Umbra Active United Kingdom: Training Tank Built on Cotton/Spandex Ponte Roma Knit
Umbra Active, based in United Kingdom, needed a training tank that delivered chlorine and salt resistance without moving away from a clean, commercial silhouette. The finished fabric was Cotton/Spandex Ponte Roma Knit.
Project brief and fabric selection
The fabric selected combines Ponte Roma Knit (fine rib double knit) with combed cotton with elastane, giving natural hand with shape retention. Construction is fine rib double knit at 250-310 GSM. The brief also asked for plus dimensional stability. Each lot was checked against ISO 105-E03 plus cyclic testing before cutting began.
Construction and fit decisions
Pattern and construction were adjusted around the chosen fabric: seam placement moved away from high-friction areas, stitch density was matched to the elastane content, and the fit block was revised once the first wear trial showed the panel tension distribution. The development brief set the outcome as modulus loss below 10% after 120 pool hours.
Dyeing and finishing approach
Finishing was limited to processes that support chlorine and salt resistance. Soft handle came from construction rather than heavy softening, which keeps performance stable through repeated washing. Consistency between repeat lots mattered more to Umbra Active than an isolated best result.
Measured results
Measured outcome: modulus loss below 10% after 120 pool hours, verified by ISO 105-E03 plus cyclic testing. Size sets were checked after five home washes to confirm that dimensional change stayed inside the agreed tolerance before bulk release. Fabric Cotton/Spandex Ponte Roma Knit supplied the base behaviour for chlorine and salt resistance.
Repeat order performance
The style moved to repeat orders after two seasons. Bulk fabric is now booked against a fixed recipe, with test reports issued per lot, and the Ponte Roma Knit construction is used for additional colourways in the same programme. The United Kingdom market requires documentation, so reports shipped with every lot.
