Hello everyone,
This is Tanaka from the ApparelX News editorial team.
The weather has been extremely hot day after day, but lately, it’s starting to feel just a bit cooler.
One of the biggest events this summer was undoubtedly the Paris Olympics!
Every competition was filled with incredible energy—but did you happen to pay close attention to the sportswear the athletes were wearing?
That’s why!
In this post, we’ll be taking a closer look at the polyester fabrics commonly used in sportswear.
What Is Polyester?
Polyester is a type of synthetic fiber made from petroleum, and in clothing, spun polyester fibers are commonly used.
It is one of the most widely produced synthetic fibers in Japan.
Characteristics and Advantages of Polyester Fabrics
Here are some key characteristics of polyester fabrics:
- Durable and resistant to losing shape
- Excellent moisture-wicking and quick-drying properties
- Lightweight and easy to move in
- Strong resistance to UV rays
It’s highly durable and retains its shape well without easily deforming.
Polyester is extremely durable, with excellent resistance to abrasion and tearing, so it maintains its shape and lasts even after repeated washing.
This makes it an ideal fabric for high-intensity sports and activities that involve a lot of movement.
Additionally, since it’s resistant to wrinkling, it requires minimal care in everyday use.
Excellent Moisture-Wicking and Quick-Drying Properties
With excellent moisture-wicking and quick-drying properties, polyester quickly spreads and evaporates absorbed sweat and moisture, preventing it from soaking into the fabric and allowing it to dry instantly.
Polyester has a hydrophobic nature, meaning moisture does not absorb into the fibers themselves but instead temporarily stays between the fibers, giving it a structure that allows it to dry quickly.
Lightweight and Easy to Move in
Polyester is lighter compared to natural fibers like cotton, making it more comfortable to move in, which is why it’s ideal for sportswear.
Strong Resistance to UV Rays
Polyester has the property of blocking visible light, making it effective at also blocking UV rays. This makes it an ideal fabric for outdoor activities, especially in sports environments where protection from the sun is important.
Recommended Products
All products, including the ones recommended, feature functional properties and come in a variety of colors.
In addition to the products introduced, ApparelX offers a wide range of other items!
Disadvantages of Polyester
Easily Attracts Stains and Dirt
Polyester fabrics tend to attract stains and odors easily.
As a result, it’s important to wash them frequently and use a strong alkaline detergent to prevent stains. When dirty, spot cleaning with laundry soap before the usual wash can help remove stains easily.
Note: It’s best to avoid using hot water when washing, as high temperatures can cause the fabric to deform and lead to wrinkles.
Prone to Static Electricity Buildup
Polyester is a negatively charged fiber, so when layered with materials that have a positive charge, such as nylon or wool, static electricity can occur.
While this isn’t much of an issue during the summer when layering clothes is rare, in winter, static electricity often happens without realizing it, as you may be unknowingly layering positive and negative charged fibers.
Static electricity can cause pilling and make fabric feel rough, but using fabric softener to smooth the surface can help prevent it.
While these drawbacks may not leave the best impression, simply knowing about them can help mitigate the issues, so you can confidently use polyester without worry.
Fabrics Suitable for Sportswear Other Than Polyester
Polyurethane (PU)
The main feature of polyurethane is its high elasticity and stretchability.
Even a small blend of it with other materials significantly improves the fabric’s stretch.
Because of this, polyester and polyurethane blends are often used in sportswear for swimming or track and field, as the added stretch enhances performance. As someone with experience in track and field, I immediately understood the benefits of this combination!
One downside to note is that polyurethane is sensitive to UV rays and can discolor easily, so care is needed when exposed to the sun.
Nylon
Nylon is known for its elasticity and resistance to wrinkles, which makes it a popular choice for items like ski wear and windbreakers.
Additionally, its lightweight nature makes it easy to handle, but, similar to polyurethane, it is sensitive to UV rays and can degrade over time when exposed to sunlight, so caution is needed when using it outdoors.
Wool
In fact, wool is also suitable for sportswear and is commonly used in fall and winter sports clothing, including base layers and outdoor wear.
Wool has excellent moisture-wicking properties and resists odor, making it ideal for sports. Its ability to draw moisture away from the body helps prevent the body from cooling down quickly after sweating, and it doesn’t easily retain sweat odors. This makes it a great material for activewear.
How was it?
In this post, we introduced polyester, which is ideal for sportswear. However, if you pay a little attention, you might discover that many different materials are used in the clothes you wear every day, and you could make some interesting discoveries!
Leave a Reply