If you’re thinking about designing sportswear, selecting the right fabric and printing partner will play a pivotal role in the success of your journey.
To map your journey, we’ve developed a guide to the most popular sportswear garments. We break down their purpose and offer guidance on selecting the perfect fabric and trim to meet the performance requirements of each garment.
Having a garment that is too tight or too loose is not ideal in any situation. That’s why it’s important to pair the right material with the right design to buy you a ticket into the world of perfect-fitting sportswear.
Sportswear has two main functions:
- Visuals/aesthetics
- Performance
Digital Fabric Solutions has a variety of polyester bases that are suitable for either a new or an existing sportswear brand. As digital fabric printing specialists, we are able to customise and coordinate an entire fitness fashion range.
Our sister company Star Trimming and Textiles offers a variety of elastic trimmings that can be customised to add a unique element to the aesthetics of your apparel line.
Let’s take a look at the garments you can make for your brand with Digital Fabric Solutions’ sportswear base fabrics.
Designing sportswear: selecting the garments
Sports bras
Sports bras are an essential item for any lady’s sportswear wardrobe. A good sports bra will offer support and protect the skin from irritation caused by friction. There are sports bras for almost any activity, depending on the intensity level.
High impact activities such as cardio and aerobics require a high support sports bra. These offer more compression and restrict movement for a more dynamic and robust workout.
If you are doing activities such as yoga or hiking, a medium or low support sports bra will be your go-to garment. They have lower compression and can be worn comfortably for longer.
Once you have settled on the style and fit you would like to go for, consider contacting a sportswear fabric supplier such as Digital Fabric Solutions for a quotation on a poly-spandex range. They can add a custom print to the fabric to set your range apart from your competitors.
- Top tip: to take your customisation to the next level, consider using Star Trimming and Textiles’ 19mm – 25mm fully customisable elastic trim that is ideal for sports bras.
Leggings
This is a garment that needs no introduction. Leggings are comfortable and can also accentuate and flatter a physique thanks to compression.
Compression sportswear helps to increase blood flow and help with recovery time. Leggings are multifunctional garments that have become a standard item in most active people’s wardrobes, whether they are elite athletes or weekend warriors.
People use leggings for leisure, yoga, running and aerobics, to name some more common activities.
- Top tip: When designing leggings, elongate the legs by creating vertical seam motions. This accentuates the physique. Making the legs look longer makes the body seem slimmer.
Two of the most popular ways of doing this are:
- Using different materials, patterns or colours to highlight the distinct parts of the leg
- Creating a narrow waist and high front to achieve the “hourglass” physique
Once you have decided on the right pattern or template for your leggings, contact an activewear fabric supplier such as Digital Fabric Solutions for a quote on a polyester base fabric.
Finish your leggings with Star Trimming and Textile’s 25mm elastic for the waist, which is fully customisable.
Shorts
Polyester is the ideal fabric for fitness fashion. One of the qualities that makes it desirable is its stretch factor.
Having a garment that complements the nature of your workout is key. Exercises such as bodybuilding, running or contact sports such as soccer or rugby result in perspiration.
Therefore, a lightweight and breathable material, such as our Poly 4-way stretch, is fundamental to a fully functional pair of shorts.
Having a garment that allows you to exercise vigorously without worrying about the moisture retention from sweat will give you the comfort you need to add another set to your exercise routine.
The exercises you perform will test the integrity of your material. And polyester is always up for that challenge. It withstands the wear and tear that comes with dynamic activities.
- Top tip: Add Star Trimming and Textile elastics to your shorts for more control over your waistline. No one likes to be caught with their pants down!
Swimwear
Polyester is colourfast and resistant to chlorine, making it a perfect choice as a swimwear fabric. Durability and UV protection are important when looking for suitable swimwear fabric.
A 240 gsm Lycra warp-knit is perfect for swimwear. Its 4-way stretch is ideal for competitive and leisure swimwear activities.
- Top tip: To ensure excellent colour vibrancy and print quality, contact a fabric printing company such as Digital Fabric Solutions, one of Africa’s leading fabric printers.
Jackets
Having a lightweight jacket or warm hoodie you can wear before and after a workout is suitable for a fitness fashion range. We have a polyester fleece for designer hoodies. We have a polyester twill 90 gsm suitable for lightweight jackets.
T-shirts, warm-up kits and bibs
A t-shirt’s function may seem obvious, but there is often more to this garment than meets the eye. Not only must a t-shirt be lightweight and breathable, but it must also offer freedom for stretching and flexibility as we power through a workout.
Polyester is a “plug-and-play” fabric. This means the material compound prevents it from creasing, either when you store your polyester clothing in your gym bag or as you perform your workout.
This wash-and-wear feature is a bonus for the individual who is always on the go. Digital Fabric Solutions has a breathable and functional polyester base called polyester birdseye mesh 150 gsm.
This mesh is suitable for tennis shorts, skirts and other sports gear. We also have a sheer 80 gsm mesh for dresses ladies’s tops and covers.
A complete solution for designing sportswear
Garment type | DFS Fabric Base | Startex Elastic |
---|---|---|
Sports bra | Poly 83.17. Spandex | 19mm - 25mm |
Leggings | Poly 83.17. Spandex | 25mm |
Shorts | 4-way stretch | 35mm - 38mm |
Swimwear | Warpknit 240gsm/260gsm/340gsm | |
Jackets | Poly Twill 90 | |
Shirts/Warm-up kits | Birds Eye Mesh 80gsm |
Designing sportswear can be fun – and scary
Designing sportswear can be both daunting and exciting.
From yoga and rugby to running and swimming, there’s such a wide range of activities you could focus on.
No matter what garments or activities you decide to manufacture and market, it’s important to partner with a company that offers the best options for high-quality polyester bases and industry-leading fabric printing solutions.
- Contact our team of experts at Digital Fabric Solutions and Star Trimming and Textiles for the best advice on activewear fabric selection and printing.