What the Heck Does Performance Fabric Actually Mean?

 Hieroglyphics? Maybe! After all, the Egyptians were supposed to be forward thinking. When I was in the 3rd grade we watched video about the 21st century. It was like a scene from the Jetson's, we all thought our plates would mold for dinner and instantly a meal would appear. While we did get the microwave and we have robotic dogs as toys, the 21st century did not deliver! 

I don't know about you, but many of these terms for apparel can be quite confusing. How does a fabric become labeled performance? How does it actually perform? The symbols shown are actually to help us navigate the apparel's performance, hieroglyphics if you will to help us determine what will match our needs.

Our team member Sara has put together a handy list to help you decipher the codes:
 
Moisture Wicking

If you want to have the best performing apparel, you will want to consider fabrics with moisture wicking technology. You don’t want a product that has a ‘finish’ on the outside of the fabric, this will eventually wear off after multiple washes. You will want a fully synthetic material, like polyesters.

Heat Retention

When considering certain fabrics for warmth, heavier fabrics aren’t always better. New technology allows for fabrics to be much lighter and yet just as warm as say wool or a polyurethane coated material. A synthetic textile holds more heat inside hollow core yarns which allows air to get trapped and warmed by body temperature.

UV Protection

If you work long hours outdoors, you know that UV protection is a must. When looking for protection from the sun, a long sleeve light colored fabric with a 50+ rating will give you the most protection. Dark colors absorb UV rays and will only make you overheat, although, they offer greater protection against sunburns.

Insect Protection

For this type of fabric, you want to look out for products that are EPA regulated and are 100 percent effective. An example would be Insect Shield®. It binds a proprietary permethrin formula tightly to fabric fibers—resulting in effective, odorless insect protection that lasts the expected lifetime of apparel. This type of technology works best for clients who work outside daily.

Antimicrobial

Antimicrobial fabrics and textiles are fiber-based materials to which antimicrobial agents have been applied at the surface, or incorporated into the fibers, making a no-stink product. Polyester fabrics with an antimicrobial agent are very popular and cost effective. Some fibers like merino wool have naturally occurring antimicrobial agents. Merino wool is not the typical wool you think of that is itchy and thick. It is considerably soft, has small, smooth fibers and is wearable year-round.

*Source taken from PPAI Media/PPB Magazine October 2017