WICKING WINDOWS™ Technology

Stick to Your Workouts, Not Your Clothes

A moisture management finish that works as hard as you do — without showing it. WICKING WINDOWS™ technology brings you new possibilities in moisture management with performance that beats the strongest competition in the market. Go from a tough workout to the store, or even coffee with friends, while staying dry, comfortable, and looking fresh.

What other technology or fiber can say that? So don’t sweat it — managing moisture and looking good has never been so easy.

What is WICKING WINDOWS™ Technology?

WICKING WINDOWS™ technology is a unique moisture management application for cotton that helps eliminate the feeling of wet fabric against the body. This performance technology, developed by Cotton Incorporated, forces the transfer of moisture away from the skin to the outside of the fabric where it can evaporate — keeping you cooler, drier, and more comfortable during exercise, errands, or wherever the day takes you. The WICKING WINDOWS™ technology is applied through the print application of chemistry to create repellent areas, producing “windows” or an allover print. The print pattern is colorless and can only be seen once moisture comes into contact with the fabric.

WICKING WINDOWS™ technology is designed to: 

• Reduce fabric cling
• Move moisture away from the body
• Keep the wearer cooler and drier
• Improve breathability
• Wash clean of odors
• Keep sweat marks hidden
• Easily apply to knits and wovens

Endless Possibilities

WICKING WINDOWS™ technology offers three variations for a wide range of performance: 

1. The technology allows moisture to move to the outside of the garment through a single print process on the inside of the fabric.  
2. By using a double print process, the WICKING WINDOWS™ technology offers sweat-hiding properties coupled with moisture management.  
3. Finally, a phase change material (PCM) can be incorporated into the WICKING WINDOWS™ print paste to provide temperature regulation and additional cooling properties.  

The best thing is, all of these variations last the life of the garment. The possibilities and benefits are endless with this versatile, breathable moisture management solution.

Excellent Moisture Management and Breathability 

Cotton treated with WICKING WINDOWS™ technology provides excellent moisture management and breathability even in hot, humid climates.  

The WICKING WINDOWS™ technology is printed on the skin-facing side of the fabric. As the wearer begins to sweat, the printed areas remain dry against the skin while small absorbent “windows” pull moisture to the outside of the fabric where it can evaporate and dry quickly. The print pattern can be a simple coverage effect or can incorporate a stylized design, which adds a greater level of versatility to the functional performance.

How does WICKING WINDOWS™ technology work? 

Saturated, clingy fabric can cause irritation and chafing. The WICKING WINDOWS™ technology greatly reduces the amount of cling force by minimizing the amount of wet fabric that comes into contact with the skin. Less wet fabric against the skin means a drier, more comfortable experience.

Many synthetic fabrics claim to move moisture away from the body to the garment’s outer layer, however, most do nothing more than absorb water within the fabric structure. Fabrics treated with the WICKING WINDOWS™ technology have the ability to move moisture away from the skin better than most performance fabrics and exhibit significant performance advantages over untreated cotton, cotton blends, and synthetic fabrics.

Work Hard. Play Hard.

Sweat-Hiding Technology

The WICKING WINDOWS™ print application not only prevents cling and improves dry time, but it can also prevent sweat marks from showing during or after a workout. This Sweat Hiding Technology is a multifunctional innovation for cotton that wicks sweat from the skin and keeps unwanted sweat marks from showing. The dual application process prints a high-performance wicking finish on the inside of the fabric and a breathable moisture barrier on the outside. The inside of the fabric absorbs and spreads moisture to enhance comfort and reduce fabric cling, while the outside creates a breathable barrier to prevent sweat marks from showing through.

According to the Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™ Survey¹: 

• 92% of consumers say they wear activewear for purposes other than exercise mostly due to comfort.¹
• 69% of consumers seek odor resistance.
• 68% seek out moisture management.
• 63% seek thermal regulation while shopping for activewear.¹

Works Hard. Keeps You Cool.

WICKING WINDOWS™ Technology + Cooling Phase Change Material

The WICKING WINDOWS™ technology provides moisture management benefits and can be combined with a cooling phase change material (PCM) which can keep the wearer cooler as the temperature heats up and workouts get harder.

A phase change material absorbs energy (heat) to regulate the body temperature as the external temperature rises. A microencapsulated PCM makes it easy to integrate this technology with the WICKING WINDOWS™ print paste and to last the life of the garment. The unique combination keeps the wearer cool in warmer environments and still provides moisture management benefits.

When exposed to heat and moisture, the WICKING WINDOWS™ + cooling PCM successfully keeps the fabric at least five degrees cooler than an untreated cotton fabric during application. Thermal imaging tests show the treated fabric is not only significantly cooler but it also performed as well as or better than competitive synthetic phase-change fabrics.

Get Inspired

Here are a few examples of WICKING WINDOWS™ technology from Cotton Incorporated’s licensed suppliers. These are just a sampling of constructions, designs, and fabrics that can be developed for your supply chain.

Suppliers

The WICKING WINDOWS™ technology has been adopted by major brands and is commercially available through 30 leading manufacturers around the globe.  Contact one of these suppliers to implement WICKING WINDOWS™ in your performance apparel line.