Women's Activewear Guide: Fabric, Fit and Care
Leggings, a top, a jacket: activewear looks simple from the outside. But whether a piece still feels good after the fiftieth wash comes down to choices made long before it reaches a wardrobe, in the fibre blend, the cut, and how it gets cared for afterward. This guide brings those choices together in one place.
What activewear fabric is actually made of
Most performance activewear, VEVAwear included, is built from two types of fibre working together. A structural fibre (nylon or polyester) gives the fabric its strength, shape retention and moisture-wicking behaviour. An elastic fibre (spandex or elastane) is blended in at a smaller percentage to add stretch and recovery: the ability to snap back to its original shape after movement.
Across the VEVAwear catalogue, that ratio typically falls between roughly 70 and 95% nylon or polyester, with 5 to 25% spandex or elastane, depending on how much compression or stretch a piece needs. Leggings and sports bras, which need to hold their shape under motion, generally sit toward the higher-elastane end. Looser pieces like capri pants or skirts sit toward the lower end. A small number of loungewear and outerwear pieces, hoodies and jackets in particular, use cotton blended with polyester instead, trading some stretch for softness and breathability at rest.
For the exact composition of a specific piece, check its product page. Every VEVAwear product lists its full fabric breakdown and care instructions.
Want a deeper explanation of what each fibre actually does? Read our fabric guide.
Choosing the right piece for what you're doing
Different activities put different demands on fabric and cut.
- Leggings. The highest-elastane pieces in the range, built to move with you through training, walking or everyday wear. See the leggings collection.
- Tops and sports bras. Lighter structural-to-elastic ratios for freedom of movement. See tops and sports bras & gym tops.
- Shorts and skirts. Warm-weather pieces, generally polyester or nylon blends similar to leggings but cropped. See shorts and skirts.
- Jackets and hoodies. The pieces most likely to use cotton blends, prioritising comfort at rest. See jackets.
- Swimwear. Nylon or polyester blended with a higher elastane share for shape retention in water. See swimwear.
For a broader sense of how pieces are meant to be combined, see the Feather, Confident and Active collections, three of the core lines the rest of the range builds around.
Getting the size right
Activewear sits closer to the body than most other clothing, so an inaccurate size is more noticeable. It either restricts movement or loses its supportive fit. Every VEVAwear product with a fitted cut has a dedicated size guide with the exact body measurements the piece is built around. Check the size chart linked on the product page before ordering, especially for leggings and sports bras.
Caring for it so it lasts
Elastane and spandex lose their stretch recovery faster under heat and harsh detergents than most other fibres. Across the range, the care instructions stay consistent.
- Wash in cold water with similar colours.
- Skip fabric softener. It coats the fibres and reduces moisture-wicking and stretch recovery over time.
- Air dry rather than tumble dry. Heat is the single biggest cause of leggings losing their shape.
- Store folded rather than hung, to avoid stretching waistbands over time.
For the full explanation of why each of these matters, read our care guide.