to go back to cotton - sports wear

[bluefoxmug]

omg it stinks.
mine is bad, dh's worse, the teenagers unbearable.
and that after a short run.

I don't remember cotton stinking like that 'back in the day'

[Immigrantsong]

I love cotton. All the polyester sports gear makes me sweat and smell. Cotton all the way. Bamboo is good too.

[Iamthewombat]

That is what biological washing powder is for!

[Iamthewombat]

I can’t believe we all fell for this bollocks about ‘wicking’ fabrics. How gullible? Expensive sports gear made out of recycled plastic cups!!!

[bluefoxmug]

I use bio powder.
and wash at 40.

still stinks

[GuyFawkesDay]

You need Halo sports wash.

DHs kit is fresh as a daisy. It wasn't when I didn't use it!

[ThatLockdownLyfe]

White vinegar soak.

[bluefoxmug]

I will wear what I have until it's threadbare, but will not buy any more plastic shit for exercise

[NellWilsonsWhiteHair]

Can you recommend cotton workout gear that’s as comfortable to work hard in, though?
I’d prefer cotton (or bamboo) for the eco issues, and also because most of the time I huuugely prefer it for feel against my skin, but in terms of stretch and wicking and durability and hold, I’ve never found anything cotton that remotely compares to the polyester stuff...

[BookSkark]

Try BAM clothing - I've bought a couple of tops from there and find them really comfortable - and so far, no smells, despite the buckets of sweat I produce while shredding!

[Iamthewombat]

If DH’s cycling gear is in the machine, I slyly dose it with Zoflora. Gets rid of the smell and replaces it with ‘very berry’ ot ‘tropical.breeze’.

I will look into that Halo wash though.

[Northernsoullover]

I'd love cotton sportswear. I've never seen any.

[Proudboomer]

Buy bamboo. Much better than cotton and better environmentally.

[Proudboomer]

bambooclothing.co.uk/

[Iamthewombat]

Back in the late nineties and early 2000s you could get loads of lovely sportswear in cotton Lycra from Adidas, Puma etc. Where has it all gone?

(I know the answer, sadly. All swapped out for stuff in cheap crap fabric sold at the same prices as the nice stuff used to be!)

[Abraid2]

I find bamboo makes me feel hot. Cotton is lovely to start with but does feel heavy against the skin when it gets soaked, and if the temperature drops you can feel chilly. But I must admit I've never understood how something as synthetic as basically polyster 'wicking' sports kit works. Have we been taken in?

Working out at home means I can wear some of my skimpiest and grottiest sports wear with only family members and the dog to scare.

I have never found a Zoflora I like. But I have the same reservations about Yankee Candles.

[Abraid2]

This is interesting:

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2ktnl9Sw6JqdNzHtjDhRJQF/should-i-wear-sports-clothes-from-natural-or-synthetic-fabric#:~:text=Firstly%2C%20the%20cotton%20t%2Dshirts,synthetic%20fibres%20tend%20not%20to.&text=So%2C%20synthetic%20fabrics%20can%20keep,drier%20%E2%80%93%20but%20make%20you%20smellier.

[CoRhona]

Halo from Sainsbury's or a cup of white vinegar, either will take away the smell.

I always used to use Halo but white vinegar is so useful around the house I buy that instead now.

[GuyFawkesDay]

Hate zoflora smells apart from 2 I can never find!!

The halo is great.

If you rub it neat into stinky pits of shirts etc it just gets rid of the smell and any pit stains too.

Great for stinky teenage school shirts and my cheapo jumpers too.

[Tinkletwat]

Like someone already said Halo sports laundry detergent will sort this for you.

[bluefoxmug]

no school uniform where I am, but dc are definitely less smelly since they are able to wear jeans&tshirts to school compared to uniform items.

[GuyFawkesDay]

Honestly, Halo (or the just as good Wilko equivalent) rub neat into the armpits before washing school shirts and blazers with more in the drawer.

If it sorts my husband's sports kit 🤢, it'll sort those.

It's marvellous.

[bluefoxmug]

but honestly. clothes that need to be doused in chemicals in order not to smell?
how shit is that?

[FudgeBrownie2019]

Gap and H&M make lovely cotton clothing that seems to last forever. I run in Gap's cotton tees and sweat far less.

Halo in your sports gear helps. As a PP has mentioned if you have acrylic school blazers it works like a dream on those, too.

DC play football, rugby and cricket and live in rugby and football kits, so are sweaty, sweaty beasts. Halo is the only thing that helps.

[ragged]

I'm confused, is OP saying that synthetics stink more & cotton stinks less so she wants to use cotton?

I regularly exercise in cotton t-shirts & tank tops, very happily. Works fine for me. I don't find anything preferable about synthetic fabric.

[TheTeenageYears]

Good quality sportswear tech fabrics are designed to be breathable and dry quickly. I always wash all sportswear together in a separate wash load at 30 degrees and never use fabric softener- that will make it smell terrible as will leaving it in the machine for several hours after the wash has finished.