Fabrics · Sportswear Encyclopedia
Engineered Mesh, Explained
Every hole in an engineered mesh panel is a design decision. Where they go, how big they are and how they connect decides whether the jersey vents heat or just looks technical. Here is how modern kit designers spec mesh — and where it pays off.
The four mesh weaves you'll actually see
| Weave | Hole pattern | Airflow | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bird-eye | Tiny diamond pinholes | Moderate | Back panels, sleeve inserts |
| Honeycomb | Small hex cells | Medium-high | Underarm gusset, ribs |
| Hex mesh | Large open hexagons | Very high | Basketball, futsal, tropical |
| Micro-mesh | Very fine pinholes | Low-moderate | Full-body training tops |
Why airflow is not the whole story
Airflow across the fabric is only useful when the jersey is loose enough to let air pass in and out. On a slim-fit jersey pressed flat against the skin, mesh becomes a wicking surface rather than a ventilation surface — the holes route sweat off the skin into the fabric bed, where it evaporates. Both mechanisms matter:
- Convective cooling — air passes through open holes when the fabric lifts off the body (running, jumping, sprinting).
- Evaporative cooling — sweat wicks along the yarn and evaporates through the open structure even when the fabric sits on the skin.
- Radiant cooling — dark mesh absorbs sun; light mesh reflects. Kit designers ignore this and it matters in tropical climates.
Panel placement — a body-map cheat sheet
- Mid-back T-panel — highest sweat concentration. Honeycomb or hex mesh.
- Underarm gusset — deodorant residue and heat trap. Bird-eye or fine hex.
- Side ribs — moderate sweat, visible from stands. Bird-eye reads clean under sublimation.
- Inner elbow / behind knee — long-sleeve items only. Micro-mesh.
- Front chest and sponsor block — never mesh. Solid interlock for print clarity.
How mesh is actually knitted
Two production routes:
- Circular knit with float stitches — the machine drops selected needles to leave open cells. Cheapest route, delivers bird-eye and small honeycomb. Panels sold as fabric by the metre.
- Jacquard knit — needle-by-needle control lets the mill programme any hole pattern, and combine mesh with solid zones in the same fabric. This is what 'engineered' really means — solid shoulders, mesh mid-back, all in one piece with no seam.
Full-garment 3D knitting (Shima Seiki style) pushes this further — the whole jersey is knitted as one seamless piece with different structures in different zones. Excellent performance, expensive tooling, minimum 1,000+ units for it to pay off.
Spec sheet — mesh on a tech pack
Yarn: 100D/144F texturised
Weight: 120 GSM ±5
Open area: ~28% by CAD image analysis
Placement: See BOM — panel #4 (upper back), #7 (underarm gussets L+R)
Seam: 4-thread flatlock, 15 SPI, matching thread
Finish: Wicking, anti-pilling grade 4
Common mesh mistakes we see
- Mesh under a sponsor logo — the print looks pixellated. Move mesh outside the print zone.
- Fine text sublimated across mesh — becomes illegible. Keep type on solid panels.
- Mesh panel on a rugby front — abrades and rips in the first tackle.
- Mismatched GSM between mesh and body — the jersey drapes unevenly. Match GSM within 20% or add a stabiliser strip at the seam.
- Skipping the wicking finish — mesh alone doesn't wick; it needs a hydrophilic softener like the rest of the jersey.
Spec a mesh package for your next kit
Send us the sport, climate and price tier. We ship a mesh sample pack — bird-eye, honeycomb and hex — plus a body-map recommendation for panel placement.