Knowledge Hub
Gymwear & Materials
Premium gymwear cannot be reduced to one attribute. Fabric weight, fibre and yarn, fit, seam and print construction, and production quality all influence how a garment drapes, feels and ages.
Here you’ll find carefully explained information on gymwear and training apparel, from fabric weight to cuts and print methods. The goal is to judge concrete attributes more clearly rather than infer quality from a logo, price, country of manufacture or one material label alone.
Fundamentals
The starting point: what quality in gym wear can actually be judged by.
Materials
Fibres, yarns and knits, and what sets them apart when worn.
Glossary
GSM (fabric weight)
GSM stands for grams per square meter, the weight of a fabric per square meter.
Glossary
Heavyweight Cotton
Heavyweight cotton is an informal market label for comparatively heavy cotton fabrics; there is no universally binding GSM threshold for the term.
Glossary
Ringspun Cotton
Ringspun cotton refers to cotton yarn produced with ring spinning; the term describes the yarn-production method rather than the quality of the finished garment by itself.
Glossary
Combed Cotton
Combed cotton is cotton whose fibers are aligned and stripped of shorter fibers with fine combs before spinning.
Glossary
Jersey
Jersey is a stretchy knitted fabric that forms the basis of most t-shirts.
Glossary
French Terry
French terry is a jersey fabric with a smooth outside and small, uncut loops on the inside.
Glossary
Loopback (Loopback Jersey)
Loopback is a jersey fabric with a smooth outside and an inside made of uncut loops.
Glossary
Organic Cotton
Organic cotton is cotton from certified organic farming, grown without synthetic pesticides or genetically modified plants.
Glossary
OEKO-TEX (general)
OEKO-TEX is an international testing label that checks textiles for substances harmful to health.
Construction & Finishing
Seams, printing and dyeing: the details that decide how long a piece lasts.
Guide
Screen Printing vs Embroidery: Which Decoration Method Lasts Longer?
Compare screen printing and embroidery across appearance, feel, durability, care and suitability for different designs.
~8 min read
Glossary
Seam Construction
Seam construction describes how the fabric pieces of a garment are stitched together, from a simple overlock to double topstitching.
Glossary
Screen Printing
Screen printing is a print method that presses ink through a fine mesh screen directly onto fabric.
Glossary
Embroidery
Embroidery is a method where designs are stitched into the fabric with yarn.
Glossary
DTG (Direct-to-Garment)
DTG is a print method where a specialised textile printer sprays ink directly onto the fabric, comparable to an inkjet printer.
Glossary
DTF (Direct-to-Film)
DTF is a print method where artwork is printed onto a film first and then transferred to the fabric with heat and pressure.
Glossary
Puff Print
Puff print is a screen-printing variant where the ink expands under heat, creating a raised 3D relief.
Glossary
Reactive Dyeing
Reactive dyeing is a dye process in which the dye forms a chemical bond with the cotton fiber.
Glossary
Pigment Dyeing
Pigment dyeing fixes color pigments to the fiber surface with a binder, without the pigment chemically reacting with the fiber.
Glossary
Garment Wash / Garment Dye
Garment wash or garment dye refers to processes in which the already sewn garment is washed or dyed.
Fit
Cuts and proportions, which fit suits which body and occasion.
Guide
Oversized Fit vs Athletic Fit: Which Fit Is Right for You?
Compare oversized and athletic fits through cut, proportions, movement and concrete garment measurements.
~7 min read
Glossary
Athletic Fit
Athletic fit is a cut with more room across shoulders, chest and arms and a slight taper toward the waist.
Glossary
Slim Fit
Slim fit is a tight, body-conscious cut with narrow sleeves and waist.
Glossary
Oversized
Oversized refers to cuts intentionally wider and longer than the marked size would suggest.
Glossary
Drop Shoulder
Drop shoulder is a cut detail where the shoulder seam intentionally falls below the actual shoulder line.
Care
Washing, drying, storing: how shape, colour and print are preserved.
Guide
How to Care for Gym Clothes: Washing, Drying and Storage
How to wash, dry and store training apparel in line with its material, decoration and care label.
~9 min read
Glossary
Shrinkage
Shrinkage is the reduction of a textile’s length or width after washing.
Glossary
Dimensional Stability
Dimensional stability describes how well a garment retains its original measurements and cut after washing and wear.
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