US Hosiery

Guides

Fabrics & Care

How a garment feels in heat depends on more than its fiber. Knit or weave, weight, lining, padding and fit all change how well it lets heat escape, handles sweat and dries.

6 guides in this section

Start here

Fabrics & Care

How to Judge Bra Breathability in Hot Weather

Learn to separate breathability, absorbency, drying time and wicking, then check mesh, lining, padding and fit without relying on cooling claims.

2 min read

Fabrics & Care

Bra Features and Styles for Sweaty Days

Compare mesh, unlined, spacer and sports bra features for sweaty days, with practical checks for lining, support and comfort rather than product rankings.

2 min read

Fiber is only part of it

Six things that decide how a garment feels

A label lists fiber content, but two garments with the same fiber can feel very different. Look at all six.

Fiber
What the yarn is made from: cotton, modal, polyester, nylon, elastane. Affects how much moisture the fabric absorbs and how it feels on skin.
Knit or weave
How the yarns are constructed: jersey, mesh, spacer, rib, lace. Open structures such as mesh usually let more air through than dense knits of the same fiber.
Lining & padding
Extra layers such as foam cups, moulded padding or double-layer fabric. Extra layers can add warmth and may slow drying; how much depends on the material, thickness and any perforation.
Garment design
Coverage, seams, band width and how closely the garment sits. Wider bands and fuller coverage cover more skin, and fit affects rubbing.
Seams & edges
Stitched seams, bonded or laser-cut edges, labels and lace trims. Where these sit against skin often matters more for rubbing than the main fabric.
Elastic
Elastane (spandex) in the fabric, plus elastic in bands, waistbands and leg openings. Gives stretch and recovery; when it stops recovering, the garment stops staying in place.

Words that get mixed up

Labels often use these loosely. They describe different things, and one fabric can do well on one and poorly on another. Cotton, for example, absorbs a lot of moisture but can be slow to dry.

Breathability
How easily air and water vapour pass through the fabric.
Absorbency
How much liquid the fibers soak up. High absorbency can feel damp in humidity.
Drying time
How quickly the fabric releases moisture. Thin, low-absorbency knits often dry faster than thick cotton, but construction matters.
Moisture transport
Whether the fabric spreads sweat away from skin so it can evaporate (often called wicking).

Cotton is a fiber and padding is a construction, so a bra can be both. See cotton and padded bras.

Care workflow

Washing bras and underwear: the label comes first

There's no single temperature or method that suits every garment. This order of steps works whatever the label says.

  1. 1

    Read the whole care label

    The wash-tub number is a maximum temperature, bars underneath mean a gentler cycle, and a crossed-out symbol means don't. Drying instructions are separate from washing ones.

  2. 2

    Sort by what the labels allow

    Group by colour, by hand-wash versus machine, and by delicacy. Every item in a load must allow the cycle and temperature you choose.

  3. 3

    Prepare delicate pieces

    Fasten bra hooks. A mesh bag can help with small machine-washable items; it doesn't make a hand-wash-only item machine-safe.

  4. 4

    Wash within the limits

    Measure detergent as its pack directs. Use the label's temperature or lower, not a habit.

  5. 5

    Dry the way the label says

    Line, flat, drip or shade drying are different instructions. Only tumble dry when the label allows it, at the setting shown.

  6. 6

    Check condition before putting away

    Elastic that no longer springs back, wires working loose or straps that won't hold are signs to repair or replace.

Symbol meanings follow GINETEX; bra care follows Breast Cancer Now, which says hand washing is best and machine washing or tumble drying may affect shape over time. Full detail: how to wash and dry underwear.

More fabrics & care guides