Provided is a knit fabric which does not cause feelings of clamminess, feels very cool to the touch and is comfortable, and limits feelings of stickiness and post-sweat chill through rapid drying of sweat, and at the same time is capable of further improving texture.

A conformable garment may fit snugly against, and may exert pressure against, skin in a region of a user's body. The garment may house multiple sensors that touch the user's skin. Each sensor may exposed to the user's skin through a hole in an inner surface of the garment. The garment may include elongated channels. Flexible, stretchable wiring may pass through a hollow central region of each channel. This wiring may provide electrical power to the sensors, and may enable wired communication between the sensors and a main hub. Each sensor may include an integrated chip and may be encapsulated in a waterproof material. Each sensor may output electrical signals that encode digital data and that are transmitted, via the wiring, to a main hub housed in the garment. The encapsulated sensors and the wiring may remain in the garment when the garment is washed.

Included is a stretchable fabric composite laminate, which includes two outer layers of fabric with a bonded inner layer of elastomeric fibers. The stretchable fabric composite laminate is attached to the garment fabric as an edgeband or strap or within an edgeband or strap to provide a more comfortable garment or greater fit range.

An article of apparel includes a composite material. The composite material includes a pliable first layer and a resilient second layer, where the first and second layers are secured to each other via a patterned strand network. In forming the composite material, the second layer is stretched and maintained under tension while the first layer is secured to the second layer via the patterned strand network. The tension on the second layer is then released, resulting in contraction of the second layer in relation to the first layer and an outward buckling or protrusion of the first layer in relation to the second layer to form protruding cells along the composite material that are bounded by portions of the patterned strand network. The patterned strand network can be formed using embroidery with one or more auxetic patterns in the stitching.

An article of apparel includes a composite material. The composite material includes a pliable first layer and a resilient second layer, where the first and second layers are secured to each other via a patterned strand network. In forming the composite material, the second layer is stretched and maintained under tension while the first layer is secured to the second layer via the patterned strand network. The tension on the second layer is then released, resulting in contraction of the second layer in relation to the first layer and an outward buckling or protrusion of the first layer in relation to the second layer to form protruding cells along the composite material that are bounded by portions of the patterned strand network. The patterned strand network can be formed using embroidery with one or more auxetic patterns in the stitching.

Articles of apparel include: (a) a garment structure having one or more fabric elements structured and arranged to provide a close fit to at least one predetermined portion of a body (e.g., area(s) of the body for which enhanced position sensing and/or feedback are desired); and (b) a body position feedback system engaged with or integrally formed as part of the garment structure. The body position feedback system may apply higher tensile or constricting (compressive) forces to selected portions of the wearer's body and/or stretch resistance, which can help stimulate or interact with nerves and deep tissue receptors located in various portions of the body. The increased forces at selected locations of the body give the wearer sensory feedback regarding the position or orientation of these parts of the body and can improve or accelerate development of muscle memory.

The present invention relates to a garment with elastic inserts produced on circular machines of the type comprising elasticised sectors (3) and elasticised zones obtained by working in a further elastomeric yarnin addition to the ground yarn and the reinforcing yarn normally usedand actually knitting the yarns so as to create machined portions, both horizontally and obliquely, which result in well-defined and demarcated zones which provide greater compression than the knitted stitches on the same row, thereby providingwithin the elasticised sectors (3)a greater compression value than outside the sector on the same row of knitted stitches. The elasticised sectors (3) are designed portions which create ornamental figures or banding with specific compression which can provide support, contribute to the stimulation of blood circulation, reduce fatigue, and render movement safer and more supported, when properly positioned and sized.

A garment has a yoke attached to the garment body, wherein the yoke is formed from a material having stretch and recovery in at least two directions thereof. The material may be formed from a fusible substrate combined with a particular fabric having stretch properties. The yoke may have an inner piece and an outer piece having substantially the same shape and size as the inner piece, and wherein at least one of the inner piece and the outer piece is formed from a material formed from a fusible substrate combined with a particular fabric having stretch properties.

Drag-reducing exercise equipment in the form of a aerodynamic garment may comprise zones with applied textures. Each zone may be associated with properties and characteristics based on the movement of the garment associated with each zone through air during an athletic activity. The texture in each zone may be applied using a variety of methods such as printing. The resulting aerodynamic garment improves the performance of an athlete wearing the aerodynamic garment by reducing the aerodynamic drag experienced during the performance of the athletic activity.

Aspects herein are directed to an article of apparel having a vent opening formed by overlapping the edges of a first panel and a second panel. A plurality of discrete overlay film structures are applied to the second panel adjacent to the vent opening. When the article of apparel is exposed to an external stimulus, the film structures undergo a reversible increase in dimension in at least the z-direction which cause the second panel of material to undergo a reversible decrease in dimension in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the vent opening thereby causing the vent opening to dynamically transition from a closed state to an open state.