Most activewear leggings are either nylon-spandex or polyester-spandex. Both can be excellent. The right choice depends on the feel you want, your price point and how you plan to decorate the garment.
Nylon-spandex
- Feel: soft, smooth and often described as buttery, especially when brushed.
- Opacity and compression: dense knits hold their shape and stay opaque when stretched.
- Durability: good abrasion resistance.
- Cost: usually higher than polyester.
- Prints: sublimation printing works best on polyester, so nylon suits solid colors and other decoration methods.
Polyester-spandex
- Feel: smooth and firm, with a slightly more technical hand.
- Performance: dries quickly and holds color well, including in sun and chlorine.
- Cost: usually lower than nylon.
- Prints: holds sublimated, all-over prints very well.
- Sustainability: recycled polyester (rPET) versions are widely available.
Quick guide
- Premium feel and solid colors: nylon-spandex.
- All-over prints or a lower price point: polyester-spandex.
- A recycled option: recycled poly-spandex.
Opacity depends as much on knit construction and weight as on the fiber, so judge every fabric with a stretch test before you approve it. See the fabric library for our most-used options, and order swatches to feel the difference yourself.