Performance T-shirt fabric
Performance T-Shirt Fabric: Wicking, Cotton-Feel and Stretch Knits
Our range is performance knits. This page shows 20 selected fabrics, 85 to 260 g/m², selected from the fabrics for which we hold test records, to cover different constructions. Their product pages name performance or everyday active T-shirts. We list 54 such fabrics in all; for the others, talk to our fabric experts. Product-page data checked on 6 November 2026.
Which fabric for your T-shirt?
Our recommendation, written for designers and buyers. These picks are Mibein's opinion, built from the weights, compositions and function statements on the product pages. They are not test results or a performance guarantee; confirm on a sample garment in your own color.
| If you are making… | Start with | Weigh against it |
|---|---|---|
| Running or training tees where wicking matters | XWP1021 (135 g/m²; its page names everyday active tees), XWT1523 (100 g/m², page lists wicking that holds up after washing), XWT1505 (140 g/m², double-face jacquard) | Wicking is a function statement until a result is shown; XWP1021 and XWT1523 have wash-cycle results in the table below |
| Very light running tees | Q35560 (85 g/m²), XWT1523 (100 g/m²), XW35977 (105 g/m², jacquard) | Very light fabric can show body shape and sweat marks; check opacity on your color. Q35560 passes unwashed but fails the drying-rate requirement after washing (see tests) |
| Everyday cotton-feel tees | P35065 (115 g/m², heather), C25171 (170 g/m², feather-yarn hand), T35917 (205 g/m², waffle), Q35572 (150 g/m², air layer, spring and autumn) | A cotton-like hand is a manufacturer description; judge it on a sample against the cotton tee you are replacing |
| Fitted tees that need stretch and coverage | S35802 (160 g/m², 12% spandex), S35801 (220 g/m², 18% spandex), Y35721 (240 g/m², 24% spandex, brushed, warm) | More spandex means more stretch but a different hand; Y35721 is for cool days. Judge recovery on a sample |
| Spandex-free stretch | WXT1508 (145 g/m²), C25343 (155 g/m², square mesh look), C25319A (165 g/m², jacquard), TT25356 (180 g/m²) | No stretch percentage is stated; if fit depends on stretch, ask for a stretch and recovery result on your color |
| Tees where UPF matters (fabrics with a UPF report) | TS25166 (135 g/m², UPF 50+ listed). UPF reports are also held for TT25356, XW35977, TS25142, S35802, C25319A and S35801 (values for TT25356 and XW35977 are in the table below; the others are not published here); the TT25356 and XW35977 pages do not list UV protection. C25343 also has a UPF report, and it did not meet its requirement (below). P35065 lists UV protection on its page only | UPF applies to the tested lot and color; one XW35977 lot and the C25343 report did not meet the requirement |
| Standout, streetwear or textured tees | C25430 (260 g/m², Sorona jacquard, streetwear), C25319A (165 g/m², layered jacquard), T35917 (205 g/m², waffle) | Textured faces look different cut and sewn than on the roll; 260 g/m² is the heaviest here and is generally warmer to wear |
Weight, as our working guide (general guidance, not an industry standard): under 120 g/m² very light running and summer tees (4 fabrics); 120–149 light everyday and training (5); 150–179 mid-weight everyday (5); 180 and above more body, fitted or streetwear tees (6). Weights are not comparable across constructions, so choose by the sample garment, not the number.
Three questions before you choose
General guidance and Mibein's opinion, not test results.
- Sport or everyday?Sport tees put wicking and quick-dry first; everyday tees put hand and shape retention first.
- Spandex or spandex-free?3 of the 20 contain spandex; the other 17 do not, and two of those state Sorona stretch.
- What quantity?Product pages state MOQ 150–400 kg per color and flexible supply for smaller orders; tell us your quantity first.
Common mistakes
General guidance and Mibein's opinion, not test results.
Treating a function as a test value.Moisture-wicking, quick-dry and UV protection are product-page statements unless a result appears in the table below.
Judging wicking on the unwashed fabric.Ask for a result after washing; see the Q35560 row below for why.
Assuming UPF applies to every lot and color.It applies only to what was tested.
Skipping the wash test.Wash a sample garment before you approve bulk and compare size, shape and color. We publish no shrinkage result for these fabrics.
To request samples, send: the garment, season, weight band, knit structure, fit, color range, the function that matters most (wicking, UPF, hand) and expected quantity. On the sample garment, check weight, hand, opacity, print, and size and color after washing.
Full specifications: the 20 selected fabrics
For fabric developers and technical teams. The last column lists the kinds of test record we hold for each fabric; a listed kind does not mean the result met its requirement, "wicking" includes the quick-dry measures, and values are published only in the table below. Functions on the product pages are statements, not test results: 8 of these list moisture-wicking, 9 quick-dry, 8 cotton-feel, 6 UV protection.
| Fabric | g/m² | Composition | Stretch as stated | Test records held |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q35560 | 85 | 100% Polyester | None stated | colour fastness, pilling, snagging, wicking |
| XWT1523 | 100 | 100% Polyester | None stated | pilling, snagging, wicking |
| XW35977 | 105 | 100% Polyester | Stretch with good elasticity | UPF, wicking |
| P35065 | 115 | 100% Polyester | None stated | pilling, snagging |
| TS25142 | 120 | 100% Polyester | None stated | UPF, air permeability, other, pilling, see-through, wicking |
| TS25166 | 135 | 100% Polyester | None stated | UPF, air permeability, colour fastness, other, wicking |
| XWP1021 | 135 | 100% Polyester | Mechanical stretch from the knit structure, no elastane | pilling, snagging, wicking |
| XWT1505 | 140 | 100% Polyester | None stated | pilling, snagging, wicking |
| WXT1508 | 145 | 100% Polyester | Spandex-free stretch with good recovery | pilling, snagging, wicking |
| Q35572 | 150 | 100% Polyester | None stated | air permeability, pilling, snagging, wicking |
| C25343 | 155 | 100% Polyester | Spandex-free stretch with good recovery | UPF, air permeability |
| S35802 | 160 | 88% Polyester / 12% Spandex | Spandex stretch with smooth drape | UPF, see-through, snagging, wicking |
| C25319A | 165 | 100% Polyester | High-crimp stretch with strong recovery | UPF, colour fastness, other, pilling, snagging, wicking |
| C25171 | 170 | 100% Polyester | Good elastic recovery | pilling, snagging, wicking |
| TT25356 | 180 | 100% Polyester | Spandex-free stretch with good recovery | UPF, pilling, snagging, wicking |
| T35917 | 205 | 100% Polyester | Spandex-free stretch with stable recovery | wicking |
| S35801 | 220 | 82% Polyester / 18% Spandex | Spandex stretch with smooth drape | UPF, pilling, see-through, snagging |
| TS2533 | 220 | 100% Polyester | Spandex-free stretch with good recovery (Sorona®) | colour fastness, wicking |
| Y35721 | 240 | 76% Polyester / 24% Spandex | High stretch with good recovery | air permeability, colour fastness, wicking |
| C25430 | 260 | 100% Polyester | Spandex-free stretch with good recovery (Sorona®) | pilling, snagging |
Product-page data checked on 6 November 2026. Weights are as listed; tolerance is not recorded here. "Other" covers record kinds such as soil release or antibacterial. More than 20 fabrics? 34 further fabrics also name performance or everyday active T-shirts on their product pages; contact our fabric experts for them.
Test results we hold
Specifications come from the public product pages, which come from our product catalog. Product pages may not reflect every record we hold. The results below come from our internal records; the reports are not reproduced here.
| Fabric | Test | Method | Result | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XWP1021 | Wicking, unwashed → after 5 washes | GB/T 21655.1-2023 and FZ/T 01071-2008; washing GB/T 8629-2017 4N, line dry | Drip diffusion <1.0 s → <1.0 s; water absorption 215% → 223%; wicking height 163/154 → 227/220 mm (warp/weft); drying rate 0.48 → 0.42 g/h. Report states pass (requirement in our records: ≤6 s, ≥80%, ≥80 mm, ≥0.20 g/h) | Bureau Veritas, 01# grey-blue, lot 260820012, 29 Sep 2026 |
| XWT1523 | Wicking, unwashed → after 5 washes | GB/T 21655.1-2023 and FZ/T 01071-2008; washing GB/T 8629-2017 4N, line dry | Drip diffusion <1.0 s → 2.1 s; water absorption 242% → 252%; wicking height 182/189 → 174/169 mm; drying rate 0.57 → 0.43 g/h. Report states pass | Bureau Veritas, 901# dark grey, lot 260912059, 30 Sep 2026 |
| Q35560 | Wicking, unwashed → after 5 washes | GB/T 21655.1-2023 and FZ/T 01071-2008; washing GB/T 8629-2017 4N, line dry | Drying rate 0.27 → 0.13 g/h. Unwashed meets ≥0.20 g/h; after washing the report states not met (drip diffusion <1 s, water absorption 385%, wicking height 190 mm) | GTTC, magma red, lot 25101175, 3–4 Nov 2025 |
| TS25166 | Wicking | GB/T 21655.1-2023 | Drip diffusion <1 s; water absorption 263%; wicking height 218 mm; drying rate 0.30 g/h, exactly at the requirement in our records (≥0.30 g/h). Report states pass | GTTC, 24# dark grey-green, lot JG240831007, 25 Sep 2024 |
| TS25166 | UV protection | GB/T 18830-2009 | UPF average 70; UVA transmittance 4.71%; UVB 1.08%. Report states pass (requirement: UPF >40, UVA <5%) | GTTC, natural white, lot JG241207020, 19 Feb 2025 |
| TT25356 | UV protection | GB/T 18830-2009 | UPF average 104; UVA 3.06%; UVB 0.80%. Report states pass | GTTC, 01# natural white, lot 250513017, 12 Sep 2025 |
| XW35977 | UV protection | GB/T 18830-2009 | UPF average 66.22 (minimum 59.52); UVA 2.37%. Report states pass | Bureau Veritas, 02# natural white, lot 251214021, 30 Dec 2025 |
| XW35977 | UV protection | GB/T 18830-2009 | UPF average 45.40 (minimum 42.16); UVA 8.05%. Report states not met | Bureau Veritas, 02# natural white, lot 251203049, 10 Dec 2025 |
| C25343 | UV protection | GB/T 18830-2009 | UPF average 39 (minimum 37); UVA 5.16%; UVB 2.30%. Report states not met (requirement: UPF >40, UVA <5%) | GTTC, natural white, lot JG240902002, 8 Oct 2024 |
| XWP1021 | Pilling grade | GB/T 4802.1-2008 | Face 4-5 (requirement in our records: 3 or higher). Report states pass | Bureau Veritas, 01# grey-blue, lot 260820012, 29 Sep 2026 |
| TT25356 | Pilling / snagging grade | GB/T 4802.1-2008 (round-track, 10 raising and 50 pilling cycles, 490 cN) / GB/T 11047-2008 | Pilling 3-4; snagging length / width 2-3 / 2 | GTTC, 09# dark grey, lot JG240906003, 2 Dec 2024 / 30 Nov 2024 |
GTTC and Bureau Veritas are the laboratories named in our records; their accreditation is not recorded here. GB/T denotes Chinese national standards. Each result applies only to the sample, color and lot named; test conditions are not recorded beyond the method (and, for the wicking rows, the washing procedure shown). We hold further records that are not published here; contact us with your fabric and color to ask what records exist.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Dri-FIT fabric?
Dri-FIT is a Nike trademark, so we describe these knits by their listed functions, such as moisture-wicking and quick-dry. For wicking, the results above show what we hold.
Is moisture-wicking fabric the same as quick-dry?
No. Wicking moves liquid across and away from the skin; quick-dry is how fast the fabric loses it. Product pages list them separately, and the test table above reports drip diffusion, wicking height and drying rate separately. See moisture-wicking fabric.
Will it pill?
It depends on fabric, color and finish. The pilling grades published on this page are XWP1021 (4-5) and TT25356 (3-4); ask whether one exists for your fabric and color. See pilling grade explained.
What are the MOQ and lead time?
Product-page statements, not order commitments (checked 6 November 2026): MOQ 150–400 kg per color (the pages also say about 500–1,000 m per color; which figure applies to a given fabric is not stated). Dyed stock: ready to ship anytime. Greige in stock: 15–25 days. No greige in stock: 35–45 days.
Can I get samples and test reports?
Product-page statement: "When the fabric is in stock, we can meet virtually every sampling request." The pages also say: "For smaller orders, we offer flexible supply, so contact us with your quantity." The results we publish are in the table above; contact us with the fabric and color to ask whether a report exists.
Contact us
Contact our fabric experts with the garment, the weight band, the function that matters most and the tests you need. Product-page statements are not order commitments.
- The garment
- The weight band
- The function that matters most
- The tests you need