Nylon-elastane gives a soft, smooth swimsuit with a slight sheen, and polyester-elastane gives a firmer, more matte finish that holds colour well and takes printed designs. Those are the two options we offer as swimwear fabric for brands, and the right one depends more on the look and feel you want than on the style.
Why both fabrics include elastane
Swimwear has to stretch to go on, then recover to sit close to the body, wet or dry. Elastane is the fibre that gives that stretch and recovery. It is blended with either nylon or polyester, which gives the fabric its body, surface and colour.
So the difference between our two swimwear fabrics is the base fibre. Both stretch. Both are made for wear in water. They differ in how they feel, how they look and how they take colour.
The two fabrics compared
Nylon-elastane
Nylon-elastane is the classic fashion swimwear fabric. It has a soft, smooth hand, drapes close to the body and has a slight sheen under light.
Choose it when:
- the range is fashion-led, such as one-pieces and two-pieces for beach and holiday buyers
- the feel on the skin is a selling point
- you want a silky look in solid colours
- the pieces are for a swim brand rather than a sports or family line
Nylon-elastane feels softer in the hand, which customers often notice when they pick up a swimsuit in a shop. It suits solid colours, and a small heat transfer logo sits neatly on its smooth face.
Polyester-elastane
Polyester-elastane has a slightly firmer hand and a more matte look. It holds colour well, and it is the fabric to choose for printed designs, because polyester takes sublimation.
Choose it when:
- you want prints or all-over designs on rash guards and swim shorts
- the range is for water sports, swim classes or families
- a matte look suits your brand
- you want strong, even solid colours across a range
Swim shorts and rash guards are often cut from polyester-elastane for this reason. A resort shop that wants its name printed across a rash guard, or a brand with a seasonal print on swim shorts, will usually start here.
Side by side
| Nylon-elastane | Polyester-elastane | |
|---|---|---|
| Hand feel | Soft, smooth | Slightly firmer |
| Surface | Slight sheen | More matte |
| Colour | Good in solids | Holds colour well, solids and prints |
| Prints | Logos by heat transfer | Logos, screen print, sublimation |
| Usual styles | One-piece, two-piece, full-cover | Rash guard, swim shorts, printed ranges |
| Brand feel | Fashion, holiday | Sport, family, resort |
Both fabrics are available in all five of our styles. The table shows how brands usually use them, not a rule.
Matching fabric to coverage
Coverage changes how the fabric behaves. A two-piece uses little fabric, so feel against the skin matters most, and nylon-elastane is a common choice. A one-piece is similar.
A full-cover swimsuit covers the arms and legs. It uses much more fabric, so the weight and drape of the fabric affect how it moves in water and how it looks when wet. Ask for a sample in your chosen fabric and wear-test it. Modest-fashion brands sometimes prefer the matte look of polyester-elastane, while others want the softer feel of nylon-elastane. Both work.
A rash guard sits over or instead of a swim top, and is often printed or branded on the chest. Polyester-elastane is the usual choice when there is a printed design.
Linings and inserts
The outer fabric is only part of a swimsuit. Swimsuits can be made with a lining, and cup inserts can be added on styles built for them. A lining adds coverage and a smoother finish, and is worth considering for light colours.
Tell us what you need when you ask for a quote. We confirm the lining and inserts on your sample before bulk production.
Care and the care label
Both fabrics last longer with gentle care: rinse in cool fresh water after swimming, wash gently, and dry flat out of direct heat. Put the care instructions on your wash-care label in plain words, so customers know how to look after the piece. What a care label must show varies by country and is confirmed at quotation.
We do not make claims about how either fabric performs in pool water or sun, so keep your own product descriptions to feel, look, stretch and fit.
Choosing for your range
A quick guide:
- Fashion swim brand with solid colours: nylon-elastane.
- Printed range or resort branding: polyester-elastane.
- Rash guards and swim shorts for families or water sports: polyester-elastane.
- Modest full-cover range: either, so sample both.
If you are still deciding on styles and customer, our post on how to start a swimwear brand covers the earlier choices. When you are ready, send us the styles you want from our white label swimwear range, the fabric you are leaning toward and your colours, and we will confirm the options in a quotation.