Impressions - Team & Activewear Summer 2021 - 5

The Pandemic's Effect
Th e COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on the sports world - particularly
team sports. However, athleisure kicked up a notch during this
period as more people worked from home.
" We saw a big trend for styles for hiking during the pandemic, " says
Glen Brumer, sales and business development director for Royal Apparel.
" We are hoping now the demand will grow to performance styles. "
Like in many other industries, supply-chain logistics provided a
big challenge. " Th e greatest challenge for suppliers is not constant innovation,
but rather the impact suff ered by the distribution channel
due to the logistics issues from China, the meteorological phenomenon
in Central America and, without a doubt, the global fi nancial
impact, " Botello says.
However, despite the fi rst quarter still being slow, " it seems that
the vaccination process [has]created a momentum with the gradual
business reopening that has helped a lot to recover to pre-pandemic
rhythm, " he adds.
Materials & Other Trends
Polyester continues to hold strong in athleticwear and poly-rich blends
can enhance activewear-type features such as breathability and stretch
fi t, says John Perez, marketing manager, Tri-Mountain.
Newer fabric variations include polyester/nylon and polyester/
cotton blends, along with microfi bers. Botello says these blends improve
the garment from a texture standpoint and provide greater freedom of
movement, which is important for athletes.
Peters says many 5K and marathon runners are opting for performance
tri-blends now because of rayon's draping eff ect. " [End users]
had so many entry-level poly-performance shirts to choose from that
it created a new buzz to have something diff erent for a change, " he
says. At S&S Activewear, garments with a viscose/polyester blend are
popular for those who do yoga or dance.
On par with the environmentally conscious consumer, Royal Apparel
has seen the biggest growth in its newly implemented eco-friendly/sustainable
textiles, specifically recycled polyester blends with
organic cotton.
Hygiene always is important when it comes to athletic apparel, including
the all-important moisture-wicking properties. But beyond
that, Botello says, athletes are looking for less friction, greater movement
capacity and - above all - they want a garment that is not a
detriment to their performance.
Brumer and Perez also agree that athletes are looking for apparel
with antimicrobial features. Perez adds that clothing with easy-careand-wash
characteristics, thereby prolonging life, are in demand.
" Th ese types of garments will need to be washed often, so making
sure that they endure over their lifespan is very important, " he said.
Th e layered look is still on trend and won't be diminishing anytime
soon. " Th e layered-look trend has brought a lot of comfort when [playing]
sports, as you do not have to worry about showing more than you
want when [playing] your sport, and it allows you to perform a physical
activity while keeping the style, " Botello says. " Undoubtedly, the cut
of the garment will continue to evolve towards the need to look good
and to be comfortable while [playing] a sport, " said Botello.
Perez says apparel's transitional aspect also is important. How can
users transition from the workplace to a workout to home while wearing
the same clothing? To this end, athleisure - which surged during
the pandemic - still will be important this year, with a greater emphasis
on fashion.
A Supplement to impr ession s
Summer 2021 * 5
Educating Consumers
Sometimes, getting the word out to decorators
and consumers about the benefits and
features of " smart " or technical apparel
can be tricky.
" The challenge for manufacturers is mainly
the communication and finding better ways
to transmit all the information and benefits
into the digital world, " Botello says.
To that end, he suggested sharing such information
on social-media platforms or via
specialized emails that convey the value of
the garment for the benefit of the decorator.
Because seeing is believing is understanding,
Perez suggests making short promo videos
on social media. Peters agrees, and also
endorses producing educational blogs or
podcasts.
Royal Apparel's unisex viscose bamboo and
organic cotton tank top is eco-friendly and
features moisture-absorbing technology.
Impressions - Team & Activewear Summer 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Impressions - Team & Activewear Summer 2021
