Developments in Sportswear.

Clothing is an important issue for general consumer, active athletes and for those who practice sports just for fitness in their leisure time. Many researchers and industries are engaged to develop the functional active fabrics. Active sportswear helps the runner in reduction of additional physical and mental stress, thereby enhancing his efficiency in his activity. it should generally be ultra-breathable and should have high heat and moisture management properties, light weight, fast drying properties and feature elasticity properties. The latest sports textile materials are much more functional for fulfilling specific needs in different sports activities. The important characteristics of sportswear are the rapid transportation of perspiration away from the body and its rapid evaporation to keep the fabric non- sticky with the body of wearer. This can be achieved through the layered fabric construction. This paper deals with the literature survey on comfort and its related characteristics, detailed view about sportswear, requirements of sportswear for marathon runners, the concept of layered fabrics, different fibers to be used in sportswear and the effect of each parameters on the thermo- physiological properties of sportswear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]