Home / Fabrics / By activity

Wear Performance by Activity

Tell us how your garment needs to perform.

You may not know the fabric name yet. You do know what the garment has to survive. Pick the activity and we map it to wear requirements, the tests worth putting on your PO, and the bases we would develop on.

6Wear scenarios
4 + 2Named bases + custom codes
3Validation status labels
7–9Working days to sample
Find fabric by activity See the full matrix → Fabric Selector →

The short answer

Which fabric for which activity?

One line per activity. Each answer names a candidate base and the checks that matter most; the full profile below shows why.

Yoga / Pilates
Start on PowerForm™ 215 for structure and hold, or AirTouch™ 195 when the room runs hot. Validate stretch recovery, opacity at full stretch and waistband stability before bulk.
High-Intensity Training
Use PowerForm™ 215 as the named base, and brief ZS-ACT-250N66 when the programme needs a firmer ~250 g/m² nylon 66 hold. Put abrasion, pilling, sweat drying and perspiration colourfastness on the PO.
Tennis / Padel
Build dresses and skorts on PowerForm™ 215, with AirTouch™ 195 for hot-climate ranges. Validate quick-dry, opacity in whites, and colourfastness to light and perspiration.
Golf / Outdoor
Brief polos and skorts on PowerForm™ 215, or AirTouch™ 195 for summer and travel capsules. Put UPF, colourfastness to light and appearance after laundering on the PO.
Swim / Resort
Use AquaForm™ 220. Its Intertek report (GZHT03093360) holds ISO 105-E03 chlorinated-water colourfastness at grade 4, UPF 50+ and 30,000+ Martindale rubs. It is not bleach-fast, so the care label must say no chlorine bleach.
Travel / Everyday
Use CloudTouch™ 260 French terry for hoodies and joggers, and AirTouch™ 195 for travel leggings. Validate pilling, dimensional stability, spirality and wash colourfastness.

Find fabric by end use

Choose the activity. Read the wear profile.

Each profile lists what the garment must do, what fails without it, how to validate it and which bases are candidates. Status labels show what is already on file and what is tested per programme.

Yoga / PilatesStretch · opacity · waistband holdHigh-Intensity TrainingHold · abrasion · sweatTennis / PadelMovement · quick-dry · white opacityGolf / OutdoorUPF · colour under UV · low wrinkleSwim / ResortChlorine · wet opacity · UPFTravel / EverydayLow pilling · stable size · comfort

Wear scenario 01 · Stretch · opacity · waistband hold

Yoga / Pilates

Deep flexion, floor work and mirrors. A yoga fabric is judged at the bottom of a squat, not on the hanger.

Yoga fabrics →

Wear requirements

  • Four-way stretch through deep flexion without seam strain
  • Opacity at full stretch under studio light
  • A waistband that stays up through inversions and forward folds
  • A hand that suits the room: structured for power, cool-touch for hot studios

What goes wrong without them

  • Seat turns see-through in a deep squat
  • Knees and seat bag out after a few wears
  • Waistband rolls down in forward folds
  • Inner thigh pills where legs and mat rub

Suggested validation

  • Programme gateStretch & recoveryASTM D2594 or EN 14704-1 on fabric; residual growth checked on the worn garment
  • In-house checkFour-way stretch gateChecked before any garment sampling
  • In-house checkOpacitySquat check at ~400 lux light box, garment on form
  • In-house checkFit stabilityWaistband roll and rise check on proto and PPS wear trial
  • Programme gatePillingISO 12945-2 (Martindale) — quoted per programme

Candidate fabric bases

Primary · structure and holdPowerForm™ 21581% nylon 66 / 19% Lycra® · 215 g/m² · matte, sueded handNylon 66 recovery and a matte, sueded face for sculpting leggings and supportive sets.Alternative · hot studioAirTouch™ 19580% nylon / 20% spandex · 190–200 g/m² · cool-touch, quick-dryCool-touch, quick-dry hand for hot rooms, pilates and second-skin fits.

Wear scenario 02 · Hold · abrasion · sweat

High-Intensity Training

Sweat, friction and repeated loading. Plyometrics, lifting and floor work find every weak point in a fabric and a seam.

Sport & training fabrics →

Wear requirements

  • Firm hold that does not slip under load
  • Abrasion resistance where bars, benches and thighs rub
  • Fast sweat transport and drying between sets
  • Opacity through lunges and deep squats

What goes wrong without them

  • Inner thigh fuzzes and pills within weeks
  • Bra and waistband lose hold mid-session
  • Sweat patches show and dry slowly
  • Crotch seams open under squat load

Suggested validation

  • Programme gateAbrasionISO 12947-2 (Martindale)
  • Programme gatePillingISO 12945-2 (Martindale)
  • Programme gateSweat transport & dryingAATCC TM195 moisture management · AATCC TM201 drying rate
  • Programme gateColourfastness to perspirationISO 105-E04
  • In-house checkOpacitySquat check at ~400 lux light box
  • Programme gateSeam strengthISO 13935-2 on the garment seam

Candidate fabric bases

Primary · named basePowerForm™ 21581% nylon 66 / 19% Lycra® · 215 g/m² · matte, sueded handNylon 66 / Lycra® hold and abrasion behaviour for leggings, shorts and bras.Development · firmer holdZS-ACT-250N66Custom nylon 66 / elastane double knit · ~250 g/m² · development routeHeavier nylon 66 double knit when the brief asks for more compression than 215 g/m².Development · colour storyZS-ACT-240P78% polyester / 22% elastane double knit · 240 g/m² · development routePolyester double knit with a 16-colour reference library for training capsules.

Wear scenario 03 · Movement · quick-dry · white opacity

Tennis / Padel

Lateral sprints, overhead serves and long outdoor sessions. Freedom of movement and heat matter more than maximum compression.

Court & training fabrics →

Wear requirements

  • Freedom for overhead and lateral movement
  • Quick-dry and breathable in outdoor heat
  • Opacity in white and light colours, including under-shorts
  • Colour hold under sun and sweat

What goes wrong without them

  • White dresses turn sheer when wet with sweat
  • Skort shorts ride up in lateral movement
  • Whites yellow and colours fade within a season
  • Fabric feels heavy and clings late in a match

Suggested validation

  • Programme gateSweat transport & dryingAATCC TM195 · AATCC TM201
  • In-house checkOpacity in whitesLight-box check on white and pastel lab dips
  • Programme gateColourfastnessISO 105-B02 light · ISO 105-E04 perspiration
  • Programme gateUPFAATCC TM183 when a UPF claim is on the hangtag
  • Programme gateShorts recoveryASTM D2594 on the under-short fabric

Candidate fabric bases

Primary · court handPowerForm™ 21581% nylon 66 / 19% Lycra® · 215 g/m² · matte, sueded handThe base behind our tennis library: support, opacity and a clean drape for dresses and skorts.Alternative · heatAirTouch™ 19580% nylon / 20% spandex · 190–200 g/m² · cool-touch, quick-dryCool-touch nylon for summer and hot-climate court ranges.

Wear scenario 04 · UPF · colour under UV · low wrinkle

Golf / Outdoor

Four hours outside, a full rotational swing and a clubhouse after. Sun, colour and appearance decide the fabric.

Golf fabrics →

Wear requirements

  • Stretch across back and shoulders for a full swing
  • Sun protection over long exposure
  • Colour that holds under hours of UV
  • A clean, low-wrinkle look on and off the course

What goes wrong without them

  • Polo shoulders fade after one season
  • Creases after a car ride or a packed bag
  • Back and shoulders restrict at the top of the swing
  • Dark colours build heat in full sun

Suggested validation

  • Programme gateUPFAATCC TM183 — required before any UPF hangtag
  • Programme gateColourfastness to lightISO 105-B02
  • Programme gateAppearance after launderingAATCC TM124 smoothness rating
  • Programme gateStretch & recoveryASTM D2594 across back panel direction
  • Programme gateSweat transportAATCC TM195

Candidate fabric bases

Primary · polo and skortPowerForm™ 21581% nylon 66 / 19% Lycra® · 215 g/m² · matte, sueded handMatte hand and clean drape for polos, skorts and light layers.Alternative · summer and travelAirTouch™ 19580% nylon / 20% spandex · 190–200 g/m² · cool-touch, quick-dryCool-touch, quick-dry hand for heat and travel capsules.

There is no golf-only SKU list. Golf programmes cross from the tennis library and are briefed on PowerForm™ or AirTouch™.

Wear scenario 05 · Chlorine · wet opacity · UPF

Swim / Resort

Chlorine, salt, sunscreen and sun, then a beach bar. Swim fabric is tested wet, not dry.

Swim fabrics →

Wear requirements

  • Colourfastness in chlorinated pool water and sea water
  • Opacity when wet, especially in light colours
  • Recovery that survives a season of pool use
  • Sun protection and a fast-drying hand

What goes wrong without them

  • Colours bleed or fade after pool sessions
  • Seat sags after repeated chlorine exposure
  • Light colours turn sheer when wet
  • Bleach damage: chlorine bleach is not pool water

Suggested validation

  • On fileChlorinated waterISO 105-E03 — AquaForm™ 220 grade 4 (Intertek GZHT03093360)
  • On fileUPFAATCC TM183 — AquaForm™ 220 UPF 50+
  • On fileAbrasionMartindale — AquaForm™ 220 30,000+ rubs
  • Programme gateSea waterISO 105-E02
  • In-house checkWet opacityLight-box check on wet light-colour lab dips

Candidate fabric bases

Primary · swimAquaForm™ 22075% nylon / 25% Lycra® · 220 g/m² · swim handThe only named base we put in chlorinated water. Yoga bases are not chlorine-aware substitutes.Resort layer · out of the waterAirTouch™ 19580% nylon / 20% spandex · 190–200 g/m² · cool-touch, quick-dryCool-touch active pieces for resort capsules, worn over swim rather than in the pool.

Wear scenario 06 · Low pilling · stable size · comfort

Travel / Everyday

Worn all day, washed every week, packed in a bag. Appearance after laundering decides the repeat purchase.

Knit fabrics →

Wear requirements

  • Low pilling where bags, seats and arms rub
  • Stable size and shape after repeated washing
  • A comfortable hand for all-day wear
  • A low-wrinkle look straight out of a bag

What goes wrong without them

  • Underarms and cuffs pill within weeks
  • Hoodies shrink or twist after washing
  • Side seams spiral towards the front
  • Brushed backs lose their loft

Suggested validation

  • Programme gatePillingISO 12945-2 — CloudTouch™ programmes target grade 4–5
  • Programme gateDimensional stabilityISO 5077 with ISO 6330 domestic wash
  • Programme gateSpiralityISO 16322-3 after laundering
  • Programme gateColourfastness to washingISO 105-C06

Candidate fabric bases

Primary · knit loungeCloudTouch™ 26062% cotton / 33% polyester / 5% spandex · 260 g/m² French terryBrushed French terry hand for hoodies, joggers and athleisure sets (cut-and-sew).Alternative · travel leggingsAirTouch™ 19580% nylon / 20% spandex · 190–200 g/m² · cool-touch, quick-dryLightweight, quick-dry second skin for long-haul and everyday wear.

Knit programmes are cut-and-sew. We do not make fully-fashioned sweaters.

Wear scenario × fabric performance

The application matrix

Rows are performance properties, columns are activities. The level is how much that property decides success in that activity — use it to rank what goes on the PO first.

Priority for development and validation, not a test result. Methods are the ones buyers commonly specify; results are quoted per base and per programme.
Performance propertyTypical methodYoga / PilatesHigh-Intensity TrainingTennis / PadelGolf / OutdoorSwim / ResortTravel / Everyday
Stretch & recoveryASTM D2594 / EN 14704-1CriticalCriticalImportantImportantCriticalUseful
Opacity under stretchSquat check on a ~400 lux light boxCriticalCriticalImportantUsefulCriticalUseful
Sweat transport & dryingAATCC TM195 / AATCC TM201ImportantCriticalCriticalImportantImportantUseful
Sun protection (UPF)AATCC TM183—Not a driverUsefulImportantCriticalCritical—Not a driver
Chlorine & salt waterISO 105-E03 / ISO 105-E02—Not a driver—Not a driver—Not a driver—Not a driverCritical—Not a driver
Abrasion & pillingISO 12947-2 / ISO 12945-2ImportantCriticalImportantUsefulImportantCritical
Colour hold (light, sweat, wash)ISO 105-B02 / -E04 / -C06ImportantImportantCriticalCriticalCriticalImportant
Shape after washing & wearISO 5077 · ISO 16322-3 · AATCC TM124ImportantImportantImportantCriticalImportantCritical
Candidate basesNamed base / custom codePowerForm™ 215
AirTouch™ 195		PowerForm™ 215
ZS-ACT-250N66
ZS-ACT-240P		PowerForm™ 215
AirTouch™ 195		PowerForm™ 215
AirTouch™ 195		AquaForm™ 220
AirTouch™ 195		CloudTouch™ 260
AirTouch™ 195

Honest by design

What “suggested validation” means — and what it doesn’t

Suggested development and validation path. It does not mean every listed fabric has completed every listed test. Every check on this page carries one of three labels, so a buyer can see what exists today and what is tested for their programme.

On file

On file. Third-party report held for the named base. Report number quoted.

In-house check

In-house check. ZIESHINE gate run before sampling or on the proto / PPS.

Programme gate

Programme gate. Specified on your PO and tested per programme at a lab you accept (SGS, QIMA, BV and Intertek are welcome).

  1. Activity & climatePick the scenario and where it is worn. That fixes the wear requirements and failure modes.
  2. Validation plan on the POWe name the methods; you nominate the lab. In-house gates run before sampling.
  3. Swatch & protoLibrary hand swatches or garment samples in 7–9 working days. Opacity and stretch are checked on the proto.
  4. PPS → bulkBulk ~25–30 days after PPS for activewear. Inline QC at 20 / 50 / 80%; third-party inspection welcome.

Commercial terms: Standard 150 pcs / style / colour · library trial from 100 · below 100 +15% · Samples US$50–100 per garment piece · 7–9 working days · reply within 12 h. Full ladder: Company facts. After the fabric is chosen: the full fabric-to-garment process.

Buyer FAQ

Why choose activewear fabric by activity instead of by fabric name?

Most founders know what the garment has to survive — a deep squat, a pool season, four hours of sun — before they know a fabric name. Starting from the activity fixes the wear requirements and the failure modes first, then narrows the candidate bases and the tests that belong on the PO.

Does “suggested validation” mean the fabric has already passed those tests?

No. Suggested development and validation path. It does not mean every listed fabric has completed every listed test. Every item carries a status: On file (third-party report held for that base), In-house check (our gate before sampling or on the proto and PPS), or Programme gate (specified on your PO and tested per programme).

Which fabric results are on file today?

AquaForm™ 220 has an Intertek report (GZHT03093360): ISO 105-E03 chlorinated-water colourfastness grade 4, UPF 50+ to AATCC TM183 and 30,000+ Martindale rubs. It is not bleach-fast, so care labels say no chlorine bleach. PowerForm™ 215 and AirTouch™ 195 pass an in-house four-way stretch gate and a squat check at ~400 lux before sampling. Other results are programme gates, tested per PO at a lab you accept — SGS, QIMA, BV and Intertek are welcome.

Can one fabric cover yoga and tennis?

Often, yes. PowerForm™ 215 runs both studio leggings and our tennis library. What changes is the validation: tennis whites need an opacity check in light colours, and outdoor programmes add colourfastness to light and UPF before any UPF claim is printed.

My activity is not listed — running, hiking or team kits?

Brief it through the custom sport path. We start from the closest scenario — usually high-intensity training or golf / outdoor — and adjust the validation plan. Swim stays on AquaForm™ and knit lounge on CloudTouch™.

What are MOQ, sample cost and lead time?

Standard 150 pcs / style / colour · library trial from 100 · below 100 +15%. Samples US$50–100 per garment piece · 7–9 working days on library bases. Custom fabric MCQ is typically ~500–1,300 m per colour and construction, and development or dyeing adds ~15–20 days. Bulk runs ~25–30 days after PPS for activewear, ~25–32 days after PPS for knit and typically 30–40 days after PPS for swim.

Fabric Selector · Compare named bases · Fabric test pack · Fabric Lab guides · Custom fabric development