10 Performance-Focused Brands That Are Pushing the Envelope With Innovative Materials

Image via Complex Original

Once a staple in stores like Barneys and Bloomingdale’s, you can now purchase Isaora’s performance gear exclusively online, which just goes to show you how confident the brand is in its high-functioning jackets, shirts, and sweats. Details like no-sew construction (seams are bonded together with pressure and heat) and tech-laden stretch materials allow for frictionless movement, while three-layer waterproof nylon (check it out in the rainwear collection) combats moisture while also allowing your skin to breath.

Those familiar with the brand’s sophisticated suiting and essentials know that any venture into performance wear by the brand would likely be anything but basic. Fortunately, Theory+ doesn’t disappoint. Slim-cut sweats and jackets come in dark colors (black, forest green) and are ideal for layering up and combating the elements thanks to streamlined construction and a special c_change™ fabric that protects from wind and water.

Though originally inspired by commuter cyclists, the Brooklyn-based brand has long since expanded into all aspects of urban lifestyle, mixing understated styles with high performing materials like superfine merino fabrics. Their latest double-fine merino hoodie and sweatpants (made with wool sourced from the Southern Alps of New Zealand, no less) are absurdly soft, naturally odor resistant and moisture wicking, and help regulate body temp.

Bike-to-work jeans don’t get any better than the lightweight denim that Levi’s has perfected over the past few years. Although, they might kill your excuse for not biking to work in the winter. Nonetheless, the nanoSphere® protective finish repels dirt, a slightly higher rise in the seat keeps your crack covered, reflective outseams keep you visible, and the waistband features a strap in the back for a U Lock. 

Designed for the urban thrill seeker, the L.A.-based brand splits its garments into multiple categories, including swim, bicycle, mountain, city, and motorcycle. And every piece has a purpose. Take the motorcycle pants, for example, which are made with D30 shock-absorbing body armor, a breathable mesh liner, and feature an ergonomic fit. The brand’s most technically-advanced piece of outerwear, the Altitude jacket, comes with rescue reflectors, breathable membranes, a snow skirt to keep snow out, and even a zipper gauge at the collar to keep the cold metal from touching your skin. Now that’s luxe.

You probably experienced your first Patagonia puffer around the age of three, and still keep a down vest somewhere in the back closet for ski trips, but the classic outdoors brand is worth a second look if you haven’t been back in a while. Not only have they recently brought back some timeless designs from the brand's early days, but they've become a leader in the use of sustainably sourced materials (check out the reclaimed nylon and wool hoodies) and offer high-tech fabrics that block harmful UV rays. The new Nano-Air Jacket—Patagonia’s most permeable shell yet—is specifically made to keep you comfortable during stop-and-go activities. 

With gazillions of dollars to spend at its Beverton, Oregon research lab, it’s no wonder that Nike’s a leader in intuitive clothing (not everyone can afford sweating mannequins and altitude chambers). But one of the best innovations from Nike’s Sportswear division is a concept that we feel like we should have thought of in the shower: sneakerboots. The padded collars, grippy rubber outsoles, and water shields give sneakerheads a reason to finally stay warm.

Less daylight during the winter means that you’re working out in the dark a lot more often. Luckily, ICNY has revolutionized reflective gear, so you’re not limited to police-like taped stripes. Their reflective knits (like the “Rain Cuff” Reflective Wool Beanie) are made with all-over reflective yarn, and the sweatshirts feature smart, modern designs (check out the “Diamond” 3M Reflective Sweatshirt Hoodie). The strobe-like half-calf socks may be our favorite, though. 

The British menswear label has described its tracksuits and shells as “akin and as elegant as the traditional tuxedo,” and we (kind of) understand what they’re saying, you know, given their penchant for monochromatic hues and sophisticated technical materials—think Italian black memory taffeta and Thermore lining. You can’t shop their site, but select stores carry the brand, and you can find most of the collection here. 

Based in Taipei, Taiwan, these guys have easy access to the fabric mills that are supplying some of the most esteemed outdoor apparel brands in the U.S. They believe that your clothes should be multi-functional. The lightweight Range Reversible Vest, for example, which is made with 3M Thinsulate insulation, can be flipped inside out when you’re transitioning from a jog to running errands around town.