Solaris Athletics Switzerland: Training Tops Built on Bi-Stretch Woven Polyamide

Solaris Athletics is a growing Switzerland-based activewear label whose training tops range now anchors its seasonal offer. When the design team planned a wider range with tighter launch dates, it needed a fabric partner able to guarantee construction consistency, documented performance and shade continuity across every production lot.

Solaris Athletics: reviewing the fabric swatch set for the training tops programme

The challenge

The main risk in the project was odour retention in multi-day training wear. The previous supply chain ran through a trading intermediary, so there was little visibility of the mill, no construction sheet and no test evidence behind the performance claims. Without that documentation the brand could not brief its retail partners with confidence.

The solution

We proposed a dedicated bi-stretch woven polyamide programme built around an odour-control treatment validated over 30 wear cycles. Development started with A4 lab dips and a full construction sheet covering fibre content, GSM, width, stretch and recovery, and colour fastness. Only after the brand approved hand feel and performance targets did the project move to a pre-production lot for fit sampling.

Sample and fit approval for the bi-stretch woven polyamide construction

Implementation

• Development: lab dips and physical samples in 5 working days.
• Approval: colour, hand feel and stretch signed off in two rounds.
• Bulk: consolidated dye lots to hold shade continuity.
• QC: inline inspection plus final random inspection before packing.
• Testing: ISO 13934 tensile strength on every bulk lot.

Specification delivered

Results

The new bi-stretch woven polyamide programme helped Solaris Athletics lowered the fabric defect rate below 1.2%. The training tops line launched on schedule, and wash durability, opacity and fit consistency all held up through the first retail season. The brand has since extended the programme into additional colours and styles.

“The development process was transparent from the first sample. We finally had the data we needed to brief our retail partners with confidence.” — Solaris Athletics Product Team

Inline inspection and packing before the training tops shipment

Key takeaway

Moving from a trading model to mill-direct development removed the hidden risks in the supply chain. With documented construction, controlled shade management and inline quality control, Solaris Athletics could concentrate on design and marketing instead of firefighting production issues.