Nylon, polyester and elastane describe the fibers in a compression knit, but they do not tell a buyer how that knit behaves at the extension used in a garment. Select candidates by testing finished materials under comparable conditions, then confirm the choice in a garment.
This page is about the fabric. For briefing a factory, zone mapping and what a compression clothing manufacturer should be able to show, see compression clothing manufacturing.
How compression fabrics are built
| Element | What it contributes | Points to check |
|---|---|---|
| Warp knit (tricot, raschel) | Often firmer, more stable fabric with controlled stretch; common in high-power compression | Direction of stretch; edge curl; cost |
| Circular knit (jersey, interlock) | Softer hand, more stretch; common in everyday close-fit activewear | Spirality; recovery after washing |
| Nylon (polyamide) | Smooth, soft hand; good abrasion resistance; dyed with acid dyes | Colour fastness; heat-applied logos |
| Polyester | Dries quickly; can be sublimation printed; dyed with disperse dyes | Dye migration into light prints or trims; hand |
| Elastane (spandex) | Provides stretch and recovery; usually a minority of the fibre content | Heat damage in drying; chlorine; recovery over time |
| Heat setting | Stabilises width, weight and stretch after knitting | Whether the delivered lot was set to the same conditions |
These are general tendencies of the materials and structures, not results for any specific fabric. On labels, the stretch fibre is “spandex” in U.S. usage, and “elastane” is also accepted via ISO 2076 (16 CFR 303.7); in the EU the name is elastane.
Separate fiber selection from functional approval
Nylon-elastane and polyester-elastane fabrics can both be candidates for close-fitting sportswear. Yarn size, knit construction, heat setting, finishing and fabric weight influence the result alongside composition. Do not rank two fabrics solely by elastane percentage or assume a higher percentage creates a better product.
Compare hand, surface appearance and skin contact on actual samples. If softness, moisture movement, drying or abrasion resistance is a selling point, agree how it will be evaluated. A fiber’s general reputation does not substantiate a claim for the finished garment. Record the supplier reference and finish so that later swatches can be matched to the same material.
Read the force needed to extend the fabric
The maximum extension a swatch can reach is only part of the decision. The resistance within the intended wearing range matters too. Two fabrics may reach the same extension yet require different forces and feel different in the same pattern. Ask the testing provider for a suitable tension-versus-extension characterization where that information is needed.
Record width and length directions separately and mark the cutting orientation. A panel rotated to improve marker efficiency may behave differently on the body. If diagonal behavior or a mesh transition is important, include it in development rather than assuming the two main directions explain every panel.
Compare recovery at a defined interval
Residual growth is the length remaining after a loading sequence and an agreed recovery period. A reading immediately after release and another after a longer rest may differ. Require the report to state the timing so that a supplier cannot appear better simply because its sample rested longer.
Use the same conditioning, loading, cycles and recovery interval for candidate comparisons. Ask the lab to choose a method suitable for the fabric’s power and the information required. A low-power knit method should not be applied to every elastic material without checking suitability. Hand stretching is a screening exercise, not a substitute for a reproducible test.
Bring color, care and opacity into the shortlist
Check the intended colorways rather than approving one black swatch for the whole palette. Dyeing and finishing changes can affect both appearance and material behavior. For polyester-rich materials, review compatibility with heat-applied logos and the possibility of dye migration into light decoration.
Wash candidates using the proposed garment care process, then reassess dimensions, recovery, surface and color transfer. View opacity at the actual intended extension and under consistent lighting. If the garment is an underlayer, record that use instead of silently accepting transparency that would be unsuitable for a stand-alone short.
Candidate fabric comparison sheet
Give each candidate a separate row set using the same units and test conditions. Blank results mean that the evidence is missing, not that the requirement passed. Keep the actual tested swatches with the comparison.
| Comparison item | Record for each candidate | Decision supported |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Mill, reference, lot, fibers, structure, finish | Whether reports concern the offered fabric |
| Physical supply | Finished weight, usable width and tolerances | Consumption and cutting feasibility |
| Directional behavior | Results and conditions in width and length | Panel orientation and pattern trial |
| Recovery | Cycles, rest interval and residual growth | Shape retention after repeated extension |
| After care | Procedure, cycle count and changed results | Compatibility with proposed instructions |
| Surface and color | Hand, opacity, rubbing and shade observations | Suitability for wearer and colorway |
| Commercial continuity | Availability, minimums and substitution rules | Whether the approved fabric can be reordered |
Validate the selected knit in the intended garment
Make the candidate into the actual construction before final selection. Check seam extension, openings, edge finishes and decorated areas together. Fabric behavior is one input into garment pressure; it does not establish a pressure profile or medical effect on its own. Sports compression claims must stay within the evidence collected for the finished product.
Retain an unwashed reference and a labelled washed reference. Lock the mill, construction and finish in the material specification, with agreed approval requirements for substitutions. A reorder should be compared with these records rather than with a generic description such as “nylon stretch fabric.”
Related purchasing guidance
Continue with four-way stretch versus recovery, nylon-spandex or polyester-spandex, stretch loss after tumble drying and fabric lot consistency on reorders. Compression garments made by Knitwear Base are shown on the compression clothing products page.
Sources and further reading
- ASTM D2594/D2594M, Stretch Properties of Knitted Fabrics Having Low Power
- eCFR, 16 CFR 303.7, Generic names and definitions for manufactured fibers
- EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 on textile fibre names and labelling
- AATCC TM135, Dimensional Changes of Fabrics after Home Laundering
- ISO 6330:2021, Domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing
- ISO 5077:2007, Determination of dimensional change in washing and drying
- ISO 105-C06:2010, Colour fastness to domestic and commercial laundering
- ISO 12945-2:2020, Fabric propensity to surface pilling, fuzzing or matting: modified Martindale method
Rules and standards are summarised from their official pages for general guidance; this is not legal advice. Check the current version and the requirements of your own market before you rely on them.
