Over the years, the outdoor market has become loaded with synthetic apparel, which shed tiny microfibers during laundering.
These tiny plastic fibers travel to waterways and end up in the fish people eat and the tap water they drink.
Companies are making eco-friendly apparel products made with natural fibers like cotton. While they are promoting sustainability they are also reducing the impacts of the industry’s products and processes.
Compared to synthetics like polyester and nylon, cotton active wear is considered to be more comfortable, versatile, sustainable, breathable and reliable.
Consumers love the natural feel of cotton. Most exercisers prefer cotton and cotton blended fibers. Trailing by a wide margin are polyester or recycled polyester, other synthetics like microfiber and rayon fibers, including viscose and Tencel.
Consumers like pulling on their active wear for things like hanging out at home, running errands, doing yard work, shopping or even sleeping. They are seeking out abrasion resistant technology in their active wear.
Consumers are also looking for active wear that is odor resistant, water repellent or has anti-microbial features. They seek out durability enhancement technology in their active wear. Those younger than 35 are significantly more likely than their older counterparts to do so.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Polyester volatility redraws India’s textile industry competitive map across Asi…
India’s synthetic textile industry has entered a phase of cost instability as polyester staple fibre (PSF) prices rise across domestic... Read more
The £7 Billion Question: Who pays for fashion’s ‘free rental’ habit?
The global fashion industry is facing an uncomfortable paradox: its most valuable customers may also be its most destructive. A... Read more
India, China Bangladesh face fresh headwinds as global apparel markets rebalance
Global apparel trade is entering a more uneven recovery phase, with demand growth persisting but losing uniform momentum across major... Read more
Global cotton enters a deficit year in 2026 as supply drop meets logistics risk
The global cotton economy has entered a fragile and sensitive phase. Early projections for the 2026-27 season suggest that world... Read more
India’s textile trade gets a Pacific push as New Zealand FTA removes tariff barr…
India and New Zealand have inked a ‘once-in-a-generation’ Free Trade Agreement (FTA), one that will have a profound impact on... Read more
Lululemon’s world-first nylon circularity push signals a new apparel arms race
The global apparel industry’s circularity narrative is entering a more technically demanding phase. Polyester recycling once the flagship of sustainable... Read more
Beyond the DTC Rush: Levi’s hybrid channel strategy sets a new retail benchmark
The global apparel sector is entering a phase where channel strategy is no longer a tactical lever but a core... Read more
The New Rules of Resale: EPR turning secondhand into fashion’s strategic growth …
The global fashion industry is facing a decisive regulatory and commercial reset. What began as a sustainability narrative around reuse... Read more
The 2027 Mandate: Why denim’s future hinges on verifiable data
For decades, the global denim industry has relied on a narrative of durability, heritage, and authenticity. That narrative is now... Read more
Europe’s textile core unravels as costs, imports and policy pressure bite
Europe’s textile and apparel sector, long seen as a benchmark for craftsmanship and industrial depth, is slipping into a prolonged... Read more












