Materials in Sportswear: What Actually Makes a Difference

Plenty of materials are marketed as "organic," "sustainable," or "environmentally friendly." We're interested in a different question: what does the material do when you train in it?

This overview covers the most important materials — what they can do, what they can't, and why we stuck with two of them at M23.

Organic Cotton — Soft, Breathable, With Limits

Organic cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilisers. When you wear it, what matters most: it feels soft and lets air through. With a little elastane, it moves with you.

The limit: cotton absorbs sweat and stays wet. In very intense sessions, that's a drawback.

Good for: Yoga, everyday wear, light training — anywhere skin feel and breathability matter more than quick drying.

Recycled Polyamide — Elastic and Quick-Drying

Polyamide is more elastic than cotton, dries faster and sits closer to the body. Recycled polyamide has the same properties.

Good for: Leggings, biker shorts, pocket lining in joggers — anything that needs stretch and fast drying.

Lyocell — Soft, but Not for Every Sport

Lyocell (often sold under the brand name TENCEL) is made from wood pulp. It feels soft and regulates moisture well.

Why it's not in the M23 range: our pieces mainly need stretch and shape stability in movement — for that we use cotton with elastane or polyamide. For everyday clothing, lyocell is a good choice.

Hemp and Linen — Sturdy, but Barely Elastic

Hemp and linen fabrics are firm and airy. For sport they have a catch: they barely stretch, crease easily and feel rougher during intense training.

That's why they're not currently in the M23 range — not because they're poor materials, but because we focus on fabrics that work for training.

Polyester — Quick-Drying, but Not Ours

Polyester, recycled or not, dries extremely fast and is robust. That's why it's in many performance shirts.

We don't use polyester at M23. Where we need a quick-drying, elastic fabric, we use recycled polyamide.

What This Means for Your Purchase

No material is best at everything. Cotton stays wet, polyamide is a synthetic, lyocell and hemp barely stretch.

The more useful question: which material suits this specific use? The exact composition of every M23 piece is on its product page.