Home → Blog → Resources → 8 Benefits of Moisture-Wicking Workout Clothes – Stay Cool During Your Workout
With the emergence of powerful additive textile technologies and treatments, the activewear and performance apparel market has undergone significant change over the last decade. In large part, this is due to growing consumer demand for clothing that not only looks the part but also delivers measurable performance benefits. Among the many developments within the sector, the increased use of moisture-wicking fabrics and technologies is particularly noteworthy.
While some materials, such as merino wool, naturally feature moisture-wicking capabilities, not all do. But a new generation of textile treatments, spearheaded by Polygiene® StayCool, is bringing moisture-wicking performance and advanced thermo-regulatory capacity to a wider range of fabrics.
In this article, we examine the principal benefits of moisture-wicking workout clothing. We also examine how Polygiene StayCool enhances moisture-wicking performance and the advantage of cooling workout clothes. For a more comprehensive overview of what moisture-wicking textiles are and where you can find them, check out our What is Moisture Wicking Clothing? article.
First and foremost, moisture-wicking fabrics improve temperature regulation by moving moisture away from the skin to the material’s outer layer. Evaporation requires heat energy and, consequently, reduces temperatures. The more readily evaporation takes place, the easier it is to stay cool. As such, moisture-wicking fabrics are an excellent means of lowering your body temperature.
Lower body temperatures also translate to improved athletic performance. Higher body temperatures inhibit the body’s ability to achieve maximal performance, as they force it to divert energy away from critical performance systems and direct it toward cooling efforts instead. Higher temperatures result in higher heart rates, increase mechanical stress and the accumulation of waste substances in the musculoskeletal system, and decrease blood flow, affect muscles’ maximum contraction capacity and increase effort perception (ThermoHuman). With this in mind, staying cool is crucial if you’re to operate at your athletic peak. Sweat-wicking or cooling workout clothes can help with this.
As the fabrics in moisture-wicking gym clothes move sweat and other liquids away from the skin, they prevent clothing from clinging uncomfortably to the body and prevent chafing-related skin irritation. This results in greater comfort and a more pleasant experience wearing the items during extended or intensive workouts.
Many unpleasant post-workout odors are caused by bacteria. These bacteria produce bad smells as part of their metabolic processes and thrive in warm, damp environments, such as those found in sweaty outdoor and athletic gear. Cooling workout clothes with moisture-wicking capabilities help deny bacteria the conditions they need to grow, proliferate, and produce these bad smells. Coupled with an effective odor-control technology like Polygiene® StayFresh, moisture-wicking fabrics can help keep odors at bay for significantly longer, reducing the need for frequent washes.
Engineered for easier evaporation, moisture-wicking gym clothes dry far more rapidly than traditional materials. Though the drying process is ongoing and occurs even during exercise, it is particularly effective post-workout, as you can be confident your apparel will be ready to go for your next session. That means no more pulling on damp hiking tees on multi-day excursions or cycling through a new top every workout session!
Another key benefit associated with rapid drying is that it helps avoid those terrible cool-down chills. Whereas non-wicking materials will stay wet, make you feel uncomfortably cold as you cool down, and give you the chills, sweat-wicking workout clothes ensure that moisture evaporates away, allowing your body’s thermo-regulatory mechanisms to do their thing and keep you comfortable.
When it comes to hiking or exercising, layering systems are the best way to keep you cool when you’re working hard and warm when things are a little easier. Moisture-wicking base layers are the foundation of any effective layering system as they draw the moisture out and away from the skin, where it can evaporate. More evaporation means the outer layers stay dry and work more effectively, too.
Sweat-wicking gym apparel tends to retain their structure when wet, resist sagging and stretching due to saturation, and minimise the negative effects of sweating, so you can wash them less frequently and avoid the wear and tear caused by washing machines. This means your items are much more likely to stand the test of time and last longer, which is kinder on both your pocket and the environment.
Polygiene StayCool is an innovative additive technology that can be applied to a wide range of textiles, including synthetics, cellulosics, and recycled fibers. It enhances moisture-wicking performance while adding groundbreaking cooling features that ensure users stay comfortable and can perform to the best of their ability. These features include a new thermo-reactive polymer matrix that reacts to sweat by cooling the fabric between 2 – 3°C (4.3 – 5.4°F). This produces a long-lasting cooling effect that keeps users feeling light, dry, and comfortable in warmer temperatures or while exercising.The additive is engineered for easy integration and minimal disruption to existing manufacturing processes, and Polygiene provides full support throughout setup. Polygiene StayCool can also be used in conjunction with Polygiene’s other Freshness technologies, Polygiene® StayFresh and Polygiene® OdorCrunch, to maximize odor control performance and prevent the proliferation of unpleasant bacterial and environmental odors.
From improved temperature regulation and enhanced performance to reduced skin irritation and shorter drying times, cooling workout clothes and outdoor apparel benefit users in a considerable number of ways. Whether you’re a dedicated, hard-training athlete or a casual hiking enthusiast, moisture-wicking fabrics make things cooler, more comfortable, and more enjoyable.
While moisture-wicking capabilities were once the preserve of certain materials, Polygiene StayCool ensures this is no longer the case. Brands can now introduce effective thermo-regulatory properties to almost any product. By enhancing sweat-wicking capabilities in workout clothing and introducing its innovative, sweat-activated cooling matrix, Polygiene StayCool is putting world-beating performance in your hands.
Ready to take comfort and performance to the next level? Get in touch to learn more about Polygiene StayCool and its application in cooling workout clothes, outdoor apparel, and functional textiles.
