The composition of the fabric includes synthetic and natural fibers. The material's special feature is its soft structure and pile. Velour tracksuits are very convenient and comfortable clothes for home, walks, informal meetings. And some of them have long since moved from the category of home items to the category of stylish everyday clothes.

Velor properties:

• gentle;


• elastic;


• pleasant to the touch;


• durable and wearable;


• does not wrinkle and wears well;


• protects well from wind and cold;


• gives a feeling of softness and comfort;


• permeable to air (cotton-based velour);


• looks attractive and aesthetically pleasing on any figure.

Disadvantages of velour.
If there is no lycra in the composition, then velour does not stretch. The material is prone to abrasion and requires constant care.

Care instructions.
No pre-soaking required. Hand and machine wash (delicate wash) at a temperature no higher than 30°C. It is not recommended to wring out the velour by hand. The ideal option is in the machine, at minimum speed. Dry on a horizontal surface. Velour practically does not wrinkle, so it does not need ironing. But if there is a need, it is better to iron the product from the inside through gauze or thin fabric. Creases in the pile can be straightened with steam.

Footer

Composition.
Footer is 80% natural raw material. It is cozy, comfortable and hygienic knitwear. Even clothes for newborns are made from it. There are 3 types of fabric: single-thread - the thinnest, two-thread - a durable material of medium density (used to make tracksuits for spring and autumn) and three-thread footer - the densest with a thick pile (used to make winter tracksuits).

Footer properties:

• harmless;


• light and soft;


• breathable;


• non-allergenic;


• beautiful appearance;


• smooth front side;


• back side - pleasant to the body fleece;


• perfectly absorbs excess moisture;


• the footer is easy to wash and dries quickly;


• wear-resistant and shape-stable;


• pleasantly warms the body without the "greenhouse effect".

Disadvantages.
Does not tolerate high temperatures (may deform) and direct exposure to ultraviolet radiation (may "creep" and lose color saturation).

Care instructions.
It tolerates washing in manual and automatic mode, but the water temperature should not be higher than 30°C for polyester-based footer and no more than 40°C for cotton-based footer. Thin and medium footer can be washed with powders, then twisted or wrung out at medium speed. For three nicks it is better to use special liquid products and squeeze in a towel, and then lay it out horizontally until completely dry. Dry in natural conditions, not in direct sunlight. If there are no other recommendations, the footer can be ironed in the "cotton" mode.

Dazel

Composition.
Dazel knitwear was developed specifically for sewing clothes for active sports. It consists of 100% polyester. It has a long service life during which it does not lose its presentable appearance and shape.

Properties:

• elastic;


• dimensionally stable;


• very pleasant to the touch;


• durable and wear-resistant;


• practically does not wrinkle or fade;


• has air and vapor permeability;


• absorbs and wicks moisture well, dries quickly.

Disadvantages - Dazelle knitwear is demanding in care.

Care instructions.
Both hand and machine wash at a temperature not exceeding 30°C are allowed. In the first case, wash "softly", without rubbing and wringing. In the second case, use the "delicate wash" mode. It is advisable to dry the tracksuit made of dazel jersey in a straightened form under natural conditions. Iron at a temperature corresponding to the composition of the yarn.

Diving

Composition.
It is called "sports knitwear", and it is the most popular material today for sewing clothes for sports, active recreation and everyday life. The basis of the fabric contains up to 70% viscose - a material obtained from natural raw materials by artificial means. Depending on the production technology, Diving can be similar to silk, wool or linen. The fabric also includes elastane and polyester. There are 4 types of Diving: microdiving (light and thin), crepe diving (medium density, very durable), dense diving (with a tightening effect) and diving on fleece (with a brushed back).

Properties:

• durable;


• not electrified;


• hypoallergenic;


• shape-stable;


• waterproof;


• elastic and flexible;


• pleasant and soft to the touch;


• does not wrinkle and does not require ironing;


• easy to wash and dries quickly;


• absorbs moisture and wicks it away well.

Disadvantages.
Diving allows air to pass through, but not very well. Knitwear is afraid of high temperatures (deforms) and prolonged exposure to direct sunlight (fades). Under certain conditions, it can cause allergies and skin irritation.

Care instructions:
Hand and machine wash at a temperature not exceeding 30 °C. Do not use bleach. Spinning is possible in a gentle mode, but it is better to let the moisture drain rather than wring the fabric. Dry in a straightened form.

Polytaffet

Composition.
This synthetic fabric with a water-repellent effect is also called "Persian silk". But unlike natural silk, polytafetta is inexpensive, more durable and long-lasting. It is made of nylon or polyester. It can be plain dyed or with a printed pattern. It is used as the main material for sewing sportswear and as a lining fabric. Can be reinforced with a strong thread (rip-stop polytaffet for tourism). Excellent protection from water, wind and external pollution, plus resistance to ultraviolet rays allows using sportswear made of polytaffet for regular training outdoors.

Properties of Politaffeta fabric:

• waterproof and elastic;


• airy with a slight shine;


• does not fade or shrink;


• very durable and wear-resistant (nylon-based);


• does not deform when wet or washed, dries quickly;


• has good air permeability (polyester-based taffeta);


• resistant to sunlight and high temperatures (polyester-based).

Disadvantages:
gets electrified, does not allow air or water vapor to pass through well (typical of nylon taffeta).

Care instructions.
Hand and machine wash without bleach or chlorine-containing substances, at a temperature not exceeding 40 °C. It is better to dry in the open air. You can iron - the temperature of the soleplate of the iron is not more than 110 degrees.

Biflex

Composition.
Biflex is a knitwear with interlacing of elastane, lurex, microfiber and nylon fibers in different proportions. Each of them gives Biflex certain characteristics, making the fabric universal in several positions at once. Light, smooth and durable stretch fabric can be called knitted, although this is absolutely not visible in appearance.

Properties:

• breathes;


• elastic;


• hypoallergenic;


• shape-stable;


• durable and wear-resistant;


• wicks away moisture and dries quickly;


• fits the body without restricting movement;


• does not wrinkle or deform when washed;


• is not afraid of ultraviolet rays and does not fade.

Disadvantages.
Biflex does not regulate heat exchange and accumulates static electricity;

Care instructions.
Can be washed by hand or in a washing machine without bleach, in a delicate mode, temperature no more than 30 °C. Wring at minimum speed. When hand washing, do not wring out, but spread on a horizontal surface and let the water drain. Do not iron. Creases and folds can be treated with a steam iron.

Dyuspo

Composition.
When you need a lightweight and durable tracksuit with increased protection from wind and rain, choose a product made of Dyuspo - a textured synthetic fabric made of 100% polyester. In addition to reliable protective properties, you will get good air permeability. Duspo can be matte, shiny, smooth, velvety, pearlescent or with a relief texture. Accordingly, different density and protective properties.

Properties:

• breathes;


• soft and light;


• durable and wear-resistant;


• blow-proof and waterproof;


• not afraid of frost, deformation and does not fade;


• resistant to dirt and does not require special care.

Disadvantages.
The fabric has no serious disadvantages. Among the "non-serious" ones, one can note the loss of the original bright appearance after numerous washes.

Care instructions.
Wash on a delicate cycle without spinning, at a temperature no higher than 40°C. Do not use bleaching or chlorine-containing substances. When hand washing, squeeze slightly (but do not twist) and let the item drain. Dry naturally. You can iron, but the temperature of the iron sole should be below 150°C.

Fleece

Composition.
Fleece is a synthetic knitted fabric based on polyester. The material is very close to sheep wool in its properties. The fleece can be on both sides or only on the inside (and the front side is smooth). Fleece is used to make warm adult and children's clothing, but mainly sports and tourist clothing.

Properties:

• hypoallergenic;


• antibacterial;


• breathable;


• easy to wash and dries quickly;


• supports body thermoregulation;


• elastic, durable and wear-resistant;


• lightweight and wicks moisture well;


• incredibly soft, gentle and pleasant to the touch.

Disadvantages.
Accumulates static electricity, easily ignites. Pills quickly appear on the surface of poor quality fleece.

Care instructions.
Washing is possible in manual and automatic mode, temperature - no more than 40°C. Any liquid detergent for washing fleece and even regular soap will do, but it is better not to use powders. Do not wring out the products - hang them up and let the water drain, and do not dry them on the radiator - only naturally (dries quickly). Do not iron!

Let's sum it up

We have considered 9 types of fabrics for sewing sports suits and things. And you probably have noticed that modern technologies have developed so much that materials based on artificial, synthetic and natural fibers (the so-called high-tech synthetics) are in no way inferior to natural fabrics, and in some properties significantly surpass them.

• Therefore, if you are looking for a set for active training, choose "smart synthetics": it allows the skin to breathe, wicks away moisture well and dries quickly.


• And if you are looking for sports-style clothes for every day, then such characteristics will probably be excessive. It is better to give preference to things based on natural fibers with additives of artificial ones, so that the elbows and knees do not stretch.