Impressions - April 2024 - 16

The United Collection is an ideal fi t for maximum
movement. Photo courtesy of Founder Sport Group
ing performance in wicking or UV protection.
Th at combination delivers the performance
athletes need without sacrifi cing the comfort
they want. You will also continue to see garments
that combine multiple fabrics to bring
diff erent performance elements to diff erent
areas of the garment, whether that is venting,
durability, or stretch and compression, "
says Adam Waugh, VP of marketing at A4
Sports Apparel.
Fit
Some manufacturers are reporting that tighter
and more form-fi tting fi ts are trending. Others
say looser fi tting teamwear is having a moment.
Certainly, these diff erences could be
sport-dependent. However, a buzzword they
have in common is " tapered " -close to the
body, not baggy, but not overly tight.
" Th e things that connect fi t across sports
would be potentially 'looser fi tting,' but not
so loose that they don't fl ow with the body
well, and that is true for men and women, "
says Goerke, adding that shorter shorts are in
demand, particularly on the basketball court.
Th e ultimate goal is for the athlete to feel
comfortable on and off the fi eld or court.
Neale notes that baseball and softball are
requesting tapered and form-fi tting pants.
Overall, he adds, shorter and tighter is trending
in football and in basketball, with 5-inch
adult shorts becoming popular in soccer and
lacrosse as well.
In this same vein, Owen says while the line
has become blurred between male and female
fi ts, " oversized " is in demand.
" For low-impact activities, looser or relaxed
fi ts are popular for comfort and can provide
warmth and layering opportunities, where high
impact activities may still rely on more fi tted
clothes for wicking and stretch benefi ts as they
conform to the body, " adds Davis.
Patterns/Colors
Th anks to the continued evolution of sublimation,
color options are endless, with people
mixing and matching all kinds of patterns.
" After a few years of patterns really pushing
the boundaries, classic and retro designs
are now in style. Truthfully, these never really
went away, but teams are going back to the
future. Pinstripes, classic braids and the new
United collection are a modern twist on classic
looks, " says Neale.
Th at said, many still prefer solid colors. Owen
also notes that while pastels have been key over
the past years, her company will be launching
pieces featuring brighter pops of color.
ImpressionsMagazine.com April 2024
" Because the range of possible customization
is so huge, bolder colors-even neon-
and patterns are growing. Some leagues and
sports have rules that constrain design, but
where they are allowed, people get creative, "
Waugh says.
Influences
Fashion trends in professional sports almost
always have a trickledown eff ect to college
sports and, ultimately, youth leagues, particularly
as many younger people look up to
professional athletes as role models. " Teams
are always looking for an edge on and off the
fi eld. As high-end college and pro teams adopt
form-fi tting uniforms, it cascades quickly to
travel, institutional and rec teams, " Neale says.
Owen agrees, adding, " Amateur teams will
look to professional teams for the top technical
products and styles with the sporting industry. "
At the same time, Waugh says, on the design
side popular looks and styles can also
go in both directions. " A lot of the innovation
happens at the college or travel ball level
that can trickle up. Pro baseball is famously
traditional, but even they are fi nding ways
to expand their uniform off erings in more
creative ways, which is a refl ection of what is
happening elsewhere, rather than something
they are driving downward. "
Another noteworthy driver is athleisure, says
Goerke. " An example is the soccer fi eld with
collars. Th at comes more from heritage than
the sport, but necklines, trims, hems, cuts and
other product details are coming over from
athleisure. "
Sustainability
Consumers are becoming more and more
eco-conscious in their purchasing decisions
and appreciate transparency from companies
about how and where materials are sourced
as well as manufacturing practices. With this
in mind, Hanes and Champion are introducing
something called CiCLO technology into
many of their products this year. " CiCLO is
technology that allows synthetic plastic-based
fi bers to behave more like natural fi bers once
they are in a landfi ll as compared to untreated
polyester. It's conscientious clothing, " explains
Davis, adding that the cost will not be passed
along to the buyer.
For his part, Waugh predicts that sustainability
will move from " nice to have " to " expect
to have " in the coming year. Similarly, Goerke
says his company has started a line of recycled
collections called Eco-Revive for the express
purpose of continuing to tap into this market.
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Impressions - April 2024

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