The Lowdown on Quick Drying Fabrics

Why is keeping fabric dry the most important attribute in performance fabrics? Fabrics that manage the most moisture will keep consumers cool in summer and dry fabrics within a layering system guarantee warmth.

As a specialty outdoor retailer, you have the expertise to explain this to enthusiast customers who appreciate your knowledge. This is the kind of customer that will keep coming back to you and your store.

There are a lot of words to describe "quick drying" or moisture management but not a lot of details on what these words actually mean. Your knowledge of what makes a fabric perform will help your customers make an educated purchase decision. So let’s take a more in-depth look at quick drying fabrics, what they do and how they do it.

Fiber structure uses modified fiber shape to move moisture and create additional surface area. This is effective up to moderate levels of moisture.

✔ Most performance fabrics that claim they are "quick drying" accomplish this with either a chemical treatment, fiber structure or fiber content. Chemical treatments are typically less expensive, but their ability to dry quickly diminishes with wear and washing.

✔ When fiber content includes microporous particles embedded in the fiber, this creates over 500 percent greater surface area to evaporate sweat. With particles, the quick drying attribute is permanent and effective up to heavy levels of moisture.

✔ The most effective quick drying fabrics are ones that not only wick moisture but also do so rapidly and across a large surface area to increase evaporation. Evaporation is how the body cools and regulates temperature.

✔ If moisture is quickly dispersed across a large area, the fabric should perceptibly dry. Simply putting a drop of water on a fabric should be a quick and effective demonstration to your customer how different fabrics respond to moisture. If the water beads up or goes right through the fabric, the product will not manage moisture.

✔ Quick drying fabrics differ dramatically in their ability to handle moisture volume. While every fabric has a limit in keeping up with heavy levels of moisture and keeping a user dry, the optimal quick drying fabric is able to avoid saturation longest while providing evaporation.

✔ Branded performance fabrics are consistently tested and validated. You should be able to request specific information that substantiates performance claims.