What Is Techwear?

The main appeal of techwear clothing is that it can make life easier, whether it's being able to carry more stuff on a weekend trip or to stay dry in a downpour.

Below are some of the major benefits that techwear items provide.

Water Resistance and Other Enhanced Properties

One of the main advantages that techwear provides is its water repellency. Everyone hates getting caught in the rain and techwear offers a comfortable and practical solution to this problem. The modern wave of technical garments owe a lot to the development of Gore-Tex. In 1969, co-inventors Wilbert L. Gore and Gore's Son Robert W. Gore discovered a method of stretching Teflon into a "thin, porous membrane" that was able to repel liquid water while allowing water vapor to pass through. The material is designed to be a lightweight, waterproof fabric for all-weather use particularly on outerwear.

Gore-Tex remains the standard in water repellency and has the most brand recognition amongst the major waterproof textiles. Some notable competitors to Gore-Tex include eVent, HyVent (Developed by The North Face) and H2No (Proprietary to Patagonia). Gore-Tex has further diversified its brand by releasing variants of it's popular textile, including Paclite and Windstopper (which is an insulating wind-breaking layer for colder temperatures).

Outside of water repellency there are dozens of synthetic fabrics which can offer differing properties including, but not limited to: stretch, odor resistance, abrasion resistance, and reflectiveness.

Range of Motion and Comfort

While most pants and garments are cut to standard patterns, techwear challenges convention by designing patterns with the movement of the human body in mind. Anatomical design takes these factors in mind and a common construction method to achieve this is by using articulated joints, usually through darting at the knee or inner elbow. These allow the wearer to move freely without the fabric fraying or pulling at key points. Acronym has gone to the extent of showing martial arts movements performed in its garments in some of the its product videos.

Of course another aspect of comfort beyond movement is breathability. In techwear terms this means letting sweat and heat escape so the wearer doesn't feel clammy in the garments. It isn't enough for a jacket to keep the wearer dry on the outside, it should allow the wearer to stay at a comfortable temperature while wearing it.

Carrying Capacity

Now that we often carry multiple devices and their respective chargers with us, techwear items are often well-considered with the storage they supply. Whether through simple designs such as zippered pockets, or more elaborate solutions such as removable modular attachments. The combination of the waterproof fabrics and well-designed carrying capacity mean that you can carry more and worry less. Bags and backpacks often benefit from useful details such as laptop sleeves and inner pockets/compartments.

Key Categories

Within techwear, there are key categories of items that every brand will produce.

Outerwear

Jackets are probably what come to mind first when you think of techwear. These are split into two types—hardshell and softshell.

Hardshells provide the most weather protection and are fully windproof, waterproof and breathable. They provide a versatile outer layer that wearers can layer underneath. In heavier downpours and snowy conditions, hardshells are the way to go.

Softshells have a DWR (durable waterproof coating) that repels light precipitation—like snow or drizzle—and for winter sports. Softshell jackets often emphasize comfort, breathability and movement (compared to the crunchy texture of hardshells) but don't provide the level of environmental protection that hardshells do.

Mid-Layers

Mid-layers generally serve the function of keeping the wearer warm underneath a shell. These can take many different forms from down vests to hoodies to insulating shirts and fleeces. Some pieces will have removable mid-layers and liners that can be swapped in and out of shells, usually through some type of zipper or buttoning system.

Base Layer

Base layers are all about moisture wicking. They are intended to be right against your skin and keep you dry. You are probably familiar with these layers from their athletic wear equivalents—Nike DriFit and adidas Climacool come to mind.

Pants

While techwear pants haven't caught on as much as shells have, they are a growing segment of the market. Even denim giants Levi's put out a moisture wicking "commuter" pant for biking that allows free and easy movement while on the go. Pants in this segment usually bring about a mix of water repellency, breathability, stretch and extra or deep pockets. Acronym has brought some interesting features to its pants including a modular system allowing wearers to add and remove pouches for even more carrying capacity.

Footwear and Accessories

Nike and adidas have both been pushing the envelope when it comes to innovative forward thinking designs. All the major sneaker companies have experimented with everything from knit materials to sock liners and water resistant materials. The Nike ACG line has designed sneakers and boots with outdoors activities and function in mind.

Techwear accessories have also evolved to help a person carry their everyday items. Bags will have compartments for smartphones, laptops and iPads. Durability and ease of use is top of mind for designers working on bag and belt designs.

Aesthetics

Techwear isn't easy to jump into headlong, but because of the minimalist, versatile nature of the garments, there is plenty of room for experimentation. One can pick up a pair of pants or a shell to complement an existing wardrobe and slot that piece in seamlessly. However, to capture the full techwear aesthetic, there are a few common elements.

Although there are brands and individual pieces with colors and pattern, most people associate darker, more muted shades with the techwear vibe. Since most of the fabrics are highly technical, there is typically a lack of strong branding in the pieces, and most opt for a streamlined, slim look that is both functional and stylish. Taped seams are present and you can find various straps and buckles to help shape garments in different ways. Most guys you'll see in full techwear tend to look mysterious and brooding, utilizing the faux-masks and hoods found on many garments. However, one can easily complement a darker, gothic-streetwear look with a technical piece of outerwear, or throw a shell on top of a more basic menswear fit. It's easy to understand the growth in the popularity of techwear due to both the aforementioned versatility and simple color palette.

Brands to Look out For:

There are many brands now in the techwear space. Even within the realm of technical garments there's a range of different categories from athletic wear to outdoor hiking inspired gear. Here are some favorite labels in the space that cater towards a fashion-forward audience.

adidas Y-3

The offshoot label from adidas translates famous Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto's signature aesthetic (think: "drapey and dark") to an athletic wear context.

Nike ACG

Nike originally revived and revamped its ACG line back in 2014. While the line originally focused more on hiking and outdoors lifestyle, the sportswear giant brought in Acronym founder Errolson Hugh to help re-focus the line on sports utility in the city. Even though Hugh departed the brand in 2018 and Nike ACG once again pivoted to its original "retro-hiker" aesthetic his influence can still be felt in subtle ways.

Ten C

If your wardrobe leans towards vintage and workwear styles, Ten C offers some of the advantages of technical shells with a vintage military look. Familiar silhouettes like the M-65 are constructed with a knitted nylon/polyester micro-fiber which provides water resistance and will mold to your body to fit better over time.

Stone Island and Stone Island Shadow Project

Stone Island has been a stalwart label in Europe for the past three decades. More recently, it has gained a following amongst streetwear heads through its collaborations with Supreme. A favorite of football casual culture, the Italian label has made a name for itself fusing function and fashion. Its unique (and often proprietary) color dyeing processes—along with the signature compass badge—make its work instantly recognizable For those looking for a more dedicated, techwear aesthetic Stone Island Shadow Project is a great option. The Shadow Project line is home to its most forward thinking designs and newest tech and was also designed with the help of Errolson Hugh.

C.P. Company

The other Italian line from designer Massimo Osti, C.P. Company takes heavy inspiration from vintage military gear. The line's most iconic piece is the Goggle Jacket which features clear lenses on the hood and on the wrist (design details that appear frequently in the line).

Outlier

Brooklyn-based Outlier has made a name for itself by creating minimal easy-to-wear garments that last. Its most popular item is the OG pant that will stay dry in a downpour and still offer great comfort for everyday wear.

Arc'teryx Veilance

Veillance is Arc'teryx's high-end fashion-forward line. The designs are extremely minimal, slim cut and can stealthily fit into pretty much any guy's wardrobe. Look out for details like taped seams and innovative fabrics.

Bagjack

Berlin-based Bagjack makes some of the best technical bags around. The detail oriented designs blend construction quality with thoughtful pocket placement and sturdy hardware.

White Mountaineering

Designer Yosuke Aizawa focuses on color and patterns for his White Mountaineering line. The hardshells from the Japanese label are generally highly stylized and feature colorful designs and prints. If you aren't into the typically monochrome designs from most tech wear brands, White Mountaineering can pair great with items from designer labels like Junya Watanabe, Comme des Garçons and Thom Browne.

Herno Laminar

If your wardrobe skews towards dressing up and not down, then Herno is a great option. Its pieces have a luxury designer look but don't compromise on the technical features and details they provide.

Acronym

Acronym is one of the most progressive forces in techwear. It aims to be as uncompromising as possible with all the features they pack into each piece. There's definitely a learning curve to purchasing and styling Acronym but if you are serious about techwear, it'll be time well spent.

We hope you found this introduction to techwear helpful. There's so much to explore within this genre of clothing and this guide just scratches the service. Feel free to mention more elements you favor in the discussion section below. It's worthwhile to take some time shopping around to find pieces that work with your current wardrobe instead of against it. The confidence that comes with having a proper tech shell in your wardrobe is certainly worth the investment in time and money.