Performance Running System
Development of a technical running collection combining moisture management, odour control, thermoregulation and weather protection.
- Category
- Technical running apparel
- Apex Studio scope
- Product system, material logic and validation plan
- Status
- Development case · production not confirmed
Editorial visual from the source deck. It is not documentary photography of a client project, test or production run.
The brief
Start with the run, not the finish.
The project set out to build a clothing system for different uses, climates and intensities. Development began with how the kit would be worn and washed, then worked back to fabric, construction and finish.
- Run type and intensity
- Distance and duration
- Climate and exposure
- Garment and layer
- Washing habits
- Comfort and protection needs
Visual evidence
01 / 08
The challenge
Performance has to survive use, washing and production.
A finish is only useful when it works with the fabric, preserves comfort, withstands the intended care cycle and can be applied consistently at industrial scale.
- Performance
- Tie each function to the use case and a relevant method.
- Comfort
- Protect breathability, softness and movement.
- Durability
- Re-test after the wash conditions the garment will face.
- Industrial fit
- Match finish, fabric face, application and production route.
Development approach
Bio-based first. Synthetic only where performance requires it.
Fabric, construction and finish were evaluated together, garment by garment. The principle guides selection. It does not make the collection “natural” or “sustainable”, and it does not replace evidence for each formulation.
See what Apex Studio developed, integrated and set up to validate in this project: a product architecture that assigns only the required function to each piece, then links that decision to a test route.
Four performance functions
One function at a time, applied where it earns its place.
01 · Dry
Quick dry
Moisture spreads across the fabric and evaporates faster.
- How it works
- The specified finish lowers water surface tension so sweat disperses into a thinner layer instead of remaining concentrated.
- Applied to
- Race singlets, race tees, base layers and warm-weather running tops.
- Validation route
- The deck specifies AATCC 197, 79, 201 and 195, plus GB/T 21655.1 after washing. No report or measured result was included.
Technical detail
The source describes a microbe-assisted, biosurfactant approach based on renewable inputs. Certification and biodegradability claims remain excluded until supporting documents identify the exact formulation and scope.
02 · Fresh
Odour control
Botanical odour capture instead of a biocidal or fragranced treatment.
- How it works
- Plant-derived agents are specified to capture odour molecules during wear and release them during washing.
- Applied to
- Running tops, long-run layers, heavyweight tees, hoodies and travel pieces.
- Validation route
- The deck references ISO 17299-3 after 20 home launderings. It does not include the report, reduction value or wash conditions.
Technical detail
The source names mint oil and bio-based micro-containers. Bio-based carbon percentages and certification marks remain excluded pending ingredient-level evidence.
03 · Thermo
Adaptive cooling
Evaporative cooling increases as heat and moisture rise.
- How it works
- A hydro-functional polymer is specified to respond to higher temperature and moisture by increasing evaporation.
- Applied to
- Summer tees, long sleeves and long-run pieces where heat management matters most.
- Validation route
- The deck names dynamic evaporation, FLIR thermal imaging and sweating torso or manikin tests. No test report or temperature result was supplied.
Technical detail
The source identifies a petrochemical-derived functional copolymer, used selectively. The “up to −2.5°C” and lifetime-durability claims are not published here.
04 · Shield
Weather protection
Fluorine-free water repellency for shells and outer layers.
- How it works
- A hydrophobic surface structure is specified to reduce droplet contact so water beads and rolls away.
- Applied to
- Packable shells and protective outer layers used over a separate moisture-managing base.
- Validation route
- The deck specifies ISO 4920 or AATCC 22 spray rating before and after washing. No spray rating or wash count was supplied.
Technical detail
The source describes a fluorine-free polymer emulsion. The page does not use absolute “zero PFCs” language or claim a bio-based grade without formulation evidence.
Validation
Brief → Build → Validate → Produce → Trace
- 01
Brief
Define run type, distance, climate, garments, wash habits and protection needs.
- 02
Build
Select the base fabric, construction and candidate finish for each garment.
- 03
Validate
Use the documented laboratory method, repeat after washing and add a wear trial.
- 04
Produce
Approve the material and garment only after the evidence meets the brief.
- 05
Trace
Record fibre composition, finish origin, application and the supporting test report.
The supplied deck documents the intended methods, including checks after washing. It does not include laboratory reports, wear-trial records or measured results. A test method is therefore shown as a validation route, never as proof that a target was achieved.
Product architecture
Four kits. Each function assigned to a use case.
| Kit | Pieces | Functions | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Race Kit | Singlet · race tee · split shorts | Quick dry + odour control | Prioritises moisture movement and freshness for race day and hard sessions. |
| Long Run Kit | Tee · long sleeve · half tights | Quick dry + odour control + adaptive cooling | Adds heat-responsive cooling where duration and warm conditions increase thermal load. |
| All-Weather Kit | Packable shell over a base layer | Weather protection outside + quick dry inside | Keeps water-repellent and moisture-attracting functions on separate fabric faces and layers. |
| Club Kit | Heavyweight tee · hoodie · travel wear | Odour control | Applies the relevant function to post-run and travel pieces without adding unnecessary finishes. |
The technical rule is explicit: Quick dry attracts and spreads moisture while Weather protection repels it. They do not act on the same fabric face. The all-weather system separates them into an outer shell and an inner base layer.
Production
Development evidence before production approval.
The documented route moves from material and finish selection into samples, laboratory checks, laundering and wear trials before a production decision.
The source deck also lists sample timing, bulk timing and a minimum quantity. Those figures are not published because the deck does not establish them as current Apex Studio commercial conditions. No production completion is claimed.
Outcome
A development system ready for evidence-led sampling.
The work produced a four-function architecture, garment-level application logic, four kit configurations and a documented validation sequence.
What the source does not prove: laboratory results, a completed wear trial, bulk production, client identity, sales performance or environmental impact. Those remain outside this case until supporting records are available.
Start with the use case
Develop a performance product with Apex Studio.
Bring the sport, conditions, garments and target performance. We will map the product route, evidence requirements and production constraints.
Source note: all visuals on this page were extracted from the supplied PowerPoint. They are treated as editorial concepts, not documentary evidence of a client, product test, facility or production run.