Chapter 1
The battle against sweat and moisture
Chapter 2
Staying dry in the heaviest storms
Chapter 3
Keeping cool with space-age science
Chapter 4
Borrowing high-tech secrets from nature
Chapter 5
Squeezing out speed and aerodynamics
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret science of the clothes you sweat in
Ch 1 · The battle against sweat and moisture
adidas Diagrams show swollen cotton fibers blocking airflow next to breathable polyester threads
adidas Moisture droplets travel from the water-repelling inner layer to the absorbing outer weave.
Fun Fact
Smelly sweat: Pure sweat is completely odorless; body odor is actually the waste product of bacteria eating the sweat on your skin.
Glossary
wicking (noun)
The process of absorbing or drawing off liquid by capillary action. DuPont introduced this capillary technology to sportswear in 1986 with the launch of its Coolmax brand.
The process of absorbing or drawing off liquid by capillary action. DuPont introduced this capillary technology to sportswear in 1986 with the launch of its Coolmax brand.
Quiz
What ingredient is infused into sports fabrics to prevent bacteria from causing bad odors?
Quiz
What percentage of its weight in water can cotton absorb, making it heavy during workouts?
Quiz
In what year did researchers perfect synthetic sportswear fabrics that mimic capillary action?
Quiz
Which fiber shape is engineered into synthetic fabrics to create microscopic channels for sweat?