What Are Performance Fabrics?
Christine Carson | Date posted: January 4th, 2012
You may be one of the millions of people who made a resolution about becoming more active this year. I think getting healthy and becoming more active is a fantastic resolution. In fact, it’s so great I make the same resolution every year! And with each passing year more and more fabrics become available that make adventures more comfortable and stylish. Long gone are the days of heavy bulky sweats and clammy t-shirts—thank goodness.
Performance fabrics (which are typically polyester) have a wide variety of practical and specialty uses that go beyond the properties of natural fabrics. A popular example of a breathable, moisture wicking performance fabric is CoolMax. This sweat-wicking fabric helps keep the wearer dry and comfortable even in extreme conditions. Other performance fabrics feature qualities such as: UV protection, breathability, antimicrobial protection, stain resistance, quick drying, anti-wrinkle and thermo-regulation. While the chemistry and engineering behind these fabrics may be complicated, the basic idea is simple: Performance fabrics have been specially treated and engineered on a molecular level to keep the wearer comfortable regardless of what you or Mother Nature may throw at it.
Tip: When sewing with a technical fabric you’ve never worked with before, be sure to do some online research first to find out if you should be using a different presser foot or needle.
The only downside to these advanced fabrics? You will have to step away from the sewing machine in order to follow through on your resolution to exercise more!
TAGS: Fabric, Sewing, Sewing Technique
Christine Carson
Sewing has always been a part of Christine's life, One of her earliest & fondest memories is that of her mother sewing in the family room. Christine started making doll clothes by hand at a...