The answer here is not difficult if you know what you want out of your fabric.
Some mesh fabrics have large holes and are made for durability and airflow. Like traditional porthole mesh, it has wide holes in it and is very durable, but it is not always as soft on the skin and because of its very wide holes – it can be tough to see small designs on but can still be customized showing big bold designs. This type of mesh makes great “old school” lac
rosse jerseys and American football as well as flag football jerseys for guys, but Porthole mesh is not something you want to make shorts out of – too abrasive and they would not be considered “see through”; they would be considered “see everything”.
Stick to Tricot Mesh or Mock Mesh (F2W WaffleTech) fabrics when it comes to shorts if you must go mesh. Both styles of fabric are lightweight and usually 2-ply for a nice weight and durability. But if you want “sway” put down the mesh and pick up the F2W DriFlex fabric that our original O.G.V. Shorts are made from. F2W DriFlex is softer than any of the aforementioned fabrics and has 4-way stretch. Comfort is undeniable…make with or without pockets.
Some people are calling a newer fabric on the market “Pinhole” mesh or “Pin Dot” mesh – we call it F2W Sport Dot…and we don’t call it mesh. Sport Dot is soft, lightweight, breathable, and is woven in a 4-way stretch fashion so it moves with you in every way. It does have “holes” in it and that is one reason people call it a “mesh” fabric, but it is more than a mesh. It wears like your favorite tech tee but stretches with you and doesn’t stick to your skin when you are working out or playing. Because of its tighter weave and smaller holes, your custom designs can be as intricate as you wasn’t to make them – Sport Dot prints fabulously! Colors are bright! Design details don’t’ get lost in larger mesh holes and did we mention that it is super comfy!!! It is pricier than most fabrics…so Tricot and Mock meshes are still great options and will not be going the way of Dazzle Polyester any time soon…Yeah, Dazzle is not our favorite…a bit to shiny and definitely not as breathable.