These are the future materials in the sports clothing industry

Future Materials in Sports Clothing

The sports clothing industry leads the way in textile innovation. Countless new clothing trends have emerged from the world of sports apparel. Think compression clothing, sustainable polyester, breathable suits, and seamless fabrics. We’d like to share our vision of the future, particularly regarding the materials used in the sports clothing industry.

Sustainable Materials

First and foremost, we notice a significant focus on sustainable fabrics. Consumers increasingly demand sustainable products and are highly conscious of the environmental impact of their choices. As a supplier of sports clothing, it’s imperative to seek out high-quality fabrics. For example, there are already many sustainable alternatives available in the realm of polyester. At TD, we already use some of these sustainable materials in our cycling shirts and running shirts.

Check here to see which products these are. However, we must be honest and say that we’ve noticed the broader market isn’t quite ready yet. Sustainable fabrics are currently more expensive, and it’s uncertain whether production in small quantities is much better for the environment.

Smart Fabrics

Currently, there are fabrics available that protect you from falling in the cycling world. This prevents abrasions, reducing the energy your body expends on recovery, allowing you to cycle again the next day. Handy for teams participating in long races. Additionally, in the near future, we expect fabrics that react to body temperature. Think of fabrics that adjust their structure, allowing your body to release more or less heat and moisture.

Seamless Fabrics

Nobody wants chafing seams, especially in high-level sports, where perfect-fitting clothing is essential. Seamless fabrics are expected to become widespread, especially as 3D printing technology advances. The fewer seams a garment has, the better you can move, and the faster you’ll be.

More Breathable Than Ever

We’ve come a long way in this area, but we believe even more breathable products will hit the market. Currently, rain jackets pose a significant challenge. They need to keep the rain out while wicking away sweat from the inside. At present, this isn’t possible, but we’ll witness the development of membranes that can achieve this. It would be a huge leap forward for outdoor sportswear and the comfort of these products.

Additionally, we’ll see athletes wearing ultra-thin clothing to benefit even more from cooling. Think of it as the race to make bikes increasingly lighter. Clothing, too, must become lighter to enhance performance.

Aerodynamics

Extensive testing with clothing and fabrics in wind tunnels is ongoing to create the perfect airflow. Fast suits for cyclists, triathletes, and runners can make a difference of tens of seconds over longer distances. But this will also become important in football, as less air resistance means less energy expended and better performance. We expect the focus on creating aero materials to only increase.

Compression Materials

Compression clothing has always been intended to reduce air resistance, making you faster. However, we’re seeing increasing research into the benefits of compression clothing. Therefore, we expect to see other variations of compression clothing in the coming years, offering very specific compression. This will be necessary to trigger muscles to exert themselves or stimulate faster recovery. Or to accelerate or improve blood flow. All of this to gain seconds.

Advanced Chamois

In the cycling world, we currently have chamois with 2 to 3 layers. However, we also see a trend towards making chamois seamless and cutting them from one piece. With the rise of 3D printing, we expect all chamois for cycling to be cut from one piece within a few years. This means it will fit even better to the body and provide even better support.

Did you know that at TD, we also focus on these topics? We make all kinds of custom clothing, taking into account the latest trends. Check here to see which sports we make clothing for.