Jump into the World of Sustainable Activewear with these 5 Brands

YOUR FITNESS MOJO IS IN FULL SWING, AND YOU NEED TO UPDATE YOUR KIT FOR YOUR NEXT PILATES CLASS. BUT YOU WANT TO DO YOUR BIT FOR THE PLANET, AND SYNTHETIC FIBRES LIKE POLYESTER, NYLON OR SPANDEX DON’T SEEM THE KINDEST ONES TO CHOOSE. HELP IS AT HAND! WE CAN STEER YOU TOWARDS SLEEK, COMFORTABLE, FUNCTIONAL AND EFFORTLESS STYLES - EVERYTHING THAT ACTIVEWEAR SHOULD BE WITHOUT COMPROMISING ON SUSTAINABILITY. JUST TAKE A LOOK AT OUR GUIDE BELOW…IT’S AS EASY AS 1,2,3!

words by HOLLY KELSEY
photographs COURTESY OF THE BRANDS

Our tips for finding sustainable activewear

01 - ONLY RECYCLED PLASTIC IS FANTASTIC

It’s better not to buy items composed of newly made plastics. Pre-existing plastics that have been recycled are great such as: Recycled Polyester also known as rPet, which is made from recycled plastic bottles (fun fact: between 5 and 9 plastic bottles can make a t-shirt!). ECONYL® nylon (regenerated nylon) - A large part of the recycled nylon comes from old fishing nets.

02 - KEEP IT NATURAL WITH BAMBOO, TENCEL, COTTON OR HEMP

Recycled plastic fibres aren’t the only route to take with your workout gear. Materials are shifting towards more natural fabrics, for example: tencel, hemp, bamboo fibres and cotton. Tencel is very durable and resistant, its also made from wood pulp! Hemp is super breathable and has natural moisture-wicking capabilities. Bamboo helps regulate your temperature, which is perfect for when you work out, plus its super soft. Cotton is very lightweight and is a very high-quality fabric.

03 - USE A GUPPYFRIEND WASHING BAG AGAINST MICRO PLASTIC

Not only does a Guppyfriend bag prevent micro-plastics from going into the water system and into rivers and oceans by acting as a filter, it also protects your clothes, making them last longer. The Guppyfriend prevents microfibres breaking off during washing, which reduces piling, shedding and fibre loss. So your clothes stay softer and looking brand new longer.

04 - LOOK FOR NICHE BRANDS WITH INNOVATIVE IDEAS

Find brands that use innovative ideas, whether that’s in their clothing production or in their business model. It could be brands that make clothes from recycled nylon yarn, like fishnets or plastic bottles. There are brands using eco-friendly dyes made from plants, vegetables or food waste, and brands that help to combat carbon effects by investing in reforestation projects. To help shine a light on innovative brands is our mission. Find some of our recommendations below.

5 Activewear brands we love

BAMFORD

Founded in 2006 in the United Kingdom

Founders: Lady Bamford

Materials used: GOTS Organic cotton + recycled PET

Produced in: India by artisans, or in the United Kingdom

Long story short: Bamford was created in the idea that we need to live more consciously, with a slower pace of life and taking care of the earth that provides for us. In living and acting in this way we nurture and nourish our well being.

Fun fact: All of their wool is sourced from their own Daylesford farms and then spun and knitted all in the UK.

Shop their pieces here

NIMBLE ACTIVEWEAR

Founded in 2013 in Bondi, Australia

Founders: Vera Yan and Katia Santilli

Materials used: Recycled PET, CICLO Recycled Polyester and natural fabrics such as cotton and linen

Produced in: Taiwan

Long story short: to make quality and considered activewear that feels great

Fun fact: From Nimble’s process of recycling PET they’ve saved 1,947,192 plastic bottles from landfill.

Shop their pieces here

BOODY

Founded in 2011 in Sydney, Australia

Founders: Neil Midalia and David Greenblo

Materials used: Bamboo viscose yarn

Produced in: The factories are certified by Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) in China

Long story short: Created by two best friends combining wellbeing and fashion to create an ethical clothing brand with the softest bamboo fabric made for everyday essentials.

Fun fact: One of the first brands in Australia and New Zealand to wear the B Corp badge.

Shop their pieces here

PACT

Founded in Colorado, USA

Founders: Brendan Synnott

Materials used: Organic cotton - specifically Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS)

Produced in: Fair Trade Factories in India

Long story short: Synnott started Pact with the idea of creating clothes that are comfy without harming the earth or people. He believes that what we wear, matters.

Fun fact: They’ve saved 160 Million Gallons of Water through organic farming.

Shop their pieces here

ORGANIC BASICS

Founded in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2015

Founders: Christoffer Immanuel, Alexander Christiansen and Mads Fibiger

Materials used: Recycled PET + new polyester

Produced in: All around Europe (Here are the locations)

Long story short: Started by three Danish school friends who didn’t like any of the options for underwear and activewear so they wanted to make it better, with sustainability at the core.

Fun fact: Organic Basics were launched through crowd-funding; within 48 hours they raised the necessary amount of funding to launch.

Shop their pieces online here

The switch to sustainable activewear is straightforward and fun! Whether you’re swapping to recycled plastics, start discovering natural fabrics, shop from independent brands or buy a guppy friend washing bag - any of these steps would be a big difference for people and planet! With all of this in mind we hope this helps you to jump into the world of sustainable activewear with ease!

FURTHER READING