"A new report titled, “Activewear Market by Product and Fabric: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2017-2024,” by Allied Market Research reveals, the global activewear market, currently valued at $351,164 million in 2017, is expected to reach $546,802 million by 2024."

A new report titled, “Activewear Market by Product and Fabric: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2017-2024,” by Allied Market Research reveals, the global activewear market, currently valued at $351,164 million in 2017, is expected to reach $546,802 million by 2024.

Growth in demand has led to several innovations in the segment, especially in fabrics. Brands are using fabrics with innovative features such as moisture wicking properties and an ability to protect against UV radiation besides offering freedom of movement. Some of these innovative fabrics driving the athleisure market include:

Fabrics for inner lining

The first innovative fabric to be introduced includes the Knitted 3-Layer High Pile. This fabric can either be used as an inner lining or as a decorative accent on the outer face. The knitted 3-layer high pile keeps pile fibers firmly in place without spending extra time and effort on lamination. This simplifies the production process besides lightening the fabric, making it ideal for athleisure applications. This helps manufacturers save time and money, without sacrificing quality. Also, each of these layers can use a different material type — for example, a soft cotton lining and a UV protective fabric shell — optimizing function and comfort for outdoor sport enthusiasts.

Fabrics to add support

Sculpted spacer fabrics add the required padding and support to women sports bras, vests, and tank tops that are being increasingly accepted not just for athletic activity, but also for daily wear. The spacer fabric technology helps manufacturers knit in correspondence to the natural size and shape of women’s bodies, enhancing comfort with form-fitting support. Rather than attaching padding after the sports bra is sewn, the sculpted spacer is sewn all at once, eliminating several steps of the production process.

Providing the required elasticity and compression

Quadro Stretch, the latest version of the 4-way stretch fabrics, provides variant elasticity and compression to prepare muscles before exercise and release tension during and after exercise. By changing the proportion of spandex, brands can adjust elasticity according to individual consumer demands.

Maintaining dryness and warmth

Spacer Jacquard fabrics provide all the functionalities to an athlete. They maintain dryness, warmth and protect them from various elements. Furthermore, these fabrics prevent impact-related injuries such as broken or fractured bones.

A lightweight fabric that cuts processing time

Swiss Fleece has a double-layer structure — soft-napped on the inside with jacquard pattern on the outside — that can be woven simultaneously, cutting the time and cost of processing, and keeping the fabric lightweight. It works best when worn over a moisture-wicking base layer material like merino wool, and under a waterproof and/or windproof shell. It is a highly breathable fabric.

Retaining color, pattern durability

Unlike printed fabrics, that peel off and fade over time, the intarsia fabrics retain their vibrant colors and patterns for much longer, since the design is knit into the fabric itself rather than just pasted on the top. As brands are looking for new ways to embed their logos into athletic gear — and designers remain on the lookout for techniques that can create a unique look — intarsia is likely to make a big impact in the 2019 athleisure market.