On this page
You can ask for a suitable sportswear fabric without knowing its technical name. Describe the garment, the sport, the fit and what the wearer should notice. A reference garment helps, as long as you say whether you like its weight, feel, stretch or appearance. Voyager Sportswear can use those priorities to discuss fabric options for the order.
A useful specification combines composition, structure, weight, finish and performance requirements. “Polyester” names a fibre. It does not tell you whether the fabric is an open mesh, a smooth interlock or a woven shell.
Start with what the garment has to do
A summer match jersey may put low bulk, freedom of movement and a clear sublimated design first. Leggings need enough stretch, recovery and coverage in the intended fit. A warm-up jacket may need more structure, room for layering and a surface that suits its crest. Rank the requirements so that any proposal can explain the trade-offs.
Tell us the colourways and decoration early. A pale fabric or a large white area needs a coverage check, and small printed text needs a suitable surface. Describe how the garment will be used and cared for: frequent club laundering, abrasion from equipment or outdoor exposure can change the evaluation plan.
Understand the structure being proposed
The descriptions below are starting points, not fixed performance ratings. Yarn, stitch settings, finishing and the finished garment all affect the result.
| Structure | What it means | Useful sportswear questions |
|---|---|---|
| Single jersey | A single knit with different face and back appearances | Does it drape as intended, remain stable after washing and provide the required coverage? |
| Interlock | A double-knit structure with similar-looking faces | Does its body and surface suit the garment without excessive warmth or bulk? |
| Mesh | An open or perforated structure; many knit and woven versions exist | Where is ventilation wanted, and do the openings affect coverage, snagging or print detail? |
| Warp knit | Loops formed with yarns running along the fabric; structures vary widely | Does the fabric give the required stretch, stability and coverage? |
| Woven | Interlaced warp and weft yarns rather than knitted loops | Does movement come from the cut, mechanical stretch or elastic yarn, and does the shell feel right? |
| French terry / brushed fleece | Loopback or raised inner surfaces commonly used for layers | What warmth, bulk, surface shedding and wash behaviour are acceptable? |
CottonWorks explains single and double knit structures. Structure names help identify a fabric, but they do not replace checking the swatch itself.
Put the brief into a compact table
| Brief field | What to provide |
|---|---|
| Use and fit | Sport, climate, next-to-skin or layered, relaxed or close fit |
| Reference | Garment, swatch or image, with the features to keep or change |
| Material preferences | Required composition or a preference with its reason; mark open choices |
| Weight and surface | Known GSM, a reference weight, or desired lightness and feel |
| Stretch and coverage | Movement required, areas that must recover, lightest colour and fit to check |
| Decoration | Sublimation, applied logos or embroidery; artwork if available |
| Care and durability | Expected laundering and wear concerns |
| Commercial details | Approximate quantity, colourways, destination and required date |
A competitor's fibre percentage is not a complete specification, because two fabrics with the same composition can behave differently. If a material or performance claim is essential to you, state it and ask what evidence is available.
Compare swatches, then test the important features in a garment
Ask for the composition, structure, weight and finish of each shortlisted fabric, and compare feel and appearance with your reference under the same conditions. How many options you need depends on the open decisions. There is no general rule that two swatches or two prototypes are enough.
Where fit depends strongly on the fabric, evaluate it in a sample garment. Check movement, coverage in the relevant colours, recovery and the effect of laundering. For printed garments, assess the chosen process on the fabric itself. An informal wear or wash comparison can guide the choice, but a measurable product claim may need a defined laboratory method and acceptance criterion.
Record the chosen fabric reference and any agreed tolerances in the tech pack, and keep the approved swatch with the sample and revision it belongs to. For the next decision, see the guides to fabric weight and coverage, stretch and recovery and moisture claims.
Questions and answers
What should a performance fabric brief for activewear include?
A performance fabric brief for activewear should give the sport, climate and fit, a reference garment or swatch with the features to keep or change, any required composition with its reason, a known GSM or desired lightness, the movement and coverage needed, the decoration method, expected laundering and wear, and the approximate quantity, colourways, destination and date. Rank the requirements so each fabric proposal can explain its trade-offs.
Is fibre composition enough to specify a sportswear fabric?
Fibre composition alone does not specify a sportswear fabric, because two fabrics with the same composition can behave differently. A usable specification combines composition, structure, weight, finish and performance requirements. Polyester, for example, could be an open mesh, a smooth interlock or a woven shell. Avoid copying a competitor's fibre percentage as the whole specification, and ask what evidence supports any material or performance claim you consider essential.
How many swatches should I compare before choosing an activewear fabric?
No fixed number of swatches suits every activewear fabric choice: compare as many options as the open decisions require. Ask for each shortlisted fabric's composition, structure, weight and finish, and compare feel and appearance with your reference under the same conditions. Where fit depends on the fabric, check a sample garment for movement, coverage in the relevant colours and recovery, then assess laundering and the chosen print process on the fabric itself.