The world’s most elite athletes will gather this summer to push the boundaries of human performance in pursuit of glory for themselves and their countries. They will also be chasing records, whether they are trying to beat their personal best or become the new world record holder. Every year, athletes become faster, stronger, and more skilled, raising the bar higher in their respective sports.

In addition to hard work by the individual athletes, technology innovation also plays a huge part in the constant progress of athletic performance. Training and nutrition are advancing, and so is the equipment and clothing athletes use. The robust innovation landscape in sportswear, for example, is evident from the significant volume of patent filings by top companies over just the last five years (Table 1).

Source: Patent search completed by CAS IP Services℠ team on July 14, 2024. Scope: Global patents or applications published since July 1, 2019, inclusive of utility and design patents. Company ranking by Business Chief.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the specific innovations taking the field and how they are impacting athlete success.

How is new technology improving sports performance?

Advances in materials science are enhancing agility, comfort, safety, and even sustainability for fabrics, footwear, and more, helping athletes reach new heights in their respective sports. Today’s athletes are benefiting from numerous new fabrics and clothing innovations that support their bodies during workouts and competitions. These technologies impact physiological functions like circulation as well as external factors like air and water resistance. 

• Compression wear improves circulation and recovery. Compression garments have been used in medical settings for decades to prevent post-surgical blood clots and edema. Athletes are now using compression fabrics to obtain the same circulatory benefits to enhance performance — bringing oxygen to working muscles, which controls lactic acid accumulation to reduce muscle fatigue and soreness. A recent compression sportswear study found that lower-body compression garments reduce blood flow and heart rate to improve endurance and whole-body garments can improve speed. Innovations in synthetic fabrics such as nylon 6 and polyamide-6 are driving the development of more compression gear, from stockings to sleeves, to help athletes perform better and recover faster.

• 3D printing customizes athletic gear. As 3D printing technology is now widely accessible, athletes can have equipment created specifically for their body shape and movement patterns. This is not only impacting performance and training protocols, but also improving the fit and effectiveness of protective gear such as mouth guards, pads, and helmets. It’s also driving the development of custom running shoes, like the Adidas Futurecraft, which provide a precise fit and optimal cushioning for each individual’s feet. As 3D printing technology continues to advance the creation of increasingly complex designs and outputs, having every element of their equipment completely customized to their needs could now be in reach for athletes.

‍Aerodynamic design increases athletes’ speed. Fractions of a second can make the difference between first and last place. Athletes and trainers, therefore, seek out the most aerodynamic fabrics and gear to reduce drag, and studies have found that the blending ratio of fibers in sportswear is positively correlated with air friction resistance. Specifically, the higher the ratio of cotton fiber, the lower the fabric’s air frictional resistance due to the fuzz distributed along the yarn. Synthetic fabrics, such as recycled polyester used in Nike’s AeroSwift soccer kit, are also improving aerodynamics while channeling sweat away from the skin to improve athletes’ speed.

How does science improve athletes’ health and safety?

Athletes push themselves to the extremes of human endurance, so it’s critical that their bodies are optimally protected and supported during workouts and competitions. Fortunately, innovation in materials science, even down to the nanoscale, is making an impact.

• Graphene and phase-change materials improve thermal regulation. Breathable fabrics and moisture-wicking capabilities are vital for athletes’ thermal regulation. This is important for any athlete, but it’s crucial to success among these elite competitors. Graphene-infused fabrics enhance moisture absorption and breathability, and research has shown that graphene can improve thermal regulation by evenly distributing heat across the fabric, thereby maintaining optimal body temperature. In either a honeycomb or spider web pattern, these 2D carbon atoms are effective in moisture and heat dissipation.
  
  Phase change materials (PCM) are another breakthrough in thermal regulation. PCM are a special class of substances that release or absorb sufficient energy at the phase transition (e.g., from solid to liquid) to provide useful heat or cooling. Among the different types of PCM, paraffins, such as eicosane, octadecane, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and nonadecane are used in textile products to absorb and release thermal energy, thereby providing better temperature control. When an athlete's body temperature rises, the PCM absorbs the excess heat. When it drops, the stored heat is released, maintaining a stable body temperature.

• Antimicrobial fabric treatments prevent infections. Handling sweat and moisture is one of sportswear’s most important functions to ensure athletes’ comfort and prevent irritation and infection. Fabrics are now being treated with nanoparticles and other compounds to better prevent microbial growth. For example, nanoparticle-based metals and metal-oxide coatings including silver, copper, titanium, zinc, and gold are commonly used as antimicrobial agents in sportswear. Under Armour and Lululemon are two brands that are using mineral particles to inhibit microbial growth in their clothing.

Metal-free antimicrobial innovations are being developed as well, such as Sanitized Puretec^TM. This compound uses Quat Silene technology, which destabilizes bacteria cell walls with the interaction of its long carbon chain and ammonium silene. This kills bacteria and has the added benefit of reducing odors in sportswear.

‍Sportswear innovations enhance UV protection. Athletes training and competing outdoors need excellent UV protection. UV-protective technology embedded directly in gear and clothing is a critical advancement, and numerous materials are being used to this effect. Common UV-blocking agents such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are often incorporated into fabric fibers, ensuring long-lasting UV protection even after multiple washes. Graphene can also be added to synthetic fabrics like spandex, resulting in fabric that provides an Ultraviolet Protection Factor of 50+. Natural compounds such as chitosan, derived from shellfish, and plant-based oils are also being infused in fabrics to provide UV protection.

How is sportswear becoming more sustainable?

With the rise of fast fashion and more synthetic fabrics, concerns over emissions and pollution related to clothing are growing. Sportswear is no exception, and athletes today have increasingly sustainable options for clothing that still deliver performance and safety.

• Recycled plastics making sustainable synthetic fabrics. Brands including Nike and Adidas are using recycled plastic from the ocean to develop polyester fabric. Econyl® is also making regenerated nylon using recycled waste, which Speedo incorporates into some of its swimwear. These materials and the processes underlying their development are important innovations for a more circular economy with sportswear.
• ‍Biodegradable fabrics tackling waste issues. Tencel^TM is an artificial fiber derived from eucalyptus wood pulp and is biodegradable. It’s processed in a closed-loop system where 99% of the solvents used are recovered and recycled. Solutions like Tencel can also address concerns with discarded synthetic materials from athletic apparel and consumer clothing ending up in landfills.

Innovation enabling new athletic achievements

Just as athletes are constantly pushing themselves to achieve new milestones in their sport, the scientists, designers, and innovators that develop their gear and equipment are also continuously pushing boundaries to give those athletes an edge. At CAS, we’ll be watching as these innovations, from swim caps to shoes, help athletes from around the world achieve greatness in the weeks and years to come, while tracking the next wave of innovations on the horizon.