You’re reading this because you’ve either got a prototype in your backpack, a Shopify store that just hit $50K MRR, or you’re losing sleep over your first bulk order. Maybe all three.
Good. You should be.
I’ve spent the last twelve years knee-deep in fabric mills, dye houses, and QC lines across China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. I’ve seen brands blow up overnight—and collapse just as fast—because someone picked the wrong damn fiber for their yoga pants.
This isn’t a textbook. It’s not even advice. It’s field notes. Scraps. Things I’ve written on napkins, yelled into walkie-talkies, scribbled during 3 a.m. calls with panicked founders who thought “moisture-wicking” was magic dust they could sprinkle on polyester.
We’re going through 11 fabrics. Not because there aren’t more—but because these are the ones that show up on our cutting tables at Fexwear again and again. We started in Wuhan back in 2010, originally just stitching jerseys for local clubs. Now? We handle private-label sportswear for startups and micro-brands worldwide, from Instagram influencers to college teams selling out pop-ups in Brooklyn.
Low MOQs. Fast samples. Full production. Shipping to anywhere. And yeah—we’ve burned batches, missed deadlines, and had clients scream over WhatsApp because their “premium cotton” shirts shrank 15% after one wash.
So let’s talk fabric. Real talk.
Cotton
Cotton is everywhere. Cheap? Yes. Easy to work with? Hell yes. But also the most misunderstood fabric in the game.
I walked into a factory in Jiangsu last year—mid-audit—and found a stack of 5,000 black crewnecks piled like bricks. Client wanted “soft, breathable cotton tees.” They got them. But no pre-shrink treatment. Zero. By the time they landed in Denver, every single one had shrunk unevenly. Collars pulled. Seams cracked. The buyer had to eat 10% returns. Lost trust. Never reordered.
Cotton will shrink. Always. Doesn’t matter if it’s organic or conventional. If you don’t treat it, it’ll betray you.
At Fexwear, we run a simple rule: pre-shrink everything, even if the client pushes back on cost. A $0.15/sq yard surcharge beats a $7,000 loss in dead inventory.
And don’t get me started on blends. I’ve seen “cotton-rich” fabrics that were 60% polyester labeled as “natural feel.” Misleading? Absolutely. Common? Scarily so.
If you’re doing basics—tees, hoodies, joggers—cotton works. But only if you control the process. Know your GSM. Test shrinkage before cutting. And for god’s sake, don’t skip the compaction finish.
One of our buyers last year insisted on saving $0.20/yd by skipping it. Result? 8% return rate on a 10K-unit drop. That’s $9,200 down the drain—just in restocking and shipping. Profit margin gone.
Bottom line: cotton is honest. But only if you treat it right.
Check our catalog —we’ve got cotton styles starting at 300 MOQ, but only after we walk you through the prep steps. Otherwise, you’re gambling.
Linen
Linen is the summer fabric that thinks it’s a mood.
It breathes. It dries fast. It feels expensive. But it wrinkles like your grandma’s face when you ask for money.
I had a brand come to us—high-end athleisure, targeting yoga studios in California. They wanted linen-blend tank tops. “Luxury feel,” they said. “Natural aesthetic.”
We warned them: linen pills. It snags. It doesn’t stretch. And if you don’t blend it right, it’ll fall apart after two washes.
They ignored us. Went with a 70% linen / 30% rayon mix from a third-party mill. First batch arrived—beautiful drape, crisp hand feel. Second wash? Pilling city. One model wore it for a photoshoot, sat for five minutes, and the side seam split.
We caught this in a mid-line audit in 2023. Batch scrapped. $4,800 down the drain.
Here’s what works: linen-polyester-spandex tri-blends. 55/35/10. Holds shape. Wicks sweat. Survives washing. Looks clean.
But it’s not cheap. Linen yarn costs nearly double cotton. And good retting (that’s the process where flax stalks are soaked to separate fibers)? Takes time. Rush it, and the fiber strength tanks.
We source ours from Hebei. Small mill. Family-run. They do mechanical retting, low chemical load. OEKO-TEX certified. Yeah, lead time’s longer—4 weeks instead of 2—but the consistency? Worth it.
If you’re serious about linen, go sustainable or go home. And read our fabric recommendations page —we break down exact blends for performance wear.
Wool
Wool is not for the faint-hearted.
Not the kind you find in discount winter hats. I’m talking merino. Shetland. RWS-certified stuff.
A client once asked us to make wool-blend running tights. Running. In July. In Texas.
I laughed. Then I showed them moisture regain stats.
Wool can absorb 30% of its weight in moisture before feeling wet. It regulates temperature. It resists odor. But—big but—it doesn’t wick like synthetic fibers. It traps heat. Great for alpine hikes. Terrible for HIIT classes.
We tested a 70% merino / 30% nylon blend for base layers. GSM 180. Worked beautifully… until it hit the dryer. High heat? Felted the hell out of it. Shrunk 22%. Ruined.
Now we enforce cold wash-only labels and educate clients hard. No exceptions.
Also—wool sourcing is a minefield.
Animal welfare matters. Not just ethically, but legally. Major retailers now demand RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) certification. No cert? Your product gets rejected at Nordstrom’s dock.
We had a supplier in Inner Mongolia last year claim their wool was “free-range.” Turns out, zero traceability. No audits. We dropped them. Cost us a week of delays, but saved our reputation.
Pro tip: if you’re using wool, partner with a manufacturer who vets their farms. At Fexwear, we only work with mills that provide full chain-of-custody docs. It’s non-negotiable.
Silk
Silk is a diva.
Expensive. Delicate. Gorgeous. But in activewear? Almost never worth it.
I saw a startup spend $18K on custom silk-lined sports bras. Hand-dyed. Made-to-order. Looked incredible in flat lays.
First real-world test? Sweat. Body oils. Washing machine.
Destroyed.
Silk loses 20% of its tensile strength when wet. Stretch it while damp? Snaps. Expose it to alkaline detergents? Degrades. UV light? Fades fast.
It’s not indestructible. It’s fragile luxury.
But here’s where it can work: lining for high-end outerwear. Think windbreakers. Lightweight jackets. Even collars on premium polos.
We did a limited run for a boutique brand in Oslo—silk-trimmed hoods on recycled nylon shells. Hand-stitched. 500 units. Lasted three seasons with proper care.
But mass market? Forget it.
And don’t believe the “silk-infused” nonsense. That’s marketing fluff. Either it’s silk, or it’s not.
If you want the feel without the fragility, go Tencel™ Modal. Same drape. Better durability. Biodegradable. Processed in closed-loop systems.
We use Lenzing-certified Tencel at Fexwear. Costs more, but fewer returns. Check our sustainable fabric guide for specs.
Viscose
Viscose is the wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Looks like silk. Feels like heaven. Costs half as much.
But how it’s made? That’s the dirty secret.
Most viscose is processed using carbon disulfide—a toxic chemical that harms workers and pollutes waterways. I’ve been inside mills where the air stung your eyes. Workers without masks. Drainpipes dumping into rivers.
That’s why certifications matter. FSC for wood pulp origin. OEKO-TEX for finished fabric safety.
We had a batch rejected by SGS last year—viscose dresses for a European eco-brand. Traces of heavy metals. Supplier cut corners. We lost the client.
Now? We only source viscose from mills with closed-loop processing. Few exist. But they do.
Lenzing’s EcoVero™ is legit. 50% less water, 50% lower emissions than standard viscose. Fully traceable. More expensive? Yes. But retailers pay a premium for verified eco-materials.
And performance-wise? Viscose wicks okay. Breathes well. But it stretches poorly. Wrinkles easy. And if blended wrong, it pills like crazy.
Best use? Loose-fit tops. Summer dresses. Linings.
Avoid it in high-friction areas—like underarms or inner thighs. We saw pilling in 30% of a 2K-unit run of sleeveless blouses. Client blamed us. Took three months to rebuild trust.
Lesson: viscose needs respect. And oversight.
Polyester
Ah, polyester. The backbone of 80% of what we produce at Fexwear.
Synthetic. Petroleum-based. Non-biodegradable.
But also: durable. Moisture-wicking. Affordable.
And yes—everybody hates it until they need it.
Let’s get real: if you’re making activewear, you’re using polyester. Deny it all you want, but physics wins.
We ran a test across 14 sports categories—running, HIIT, yoga, cycling. Best-performing fabric in 12 of them? Polyester-spandex blend.
Specifically: 78–82% polyester, 18–22% spandex.
Below 75% poly? Wicking drops off a cliff. Above 85%? Too stiff. No recovery.
For running and HIIT? 80/20 with textured yarns. Increases surface area. Boosts evaporation.
Yoga? 78/22. More stretch. Better four-way give.
Swimwear? 75/25—but swap spandex for PBT (polybutylene terephthalate). Holds shape in chlorine. Lasts 3x longer.
Denier matters too:
We had a client insist on 20D for leggings. “Lighter = better,” they said.
After 10 washes? Thinned out. Snagged on zippers. 12% return rate.
Stick to the formula.
And if you want sustainable? Go GRS-certified recycled polyester.
Made from PET bottles. Same performance. 10–15% price bump. But retailers pay 25–30% more for certified eco-gear.
We’ve used ECONYL® too—regenerated nylon from fishing nets. Solid for swim and outerwear. Just watch for microplastic shedding. Always recommend a Guppyfriend bag in the care label.
Hemp
Hemp is the fabric that should’ve taken over by now.
Stronger than cotton. Resists mold. Needs almost no water. Grows like a weed—literally.
And yet? Still niche.
Why? Two reasons: texture and supply chain.
Raw hemp is coarse. Scratchy. Feels like burlap. You can’t slap it on a hoodie and call it premium.
But process it right? Blend it?
We did a 60/40 hemp-poly blend for trail running shorts. GSM 220. Brushed finish. Felt like soft canvas. Survived mud, thorns, and 50 washes.
Client loved it.
But sourcing? Nightmare.
Few mills know how to decorticate hemp properly. Most send it to India or Eastern Europe. Long lead times. Quality varies.
We finally locked in a supplier in Hunan. Small batch. Organic. GOTS-certified. But MOQ is 1,500 yards. Not ideal for startups.
Still—hemp retains color better than anything. No fading. And it gets softer with wear.
If you’re building a brand around sustainability, hemp is worth the hassle.
Just don’t expect miracles from unprocessed fiber.
Mesh
Mesh is the unsung hero of performance gear.
Not for the whole garment. But for venting zones? Critical.
We put mesh panels under arms, along spine, behind knees. Lets heat escape. Reduces sweat buildup.
But not all mesh is equal.
Cheap polyester mesh? Clogs after six washes. Loses breathability.
Nylon mesh? Better. Stronger. But pricier.
We tested RET (Resistance to Evaporation) values across five mesh types. Best performer? Knitted nylon-spandex, 88/12 blend. RET under 12. Felt like air.
Worst? Woven poly-mesh from a no-name supplier. RET 28. Basically plastic wrap.
One of our buyers skipped testing. Used the cheap stuff. Got slammed with reviews: “felt like a sauna.”
We now run 3-Zone Tests on every roll—beginning, middle, end. Saw wicking speed vary up to 40% in one batch. Caught it before cutting.
Don’t skip QC.
Crepe
Crepe is weird.
Usually silk or wool. Crinkled texture. Drapes like liquid.
In sportswear? Rare.
But we’ve used it in limited-edition track jackets—lightweight, semi-formal, for urban runners who want to look sharp post-workout.
Wool crepe holds shape. Resists wrinkles. But it’s dry-clean only. Not practical for mass market.
Silk crepe? Too delicate.
So unless you’re doing capsule collections, skip it.
Not worth the risk.
Jersey
Jersey is the people’s fabric.
Cotton jersey. Poly-jersey. Rayon-viscose blends.
Stretchy. Soft. Opaque. Absorbent.
Perfect for t-shirts, tank tops, lightweight hoodies.
We use it in 60% of our teamwear orders.
But quality varies wildly.
I’ve seen jersey with 4% elastane that lost recovery after 15 washes. Also seen 2% spandex hold shape for 70+ cycles.
Secret? Covered elastane core yarn. Protects the spandex from abrasion and oxidation.
Also—knit tension. Too loose? Baggy after one wear.
We run every jersey batch through stretch recovery tests. Must rebound >95%. If not, we reject.
And always check shade banding. Unroll 3 yards continuous. Found a dye-lot shift once—subtle, but visible in sunlight. Would’ve looked like a defect in group photos.
Jersey seems simple. It’s not.
Spandex
Spandex is the glue.
Without it, activewear doesn’t move.
But here’s the thing: spandex degrades.
UV light. Chlorine. Heat. Repeated stretching.
We had a yoga brand lose $220K because their spandex broke down after 6 months. Not the fabric—just the elastic. Pants stretched out, never recovered.
Cause? Poor stabilizers in the yarn. Supplier cut costs.
Now we specify Lycra Xtra Life or ROICA™ v550—both chlorine- and heat-resistant.
Costs more. But lasts.
And don’t go above 25% spandex. Ever.
More than that, and the fabric fights the body. Feels restrictive. Also harder to sew—need special needles, slower stitch speeds.
Stick to 18–22% for most uses.
And always test seam slippage. High-spandex fabrics pull at stitches. We run ASTM D434 tests pre-shipment.
One factory tried to save time. Skipped it. 300 units had popped seams. Had to rework onsite.
Waste of time. Waste of money.
Alright, I’ve got to get back to chasing a dye-lot issue. That’s enough for now.
FAQs
What material is similar to silk?
Tencel™ Modal. Same drape, better durability. We switched a client from silk to Modal last year—cut returns by 60%.
Which fabric creates a formal appearance?
Wool crepe or fine polyester twill. But only if cut right. Bad pattern = cheap look, no matter the fabric.
What’s the most durable fabric?
Hemp. Four times stronger than cotton. But only if processed correctly. Raw hemp? Scratchy as hell.
Best for moisture wicking?
80/20 polyester-spandex. Textured yarns help. We saw this exact failure in 2 factories last year—using smooth filament. Wicking dropped 40%.
Cotton vs. Organic Cotton?
Same fiber. Different farming. Organic uses no synthetic pesticides, less water. GOTS-certified? Safer for skin, better for planet. But still shrinks. Still needs pre-treatment.
Does recycled polyester perform like virgin?
Yes—if it’s GRS-certified. We’ve tested side-by-side. No difference in strength or wicking. Only difference? $0.18/yd more.
You’ve heard my war stories. Now I want yours.
Ever had a fabric fail spectacularly? Or found a hidden gem no one talks about?
Hit reply. Let’s compare scars.
Or if you’re ready to stop guessing and start producing, let’s talk . We’ll walk you through every step—from fiber to fulfillment.