Cotton absorbs sweat into the fiber itself, which is why a cotton shirt feels heavy and stays wet for a long stretch after activity. Moisture-wicking polyester works the opposite way: the fiber does not absorb moisture, so sweat is pulled along the fabric surface toward the outside, where it can evaporate faster. The shirt stays lighter and dries quicker, which is the entire reason performance apparel brands like Sport-Tek build around polyester and poly-blends instead of pure cotton.
Moisture-wicking fabric is not universally better. Office-only staff, indoor customer-facing roles, and anyone who wants a softer, more traditional hand-feel are generally better served by a cotton pique polo like the Gildan Premium Cotton Pique Polo also in the Bear Grips catalog. Matching the fabric to the actual working conditions of the wearer matters more than defaulting to performance fabric for everything.
Every Sport-Tek piece in the Bear Grips catalog, the polo, all three moisture-wicking tees, both long sleeves, both quarter-zips, and all three shorts styles plus the skort, uses this performance fabric approach. It is the defining feature of the brand within the catalog, distinct from the cotton-based Bella+Canvas, Gildan, and Next Level lines sold alongside it. See the full Sport-Tek product lineup for pricing on every piece.
Moisture-wicking Sport-Tek pieces built for sweat, not just for sitting in a closet.
Start FreeYes, these are largely marketing terms for the same underlying idea: polyester or poly-blend fabric engineered to move sweat to the surface rather than absorb it like cotton.
The base price already includes the fabric type for each piece; there is no separate fabric surcharge added on top.
Yes, this is one of its main strengths. It dries faster and feels lighter than cotton in sustained heat.
Not necessarily. Indoor, low-activity roles are often better served by a softer cotton pique polo, which is also available in the catalog.
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