Journal / Inside Leda Sport
Why 80/20 Is Only the Beginning
We did not begin with a fiber percentage. We began with the life we wanted a swimsuit to support: more places, more movement, more comfort and more years of wear.
Our fabric philosophy: choose for the scene first, put comfort first, build for longevity, and prove every decision in movement. The technology is there to make a woman's day feel easier - not to turn a swimsuit into a list of specifications.
Four priorities before the percentage
A swimsuit rarely stays in one place. It may begin in a gym, enter a pool, move onto a paddleboard and finish under a shirt or with a pair of trousers. We select fabric by asking what that complete day demands.
Scene First
We want one fabric system to support more of a woman's life: lap swimming, open-water swimming, surfing, paddleboarding, kayaking, snorkeling, diving, beach movement, daily training and rehabilitation. It should also feel considered enough to travel from gym to swim or from water to everyday life.
That wider range of scenes explains why Leda fabric carries several functions at once. Chlorine and saltwater resistance answer the pool and the sea. UV protection and built-in cooling respond to exposed, sunlit conditions. Breathability, moisture movement and quick drying make the transition out of water more comfortable.
Comfort First
Performance begins with what the skin feels. Our functional ultrafine nylon creates a smooth, fine surface with less friction against the body. Its cool-touch quality helps reduce the closed-in feeling that dense swimwear can create in heat, while breathability and moisture movement help the wearer feel fresher before and after entering the water.
The fabric is designed not to become unnecessarily heavy when wet. Twenty percent elastane gives four-way stretch, body-following comfort and recovery, allowing the suit to stay close without asking the wearer to tolerate stiffness or constant pressure.
Longevity First
For Leda Sport, sustainability begins with keeping a good garment in use. Chlorine resistance, saltwater resistance, abrasion resistance, color fastness and elastic recovery are selected to slow down the familiar signs of swimwear fatigue: fading, hardening, surface damage and loss of shape.
Our training materials describe this as practical luxury and long-term ownership: buy thoughtfully, wear repeatedly and reduce unnecessary replacement. More considered dyeing and stable color are part of the same idea, but durability is never created by one finish alone. Fiber, knit, construction, use and care all work together.
Movement First
The final test is motion. Four-way stretch must follow the reach of a swim stroke, the rotation of a paddle and the bend of a training session. Elastane recovery helps the fabric return toward its intended shape, while the smooth surface and low water pickup help reduce distraction in water.
Movement also depends on the garment around the fabric. Panel placement, coverage, lining, non-irritating seams and reinforced edges determine whether the material's stretch becomes real security and freedom on the body.
The material system behind those priorities
80% functional ultrafine nylon
The nylon forms most of what the skin touches. Leda Sport selects an ultrafine functional yarn for its smooth, silk-like surface and for the qualities engineered into the yarn and finished fabric: cool touch, breathability, quick drying, moisture movement, UV protection, odor control, and resistance to chlorine, saltwater and wear.
This is where Leda fabric differs from a basic nylon blend. “Nylon†on a label names a fiber family; it does not describe the fineness of the yarn, the functional engineering, the knit or the finishing choices that determine the actual handfeel.
20% elastane / spandex
Elastane supplies stretch, recovery and close fit. Current Leda Sport production uses LYCRA® elastane. Future production may also use Hyosung CREORA® spandex when it meets the same standards for handfeel, stretch and recovery; the precise supplier should be confirmed for the individual product or production batch.
The purpose of this 20% is not simply maximum stretch. We look for a considered balance: enough extension for movement, enough recovery for lasting shape, and enough softness for all-day comfort.
Why another 80/20 suit can feel completely different
Two labels can show identical percentages while describing very different experiences. Composition does not reveal yarn fineness, functional properties, knit density, finishing, lining or how panels and seams control the fabric on the body.
Ultrafine functional nylon creates a smoother surface and carries the cooling and moisture-management qualities.
The knit balances coverage, airflow, four-way movement and the even distribution of tension.
Dyeing and performance finishing influence color stability, skin comfort and repeated wear.
Lining, paneling, seams and edges turn material performance into support, security and freedom.
The technology, translated into experience
Chlorine and saltwater resistance help the same suit move between training and open water.
UV protection and built-in cooling support exposed summer movement.
Breathability, quick drying and moisture movement reduce heaviness and post-swim cling.
Abrasion resistance, color stability and elastic recovery support longer ownership.
Care is part of longevity
Help the fabric keep doing its work
- Rinse promptly in cool fresh water after chlorine, salt water and sunscreen.
- Hand wash gently with mild detergent. Avoid bleach and fabric softener.
- Never wring. Press water out lightly without twisting the elastane.
- Dry flat in shade. Do not tumble dry, iron or leave on hot surfaces.
- Avoid prolonged contact with rough stone and abrasive pool edges.
- Let the suit dry fully before storing, and rotate suits when swimming frequently.
The best fabric technology is not the function you notice first. It is the freedom to move through your day without having to think about your swimsuit.
Material notes
Performance descriptions are based on Leda Sport's 2026 training material and English brand lookbook. LYCRA® and CREORA® are branded elastane/spandex fibers; general stretch and recovery terminology is referenced against The LYCRA Company and Hyosung. Individual styles and production batches may vary; consult the product page and garment care label.