Activewear Fabric for Gym Wear and Sportswear

Choosing the right activewear fabric affects how gym wear and sportswear feel, stretch, breathe, manage moisture, and perform during activity. Different fabrics work better for different garments, from lightweight training tops and tank tops to jerseys, hoodies, joggers, and outerwear.

Best Gym Wears uses a range of performance, cotton, knit, mesh, and insulating fabrics across its custom fitness apparel. This guide explains the key properties and common uses of each fabric while helping you understand how material selection affects garment performance.

Learn more about how fabric selection fits into our complete custom gym wear manufacturing process.

Dri-Fit Polyester Fabric for High-Performance Activewear

Dri-Fit polyester fabric, commonly produced from lightweight microfiber polyester, is widely used for moisture-wicking performance and quick-drying comfort. It helps move moisture away from the skin during physical activity while maintaining a lightweight feel.

Its durability, low moisture absorption, and easy-care properties make polyester a practical activewear fabric for training tops, sports jerseys, running apparel, and other high-intensity fitness clothing.

This type of performance fabric is also commonly used in fitted products such as custom rash guards, where moisture management, flexibility, and quick drying are important.

Cotton Single Jersey Fabric for Casual Fitness Clothing

Cotton single jersey is a soft, breathable knit fabric commonly used for gym T-shirts, tank tops, casual sportswear, and athleisure. It may be made from 100% cotton or blended with elastane or other fibers when additional stretch and recovery are needed.

The smooth surface and natural hand feel make jersey comfortable for everyday fitness clothing where softness and breathability are more important than highly technical moisture management.

Single jersey is especially suitable for products such as custom tank tops, lightweight gym shirts, casual training tops, and lifestyle activewear.

Terry Cotton Fabric for Gym Wear

Terry cotton fabric is a soft and absorbent material commonly used for gym wear that requires more weight and warmth than lightweight performance fabrics. Depending on the construction, cotton may be blended with polyester to improve durability, shape retention, and drying performance.

Its looped inner structure provides a comfortable feel while helping absorb moisture, making terry cotton suitable for sweatshirts, joggers, warm-up clothing, gym sets, and casual sportswear.

For comfort-focused fitness collections, terry cotton offers a useful balance between softness, breathability, and everyday durability.

Sweat Fleece Fabric for Fitness Apparel

Sweat fleece is a heavier fabric designed to provide warmth, softness, and insulation. Its brushed inner surface helps retain body heat, while the smoother outer surface can support printing, embroidery, and other garment decoration methods.

This activewear fabric is commonly used for gym hoodies, sweatshirts, joggers, tracksuits, pullovers, and cold-weather training layers.

Because fleece prioritizes insulation and comfort, it is generally better suited to warm-up apparel, recovery wear, winter gym clothing, and athleisure than high-intensity training garments.

Polyester Interlock Fabric for Athletic Clothing

Polyester interlock is a smooth double-knit fabric valued for durability, stability, flexibility, and shape retention. Its construction creates a consistent surface on both sides of the fabric while allowing comfortable movement.

Depending on the fiber blend and specification, interlock can also provide quick drying, moisture management, and additional stretch.

This type of stretch fabric is commonly used for training tops, leggings, compression garments, tracksuits, gym sets, and performance sportswear where movement and garment recovery are important.

Dazzle Fabric for Gym And Sportswear

Dazzle fabric is a lightweight polyester-based sportswear fabric recognized by its slightly shiny appearance and textured surface. Its athletic look and breathable construction have made it a common choice for teamwear and performance uniforms.

The fabric is frequently used for basketball jerseys, sports jerseys, gym shorts, team uniforms, and training kits.

For sportswear collections that require airflow, durability, and a distinctive athletic finish, dazzle fabric provides a practical alternative to smoother polyester constructions.

Piqué Cotton Fabric for Gym Polo Shirts and Athleisure

Piqué cotton features a textured knit structure that gives the fabric more body and surface definition than standard jersey. It can be manufactured from cotton or cotton-polyester blends depending on the desired feel, durability, and performance.

Its textured construction supports airflow while giving garments a cleaner and more structured appearance.

Piqué fabric is commonly used for gym polo shirts, tennis apparel, fitness club uniforms, staff apparel, and premium athleisure where comfort and presentation are equally important.

Wool and Wool-Blend Fabric for Active Lifestyle Outerwear

Wool and wool-blend fabrics are mainly suited to active lifestyle clothing and outerwear rather than high-intensity workout garments.

Their insulating properties help retain warmth, while the fabric's natural structure can provide a more substantial and premium appearance.

Wool and wool blends may be used for varsity jackets, winter outerwear, lifestyle jackets, and premium athleisure. The exact warmth, weight, texture, and durability depend on the fiber composition and blend selected for the garment.

Polyester Micro Mesh Fabric for Breathable Sportswear

Polyester micro mesh is a lightweight breathable fabric designed to improve airflow in sportswear and fitness clothing. Its open knitted structure allows heat and moisture to escape more easily than tightly constructed fabrics.

Polyester also helps provide durability and quick-drying performance, making micro mesh suitable for basketball jerseys, training tanks, sports vests, workout tops, team uniforms, and ventilation panels.

Micro mesh can also be combined with other activewear fabric constructions to create targeted ventilation areas in performance garments.

Sherpa Fabric for Cozy Gym Outerwear

Sherpa is a soft and insulating fabric commonly produced from polyester or polyester blends. Its plush, fleece-like surface is designed to provide warmth and comfort in colder conditions.

It is commonly used for gym jackets, fleece jackets, vests, winter activewear, lifestyle outerwear, and athleisure pieces.

Sherpa is more appropriate for recovery wear, cold-weather layers, and casual activewear than for high-intensity exercise where lightweight moisture management is the priority.

Flannel Fabric for Casual and Winter Fitness Apparel

Flannel is a soft brushed fabric commonly produced from cotton, polyester, or blended fibers. Its brushed surface creates additional warmth while retaining a comfortable hand feel.

Although it is not typically considered a technical performance fabric, flannel can be used in gym overshirts, lounge sets, casual joggers, winter athleisure, and active lifestyle clothing.

Its warmth and relaxed appearance make it useful for fitness brands developing apparel beyond traditional workout garments.

Non-Woven Fabric for Disposable and Supportive Fitness Products

Non-woven fabric is manufactured by bonding fibers rather than using a traditional knitted or woven construction. Polyester and polypropylene are among the materials commonly used for these fabrics.

Within fitness apparel and related products, non-woven materials can be used for protective covers, packaging components, linings, garment support layers, disposable products, and selected fitness accessories.

Non-woven materials serve a different function from conventional activewear fabric, but they can still support apparel production where lightweight, protective, or disposable materials are required.