It’s hot. It’s really hot.
But should this stop us from staying active?
Didn’t think so.
However, now, more than ever, it is essential to take care of keeping our bodies from overheating. One of the most important elements is what we surround ourselves with. Quite literally.
The clothes we wear, be it hot or cold, play a main role in our health, energy, and performance levels. But clothes also have a great impact on the world we live in. Contemporary fast fashion trends and consumerism have a substantial negative impact on our environment — landfill pollution, resources wastage, carbon emission — all reveal an unsustainable pattern. Now more than ever, this highlights the need for more thoughtful and ethical practices as consumers.
In this article, we’re going to share our most and least favourite clothing to work out in, for each weather condition. So with over 30 types of materials most commonly used in contemporary clothing, which ones are really… workout material?
Fibres, Fabrics, and Materials
Well, let’s begin with understanding what fibres, fabrics, and materials actually are.
First of all, there are two main types of fabrics: natural and synthetic. Examples of natural fabrics are wool, cotton, silk, and linen, which are made from animal coats, cotton-plant seed pods, silkworms fibres, and flax (fiber from plant stalk).
Fabrics are made of fibres. Fibres are strands that are much longer than they are wide and are often used in the manufacture of other materials. Materials are what we’re going to be discussing from here on.
Spandex — Great for workouts involving a lot of body motion as it is highly flexible, with the capability to stretch up to eight times its size. It’s often used in tight clothing items (e.g., leggings, sports bras, socks). To maintain its qualities, it’s best to avoid hot water, the dryer, or iron.
Nylon — Suitable for any weather condition and intensity level, it is very commonly used in sportswear. It’s mould resistant, with a soft and stretchy texture. It fits well and flexes, also allowing sweat to evaporate easily.
Bamboo Fibre — Considered a premium, more environmentally friendly alternative to polyester and nylon, bamboo fibre is a lightweight natural fabric. Alike Merino wool, it is usually blended with other fabrics to create an item. Usually priced higher than it’s alternatives, it’s known for its moisture, odour, and temperature-balancing properties.
Merino Wool — Most suitable for outdoor training, regardless of the weather conditions. It’s softer and lighter than regular wool and has got both good insulation and sweat-wicking properties.
Gore-Tex — Most adequately used in cold, windy, and humid weather conditions. Gore-Tex is often found in outerwear, accessories, and shoes, and sought for the waterproof, windproof, yet breathable texture. It’s very popular, with many popular brands (e.g., The North Face, Adidas, Timberland) incorporating it in their sportswear.
Polypropylene — Ideal for high humidity conditions, it is a waterproof, thin and flexible synthetic fabric. It’s very durable and can maintain balanced temperatures when exercising outdoors.
Our Least Favourite
Standard Polyester — It’s best for outdoors low-mid intensity exercises, which are its durability and lightness, however it does not carry similar antibacterial properties like natural fabrics. Therefore, bacteria found in sweat, which affects gym clothes odours, will gather up within the fibres in time.
Plain Cotton — Although cotton is a light material, and could be a good alternative for low intensity outdoor training, it should be avoided during high-intensity workouts. It retains moisture, leaving a damp, uncomfortable feeling that can affect our workout potential.
That’s all for today. Hope to see you on our blog again and most importantly, don’t forget to stay hydrated!
Reference List
Capritto, A. (2020) Polyester, nylon, wool and more: The fabrics to look for in your workout clothes[online] available from https://www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/how-to-find-the-best-workout-clothes/
Stephens, A. (2021) What Are the Best (And Worst) Fabrics to Wear at the Gym? [online] available from https://thisladyblogs.com/what-are-the-best-and-worst-fabrics-to-wear-at-the-gym/
UCSB Science Line (2005) What are the materials that are in different types a fabrics? How are fabrics different [online] available from http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=765
