Get your school’s athletic program ready for the upcoming fall season with the very best of the best when it comes to eco-friendly sportswear fabrics!
The athletic fabric industry has continued to see all sorts of changes in recent years towards green practices that reduce many different textile wastes, and eco-friendly fabrics are now making major fashion statements for athletic programs all across America.
When your school’s athletic department invests in eco-friendly sportswear, you’ll show that you care about the environment and also want to keep your athletes comfortable and stylish at the same time!
Below are some of the most eco-friendly sportswear fabrics that are trending this fall:
Recycled Cotton
Recycled cotton is a very sustainable sportswear fabric that’s even more eco-friendly than organic cotton, which is mainly due to the minimal amount of textile waste.
Recycled cotton is developed via consumer cotton waste, and it’s a very comfortable material for athletic apparel. And when just one ton of cotton gets recycled, over 200,000 gallons of water are saved!
Some of the key features associated with recycled cotton apparel include:
- Biodegradable
- Lightweight
- Durable & long-lasting
- Very soft
Organic Hemp
Hemp has always been a go-to athletic apparel fabric, and this is because it’s durable, sweatproof and lightweight. Organic hemp is also 100% natural and renewable, and it’s a growing fabric trend across the entire country for several different types of sports.
Some of the key features of organic hemp include:
- Antibacterial
- Biodegradable
- Hypoallergenic
- Breathable & lightweight
- Completely natural
Recycled Polyester
Recycled polyester is incredibly popular within the sustainable athletic apparel industry, and a lot of recycled polyester will also include blends of high-quality spandex and elastane. Most synthetic fibers will come with an exorbitant amount of industrial waste, which of course isn’t eco-friendly, but recycled polyester is a great alternative to reduce water usage, pollutants and other natural resources.
Recycled polyester is very sustainable, and is a popular sportswear option for many athletic teams. Some of the key features of recycled polyester include:
- Long-lasting
- Resilient
- Highly elastic
- Water-absorbent
- Reusable
Recycled Nylon
This is another really great synthetic option, and it’s known throughout the athletic apparel industry as a high-quality, durable fiber. Recycled nylon is also a popular option for athleisure apparel and swimwear.
It comes from consumer and post-industrial waste, which is then blended with elastane and spandex to make it very stretchable and breathable. The one eco-conscious drawback to this fabric is that it generally requires a lot of manufacturing resources to produce.
The key features of recycled nylon include:
- Eco-friendly
- Flexible & soft
- Durable
- Water absorbent
- Minimal upkeep required
Viscose Rayon
Rayon comes in a few different types, but viscose rayon is the go-to option for sportswear due to being from natural products. All viscose rayon is developed using natural and renewable resources.
Some of the key features associated with viscose rayon include:
- Lightweight
- Soft texture
- Durable
- Quick drying
- Recyclable
- Moisture absorbent
Bioplastics & Biosynthetics
Athletic apparel fibers are also now being extracted from biosynthetic materials and bioplastics, and these sustainable fibers are great for high-quality sportswear.
With today’s technology, these athletic fabrics are created entirely from recycled materials. Some of the key features include:
- Flexible
- Durable
- Renewable
- Soft texture
- Water absorbent
- Eco-friendly
Polypropylene
These flexible, lightweight materials also have a ton of strength to sustain even the toughest of athletic workouts! Polypropylene is also hydrophobic, so it makes for good base layers and breathable training shirts when the weather is hot.
A lot of athletes love polypropylene fabrics because they’re comfortable and stain-resistant. Some of the key features of polypropylene fabrics include:
- Durable
- Biodegradable
- Soft, thin texture
- Lightweight
Reach Out To The ARES Sportswear Team To Learn More About Our Eco-Friendly Athletic Apparel Fabrics!
It’s understandable if you aren’t quite sure which eco-friendly athletic apparel is right for you and your team, which is why you can always count on our experts to help you narrow down your best options.
ARES Sportswear has remained committed to being a part of the solution when it comes to the ecological impacts of apparel manufacturing, and we’ll be more than happy to help you embrace these solutions as well. Contact us online to get in touch with our sportswear specialists and learn more about the eco-friendly apparel options we have within our vast online inventory!
