difference in athletic performance fabrics

Which Athletic Performance Fabrics Should I Wear?

As sportswear and athletic performance gear has become more and more popular, with more people than ever before investing in purpose-built products for running, walking or going to the gym, it’s no wonder that over time athletic performance fabrics in all shapes and sizes have become available on the market; each with their own unique benefits and properties.

So, what are the differences between different athletic performance fabrics, and how does that affect how suitable they are for your needs? If you’re considering branded clothing for marathons, running or any other sporting activity, especially when it comes to being able to design your own t-shirts, knowing what each fabric is best for your purposes is a must.

Read on to find out more about the differences between athletic performance fabrics to make your own t-shirt that’s suitable for just about any activity you throw at it.

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50/50 Cotton and Polyester Jersey Shirts

Comfortable, convenient, and not immediately visible as sportswear, 50/50 shirts are the ultimate way to wear something that’s sports-suitable without going all-out with the athleisure look. A common choice for creating customer t-shirts for varsity purposes or similar, these shirts are plain, simple, and easy to wear. While these jersey t-shirts might not be entirely as suited to heavy exercise – and after time sweat stains may show – the level of comfort they provide makes them ideal for light to moderate exercise days or events.

Our short-sleeved baseball jersey, for example, offers excellent customizability when it comes to being able to design your own t-shirt, without looking too sporty. Available in ten different shades – five with a white base and five grey – there are plenty of options available, in sizes S-3XL, making a custom jersey shirt the perfect choice for customized baseball league t-shirts or similar workplace-friendly tournaments. Combined with sports-suitable joggers or shorts, this t-shirt could be the ideal option for summer sports that aren’t too strenuous.

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100% Polyester Moisture Wicking Shirts

For more intense activity or consistent sports, such as running, soccer or even simply walking long distances, a shirt with higher athletic performance is a must to remain cool, calm and collected no matter how tired you are on the inside. Shirts made from performance polyester are designed with athletics in mind, and as such, they have excellent properties such as moisture wicking to help make all that exercise a little more bearable. The perfect choice for designing a custom t-shirt for marathon running or similar, these shirts are light, bright, and print perfectly in a whole range of different designs of your choosing.

One example of the polyester sports-suitable shirts we sell are the core performance™ adult short sleeve t-shirts, designed with performance in mind – after all, it’s in the name. With built-in anti-microbial properties and moisture wicking technology, these shirts are ideally suited for getting moving and come in a rainbow of different colors from S-3XL. Ideally designed for bright, beautiful printing, these shirts are perfect for anything from custom name t-shirts to designing a t-shirt for a specific event or day out. Whatever cause you choose, these light, comfortable shirts will see you through.

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100% Polyester RacerMesh Shirts

Much like other 100% polyester shirts, those made in a mesh design hold all of the same favorable properties, including anti-microbial design and moisture wicking included as standard. But for those serious about their sports, the mesh finish provides an extra layer of athletic professionalism and helps to keep you cool even for the most difficult or high-impact of games, from the first minute to the last. Often bright in color, with some designs also available in neon shades, these shirts are as comfortable as they are eye-catching, making them a novel choice when it comes to trying to design your own t-shirt for an upcoming activity day or athletic event.

The Sport-Tek PosiCharge RacerMesh t-shirt from our athletic range ticks all the boxes as a mesh-based polyester shirt option, and is available in a range of highlighter-bright shades as well as some more muted options to suit just about any color palette or style choice. Being made of pure polyester, these shirts are also ideal for bold, clear printing on a range of designs, making them instantly recognizable from a distance. Of course, all the typical athletic shirt features are included – with the mesh-style design even adding an extra cooling factor that’s much-needed during sporting events.

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65/35 Polyester and Cotton Blended Performance Shirts

If comfort is your ultimate goal from sportswear, rather than efficiency, then blended cotton and polyester shirts are the ideal choice. To further increase that comfort factor, balancing the scales towards polyester can offer a shirt that might not be practical for high-impact exercise, but is both warm and comfortable to wear during cold weather or for low-impact sports such as sponsored walks or similar. Designed after the most traditional daily-wear t-shirt, this option is more polyester based than the 50/50 option, but still holds much of the comfort of those shirts with a more lightweight feel.

The Port & Company essential blended performance tee is an excellent example of a blended shirt, with DryZone technology included to help with moisture wicking and a range of different colors available to match just about any event and requirement. For single color prints or text-heavy designs, these shirts are ideal, thanks to their low creasing factor and range of dark and light tones. Available in an S-4XL, there are also plenty of options to suit any size, making them ideal for more laid-back events or sports competitions.


Which performance fabrics are best suited to your requirements? It all depends on the purpose of the custom t-shirt designs. For high-impact marathons or assault courses, opting for 100% polyester is the most suitable, especially during the warmer month; while for more low-key walks or family-based events, choosing cotton-blended shirts offers the most versatility and opportunity for re-wear.

If you’re interested in creating custom t-shirts for your upcoming event or branded sports day, then contact us today via our handy live chat feature, our contact page, or give us a call at 925.829.3950 to discover how we can help you create branded clothing that’s perfectly designed for purpose. We’re always happy to help.

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