Fabrics: Athletic Net

Iris Bralette prototype in stretch athletic mesh

Iris Bralette in athletic mesh

The same fabric used in sports jerseys and shorts, athletic net is a poly or poly/spandex knit with teardrop-shaped holes. 

The non-stretch version, shown above in blue is 100% poly, and has 30% crosswise mechanical stretch and 15% lengthwise mechanical stretch.  The surface is very smooth and shiny.

The stretch version, shown above in black, is 90/10 poly/spandex, and has 50% crosswise stretch and 30% lengthwise stretch.  The surface is smooth, but not as shiny as the blue version.

I made my very first Iris Bralette prototype out of the black athletic mesh, and it was purely an experiment to see what I could do with this fabric.  It was part of a grab bag, and since I'm not really a sportswoman, I wasn't sure what to do with it.  I was very surprised with the results, and found the bralette very comfortable with about medium support.  

Pros:

Atheltic net creates a very sporty bra or bralette, if feminine fabrics aren't your thing.  The surface is very smooth to wear under clothing.  ​The holes in the mesh provided air circulation, which was much appreciated in the hot summer weather.

Cons:

Once the fabric became damp with sweat, it didn't dry out on the body, so this could be a problem in very humid weather or if the bralette is worn for exercising.