Nylon Yarn for
Athleisure.

GSM Range

• Yoga bras and crop tops: 150–180 GSM • Training shorts and bike shorts: 180–220 GSM • Yoga leggings and sculpting tights: 220–260 GSM • Premium seamless construction: 200–240 GSM (compressed during knitting) Below 180 GSM on a four-way stretch legging will compromise opacity — always test with elongation before approving bulk. Above 260 GSM, nylon becomes unnecessarily heavy for non-compression applications.

Yarn Count

• Filament nylon: 40D/34F to 100D/144F for athleisure constructions • Standard athleisure legging: 70D/68F to 70D/144F (0.5–1.0 dpf) for body panels • Waistband reinforcement: 80D/68F or 80D/96F with higher tenacity • Spandex component: 20D–40D (bare or covered) in nylon-spandex blends • Spandex percentage in blend: 20–22% for leggings, 18–20% for shorts, 15–18% for tops

Knit Construction

• Four-way stretch interlock: Optimal for leggings and sculpting shorts — provides opacity, stretch, and smooth outer face • Single jersey: Tops, light shorts, yoga bras — lower weight, higher breathability • Seamless (circular knit, full body): Growing premium sub-category, requires dedicated seamless machines (Santoni or equivalent) • Jacquard interlock: For tonal texture panels — adds design complexity but requires longer lead times

Shrinkage

• Nylon filament: 2–4% length, 1–2% width after first wash at 30°C • Nylon-spandex blends: 3–5% length depending on spandex tension at heat setting • Prevention: Heat-set at 165–175°C (lower than polyester — nylon softens above 180°C) for 25–35 seconds. Critical for waistband stability.

Pilling Resistance

• Filament nylon: 4–5 on Martindale scale • At high-friction zones (inner thigh, waistband edges): 3–4 on extended testing • Spun nylon (uncommon in athleisure): 2–3, not recommended

Colorfastness

• Wash fastness (ISO 105-C06): 3–4 (acid dyes); 4 achievable with metallic complex dyes on dark shades • Light fastness (ISO 105-B02): 4–5 (lower than polyester — yellowing risk in white/ecru under UV) • Rubbing fastness (dry): 4–5; (wet): 3–4 • Note: Bright neons and vivid pastels score 3 on wash fastness without fixation bath — factor into colour palette decisions

Tensile Strength

• Nylon filament: 40–75 cN/tex (higher than polyester's 35–60 cN/tex) • Seam strength on four-way stretch interlock (flatlock construction): 160–220 N (ASTM D1683)

MOQ Guidance

• Standard nylon-spandex interlock (stock constructions): 500–800 kg minimum per colour • Custom construction / micro-denier spec: 800–1,200 kg • ECONYL recycled nylon constructions: 1,000–2,000 kg (more limited mill base) • Seamless garments (full-package): 500–1,000 pieces per colourway at most seamless specialists