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✦ Empress Athleticus ✦Fabrics & Care

Feel thedifference.

Nine fabrics. Every one chosen, tested and worn by us before it ever reaches you. From squat-proof compression to the one our customers call adult catnip.

✦ Meet the fabricsHow to care for them →
Oeko-Tex certified fabricsEthically sourced100% squat proofAU 6-30+Designed on the Sunshine Coast

The Empress fabrics

Two signatures. Nine fabrics.

Dynamic and Luxe are the two we're known for. One built to hold you, one built to hug you, both 100% squat proof. Around them sit seven more, each doing one job better than anything else.

Dynamic High impactPlain Brushed · matte
Dynamic Printed Subtle shine
Our signature

Dynamic

270 gsm · 73% Polyester · 27% Elastane · Oeko-Tex 100

Look

Deep, rich colour in a brushed matte plain, or a beautiful subtle shine in print. Same fabric either way, just two finishes.

Feel

  • High Compression
  • Hydro Cool & Sweat-Wicking
  • Sculpting Fit
  • 100% Squat Proof
Plain · brushed & matte

Brushed to a soft matte so no light catches where you don't want it. It quietly smooths and helps hide cellulite.

Printed · subtle shine

Prints do the hiding all on their own, so they don't need brushing. Same benefits, with a gorgeous subtle shine.

Fit

High compression that holds you without squeezing. Anti stretch-out continuous dye, so it keeps its shape wash after wash.

Where to wear

High impact.
Lifting, running, HIIT, bootcamp. Anything you're going to sweat in.

Luxe Mid impactPlain Buttery soft matte
Luxe Printed Buttery soft matte
Our signature

Luxe

240 gsm · 77% Polyester · 23% Elastane · Oeko-Tex 100

Look

A soft matte finish with a beautiful drape. Rich, quiet colour that looks as good with a knit as it does at pilates.

Feel

  • Buttery Soft Feel
  • Gentle Compression
  • Ultra Breathable
  • Squat Proof
Comfort first

A softer, more forgiving hold than Dynamic. This is the pair you forget you're even wearing.

Still squat proof

Comfort doesn't mean compromise. Fully opaque, no see-through moments, ever.

Fit

Gentle sculpting support that moves with you rather than holding you in. Our comfort range, without giving up coverage.

Where to wear

Mid impact.
Yoga, pilates, the school run, the flight, the whole day.

Train & move
Evolve High impact74% Nylon

Evolve

74% Nylon · 26% Spandex · Oeko-Tex 100

Look

Smooth and sculpting with a clean matte finish.

Feel

  • Supportive Hold
  • Sculpting Feel
  • Sweat-Wicking

Fit

The hybrid. Luxe's comfort with Dynamic's hold, built for real support up top.

Where to wear

High impact.
Crop tops and built-in bras that hold you through anything.

Cloud Low impactUltra soft

Cloud

90% Polyester · 10% Elastane

Look

Weightless and smooth with a soft, barely-there finish.

Feel

  • Adult Catnip Soft
  • 4-Way Stretch
  • Lightweight

Fit

Relaxed and barely-there. Our top fabric, and the one you'll get addicted to.

Where to wear

Low impact.
Tanks, tops, layering, and doing absolutely nothing beautifully.

Bare Low impact92.5% Cotton

Bare

92.5% Cotton · 7.5% Elastane

Look

Natural sport cotton with a lived-in soft matte finish.

Feel

  • Soft Cottony Feel
  • Sweat-Wicking
  • Light & Breathable

Fit

Easy and stretchy with no compression. Your favourite tee, upgraded.

Where to wear

Low impact.
Tees, oversized fits, and every single day.

Lounge Rest daysFleece

Lounge

Brushed fleece

Look

Plush brushed fleece with a soft, cosy matte finish.

Feel

  • Cosy Plush Feel
  • Warm
  • Relaxed

Fit

Easy and relaxed, no compression. The one you change into the second you're home.

Where to wear

Rest days.
Home, travel, the couch, and the school pickup you didn't plan for.

Rest, resort & swim
Bamboo Sleep93% Bamboo

Bamboo

93% Bamboo · 7% Elastane

Look

Smooth and lightweight with a soft, natural sheen.

Feel

  • Snuggle Soft
  • Buttery & Lightweight
  • Naturally Breathable

Fit

Relaxed and stretchy with no compression. No neck tag, seam-soft thread throughout.

Where to wear

Sleep.
Our pyjama range, and the slow mornings after.

Silky Occasion180 gsm

Silky

180gsm · 100% Polyester · Cut on Bias

Look

A liquid, elegant drape with a subtle shine that catches the light as you move.

Feel

  • Silky Soft Feel
  • Subtle Shine Finish
  • Body-Skimming Drape

Fit

Cut on the bias so it skims the body rather than clinging to it. There's no stretch in this one - the movement comes entirely from the cut, which is why it falls beautifully on every shape.

Where to wear

Occasion.
Slip dresses that go from lunch to dinner. Dress it up, dress it down, wear it on repeat.

Linen Resort230 gsm

Linen

230 gsm · 62% Cotton · 35% Linen · 3% Spandex

Look

Natural linen-cotton texture with a relaxed, lived-in finish.

Feel

  • Cool & Airy
  • 2-Way Stretch
  • Easy Care & Durable

Fit

Baggy and oversized, with an elasticated drawstring waist and side pockets.

Where to wear

Resort.
Holidays, the airport, long lunches, over swim.

SwimTextured rib

Ribbed

Outer 82% Nylon · 18% Spandex
Lining 95% Polyester · 5% Spandex

Look

Textured rib with a soft matte finish that catches the light beautifully.

Feel

  • Textured Rib
  • Quick Dry
  • Soft Inner Lining

Fit

Supportive and fully reversible. Cheeky or full coverage, with thick all-day straps.

Where to wear

Swim.
Pool, beach, boat, and everywhere you'd rather be.

Side by side

The whole line-up.

Every spec in one place, because sometimes you just want the numbers.

FabricImpactCompositionWeightCompressionSquat proofYou'll find it in
Dynamic Plain / Printed High 73% Polyester / 27% Elastane 270 gsm High Yes Leggings, shorts, tanks
Evolve High 74% Nylon / 26% Spandex TBC Supportive n/a Crop tops, built-in bras
Luxe Plain / Printed Mid 77% Polyester / 23% Elastane 240 gsm Supportive Yes Yoga pants, Underweaer
Cloud Low 90% Polyester / 10% Elastane TBC Gentle n/a Tanks, tops, layering
Bare Low 92.5% Cotton / 7.5% Elastane TBC None n/a Tees
Lounge Rest days Brushed fleece TBC None n/a Lounge range
Bamboo Sleep 93% Bamboo / 7% Elastane TBC None n/a Pyjamas
Silky Occasion 100% Polyester · Cut on the bias 180 gsm None n/a Dresses, Pants, Fashion
Linen Resort 62% Cotton / 35% Linen / 3% Spandex 230 gsm None n/a Resort range
Ribbed Outer / lining Swim 82% Nylon / 18% Spandex
95% Polyester / 5% Spandex		 TBC Supportive n/a Swim
DynamicPlain / Printed
ImpactHigh
Composition73% Polyester / 27% Elastane
Weight270 gsm
CompressionHigh
Squat proofYes
You'll find it inLeggings, shorts, tanks
Evolve
ImpactHigh
Composition74% Nylon / 26% Spandex
WeightTBC
CompressionSupportive
Squat proofn/a
You'll find it inCrop tops, built-in bras
LuxePlain / Printed
ImpactMid
Composition77% Polyester / 23% Elastane
Weight240 gsm
CompressionSupportive
Squat proofYes
You'll find it inYoga pants, Underweaer
Cloud
ImpactLow
Composition90% Polyester / 10% Elastane
WeightTBC
CompressionGentle
Squat proofn/a
You'll find it inTanks, tops, layering
Bare
ImpactLow
Composition92.5% Cotton / 7.5% Elastane
WeightTBC
CompressionNone
Squat proofn/a
You'll find it inTees
Lounge
ImpactRest days
CompositionBrushed fleece
WeightTBC
CompressionNone
Squat proofn/a
You'll find it inLounge range
Bamboo
ImpactSleep
Composition93% Bamboo / 7% Elastane
WeightTBC
CompressionNone
Squat proofn/a
You'll find it inPyjamas
Silky
ImpactOccasion
Composition100% Polyester · Cut on the bias
Weight180 gsm
CompressionNone
Squat proofn/a
You'll find it inDresses, Pants, Fashion
Linen
ImpactResort
Composition62% Cotton / 35% Linen / 3% Spandex
Weight230 gsm
CompressionNone
Squat proofn/a
You'll find it inResort range
RibbedOuter / lining
ImpactSwim
Composition82% Nylon / 18% Spandex
95% Polyester / 5% Spandex
WeightTBC
CompressionSupportive
Squat proofn/a
You'll find it inSwim

“We wear every fabric before you do. If it pills, sags or goes see-through in a squat, it never makes it to you.”

Brittany Lewin · Founder

Keep them beautiful

Care that takes two minutes.

Your time is precious, so we've kept this simple. Do these few things and your Empress pieces will still fit, hold and look right years from now.

  1. Before it hits the wash

    • Turn prints and dark colours inside out. The single best habit for keeping colour sharp.
    • Don't leave sweaty pieces balled up in your gym bag overnight. Hang them out, wash within a day.
    • Rinse in cold water after the pool or the beach. Chlorine and salt break down elastane.
    • Do up any zips or hooks so they can't catch on the fabric.

  2. In the machine

    • Cold wash, gentle cycle. Whites with whites, lights with lights, brights with brights, darks with darks.
    • No fabric softener, ever. It coats the fibres, kills the wicking and traps odour in.
    • A mesh laundry bag is your best friend, especially for crops and anything with straps.
    • Use a mild liquid detergent. Powders can sit in the fibres and dull the colour.

  3. Drying & storing

    • Lay flat or hang dry in the shade, never in direct sun.
    • Reshape leggings and crops while damp so they dry in the right shape.
    • Fold rather than hang for long storage. Hanging heavier pieces can stretch them out.
    • Make sure everything is bone dry before it goes in a drawer.

The never list

Four things that will shorten the life of your activewear faster than anything else.

Never · fabric softener Coats the fibres, blocks moisture wicking and locks odour in. Cold water and a mild detergent do the job.
Never · heat No dryer, no iron, no hot wash. Heat permanently damages elastane, and the stretchier the piece, the more one hot cycle costs you.
Never · abrasive loads Towels, jumpers and hoodies cause pilling. Velcro, zips and denim snag and tear.
Never · bleach or dry clean Both break down the stretch fibres. There's nothing on these fabrics that cold water can't handle.
Cold wash gentle cycle
Lay flat or shade dry
Do not tumble dry
Do not iron
Do not bleach
Do not dry clean

Where it comes from

Premium fabric, chosen properly.

Empress Athleticus only use premium fabric and quality threads. Every fabric is ethically sourced. Available in black, a spectrum of colours, and an evolving selection of amazing prints made just for you.

Fabrics, not ninety

A tight range we know inside out, each doing one job properly.

Oeko-Tex certified

Most of our fabrics carry Oeko-Tex Standard 100, independently tested for harmful substances. The spec line on each fabric shows you which.

Designed on the Sunshine Coast

Made by women, for women, with activewear made both in Australia and overseas.

Women wearing them

Backed by 22,000+ reviews from women who put them through it.

Still wondering

The questions we actually get.

What's the difference between plain and printed Dynamic?
Only the finish. Plain colourways are brushed to a soft matte so there's no shine catching the light, which helps smooth and hide cellulite. Prints hide it naturally, so they don't need brushing and keep a beautiful subtle shine. Same fabric, same weight, same benefits.
Which fabric should I get for high-impact training?
Dynamic for bottoms and Evolve for tops. Both are high impact. Dynamic is our sculpting compression fabric and 100% squat proof; Evolve is a hybrid of Luxe and Dynamic made specifically to give crops real support.
Is Luxe squat proof too?
Yes. Luxe is mid impact and our comfort range, so it's softer and less compressive than Dynamic, but still completely squat proof.
What is Cloud actually like?
Addictive. It's our softest fabric and our customers named it adult catnip, which tells you everything. Ultra soft, lightweight, four-way stretch. Perfect for tanks, tops and layering.
Why can't I use fabric softener?
Softener leaves a film on the fibres that blocks moisture wicking and traps odour in the fabric. Cold water and a mild liquid detergent is genuinely all these need.
Can I put them in the dryer just once?
Please don't 🫶 Heat permanently damages elastane, and most of our activewear relies on it for fit and recovery. The stretchier the piece, the more a single hot cycle costs you.