Materials: The Building Blocks of Fabrics
Every fabric begins with its material — the yarn that gives it life, shaping its touch, its performance, and its character. The right materials define how a fabric feels, behaves, and endures.
At GAC, we source exceptional original and branded fibers from around the world and blend them with intention, elevating every fabric to its highest value and performance.
Synthetic & Recycled
Synthetic fibres such as polyester and nylon (polyamide) have been the backbone of performance textiles for decades. They are strong, reliable, versatile, and offer practical benefits like fast drying and effective moisture management, which is why they’re widely used in activewear and outdoor apparel. We use both virgin and recycled fibres, selecting each material for the balance of performance, durability, and sustainability required for the intended application.
Polyester & Recycled Polyester
Polyester is an incredibly versatile and cost-effective synthetic fiber known for its high strength, wrinkle resistance, and fast-drying properties.
Nylon (Polyamide) & Recycled Nylon (rPA)
Nylon, or Polyamide, is celebrated for being one of the strongest and lightest synthetic fibers, boasting superior abrasion resistance and elastic recovery.
Polypropylene
Polypropylene (PP) is a lightweight fiber with exceptional thermal regulation and virtually zero moisture absorption (hydrophobic), allowing it to effectively move sweat away from the skin.
Elastane (Spandex/Lycra)
Elastane is a highly elastic synthetic fiber capable of stretching up to 5-8 times its original length and immediately recovering its shape.
Polyurethane (PU) - Membranes
Polyurethane is a polymer often utilized in the textile industry to create membranes and coatings that provide waterproof, windproof, and breathable barriers.
Other
Acrylic is a warm, soft fibre with wool-like properties. It’s lightweight, easy to care for, and commonly used as a wool alternative in sweaters and winter knits. Sorona is a partially bio-based polyester with good stretch, recovery, and softness, often used in activewear and comfort-focused fabrics. Other synthetic options include infused polyesters, such as charcoal bamboo or graphene enhanced yarns.
Learn more about Recycling!
By transforming post-consumer and post-industrial waste into new fibers, we can maintain the essential performance qualities we love while drastically reducing the need for virgin raw materials. Recycled Polyester and Nylon are the core focus of the modern textile industry, ensuring that innovation, quality, and environmental stewardship.
COOLMAX®
COOLMAX® is a brand of high quality textured polyester that offer increase performance and brand visibility.
Polypropylene
Dig deeper into what makes polypropylene a complelling option for high performance applications and uses.
Man-made Cellulosic
Man-made cellulosic fibres such as lyocell, modal, viscose, and acetate are produced from natural cellulose, usually sourced from wood pulp. This category includes some of the most progressive and environmentally responsible options on the market today, with lyocell and modern acetates offering efficient resource use and reliable quality. These fibres provide a smooth hand feel, good moisture management, and stable performance, making them suitable for both blends and standalone applications.
Lyocell
Lyocell is a highly sustainable fiber created through a closed-loop system, where wood pulp – from various sources, including eucalyptus and birch – is dissolved and spun. It is valued for its exceptional softness, high tenacity (strength), breathability and elegant drape. TENCEL™ and SeaCell™ are well-known branded versions of this fiber.
Cellulose Acetate
Acetate is a bio-based fiber derived from wood pulp, known for its luxurious hand-feel, excellent luster, and natural breathability. Modern acetates – especially Naia™ and Naia™ Renew, which we use – offer a unique combination of comfort and performance: they dry significantly faster than cotton or other natural fibers and can effectively replace petroleum-based synthetics in many activewear applications. Their lower environmental footprint and recycled content make them one of the most progressive cellulose options available today.
Viscose (Rayon)
Viscose (Rayon) is a regenerated cellulose fiber made from wood pulp using a traditional viscose process. It is known for its soft, smooth feel, high absorbency, and excellent color vibrancy. While viscose offers a natural-like drape and comfort at an accessible cost, its production relies on older chemistry that is less environmentally advanced than newer cellulosic technologies like modal or lyocell.
Modal
Modal is a type of regenerated cellulosic fiber primarily made from beech tree wood pulp. It is significantly more resistant to shrinkage and fading than conventional rayon and maintains an exceptionally soft, smooth hand-feel even after repeated washing. It’s often blended with other fibers for added luxury and stability.
Cupro
Cupro is a premium, regenerated cellulosic fiber made from cotton linter (the short, fuzzy fibers surrounding the cottonseed). It is known for its silken drape, lightweight feel, tactile coolness and superior moisture management, making it a common choice for high-end linings and luxury apparel.
SeaCell™
Born from seaweed, ecologically harvested in Iceland, SeaCell™ contains antioxidants infused directly into the fibre.
TENCEL™
TENCEL™ is a branded lyocell made by Lenzing, well known for its quality, reliability and environmental focus.
Naia™ and Naia™ Renew
One of the most compelling and innovative yarns on the market today, Naia™ soaks less than other natural fibres and dries as quickly as polyester. Positioned to challenge the sportswear industry dominated by synthetics, Naia™ helps brands reduce their dependence on petroleum-based materials.
Natural Materials
Natural fibres such as cotton, wool, linen, and hemp remain valued for their familiar comfort and breathability. While this is not our primary focus, we incorporate selected natural materials where they add specific benefits – such as wool for insulation and odour control, drirelease® silk for comfort, or premium cotton, linen, and hemp for certain blends.
Wool & Merino
Wool is a natural protein fiber that provides outstanding thermal regulation, effectively keeping the wearer warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s warm. Merino wool, in particular, offers finer, non-itchy fibers with natural odor resistance and softness, making it ideal for high-performance base layers.
Cotton
Cotton is the world’s most widely used natural fiber, valued for its comfort, soft hand-feel, and high breathability and absorbency. For our highest level of application, we utilize premium varieties like Egyptian Cotton, known for its long staple fibers that create exceptionally strong, smooth, and durable textiles.
Linen
Linen is a strong cellulosic fiber derived from the flax plant. It is highly prized for its natural coolness and breathability, making it the perfect choice for warm weather apparel. Its inherent stiffness gives it a distinctive, beautiful texture and drape that improves with wear.
Hemp
Hemp is an incredibly durable and strong natural fiber that requires very little water or pesticides to grow. It is known for its softening hand-feel over time, good UV resistance, and excellent absorbency, making it a highly sustainable and resilient choice for apparel.
Silk
Silk is a luxurious natural protein fiber known for its smooth texture, high luster, and impressive strength. In our case, we utilize drirelease® Silk, a blend engineered to enhance silk’s natural qualities with superior wicking performance and fast-drying capabilities for active applications.
The Finest Egyptian Cotton
Not all cotton is made equal. At GAC, we work with the best of the best, premium cotton from Egypt, that pushes the quality to a whole new level.
Wool & Merino
While wool requires no introduction, you can learn more about its properties and functions within our performance applications here.