Best Sustainable Activewear Brands

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Best Sustainable Activewear Brands

Activewear isn’t just for working out anymore. A lot of people enjoy wearing activewear as part of an everyday outfit. Unfortunately, if you’re not shopping for some of the best sustainable activewear brands, you could be purchasing clothing that’s promoting wasteful practices and unethical work environments.

To make sure your clothing isn’t causing any harm to people or the environment, consider checking out a few of these best sustainable activewear brands. Plus, don’t forget activewear isn’t the only type of eco-friendly clothing you can buy. Here are some other outstanding options:

Why Choose Sustainable Activewear?

The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluting industries in the world. It’s responsible for producing 10% of all carbon emissions, and it’s the second-largest consumer of the water supply in the world.

Plus, it’s not just pollution you have to worry about when you’re shopping for clothes. Some fashion brands also have dreadful and unsafe working conditions, and others even take part in child labor.

If all of that wasn’t bad enough, activewear itself has another problem: microfiber pollution.

Activewear and Microfiber Pollution

Most activewear is made from synthetic fabrics, such as polyester. While this is great for pulling sweat away from your body and keeping you more comfortable when you’re working out, it’s absolutely awful for the environment.

Every time you wash your activewear, you release minuscule pieces of fabric called microfibers. These microfibers are so small they pass through water treatment plants and head right into our water supply.

From there, they absorb all manor of pollution found in the water. Small fish consume the microfibers and the pollution. From there, the pollution keeps moving up the food chain until it eventually reaches the very fish we eat.

While there’s not much you can do about the materials used to make activewear, there are steps you can take to reduce microfiber pollution. In fact, one of the best ways to fight microfiber pollution is to use a filter when you wash your clothes.

You can also shop from these best sustainable activewear brands, which are committed to reducing their impact on the planet.

1. Girlfriend Collective

Whether you’re looking for soft leggings for yoga or a sleek windbreaker that will keep you cool and comfortable on that morning run, Girlfriend Collective has you covered. This clothing company is also SERIOUS about sustainability.

They recycle old plastic bottles, fishing nets, and other waste into clothes that are amazingly comfortable and great for any type of activity you have in mind. Their clothes are made in a facility that guarantees fair wages, safe and healthy conditions, zero forced labor, and zero child labor.

They also ship everything in 100% recycled and recyclable packaging.

Plus, you can send back your old pieces using their Recycle Reuse ReGirlfriend program so the company can recycle them into something new. When you do, Girlfriend Collective will give you store credit as a way of saying thanks.

If all of that wasn’t enough, the company has even created a microfiber filter that easily attaches to your washing machine so you can capture those tiny fibers before they make their way to the water supply.

2. Pact

There’s a reason Pact calls itself Earth’s Favorite. That’s because from start to finish this sustainable clothing brand creates some of the most comfortable and eco-friendly clothing.

If you’re looking for activewear, you’ll find everything from bras and underwear to hoodies, T-shirts, leggings, pants, and shorts.

The clothes begin as organic cotton, which saves tons of water and uses no toxic chemicals. They then move on to Fair Trade Certified factories that provide safe working conditions and protect the environment.

Finally, the sustainable clothes arrive to you in thoughtful packaging using carbon-offset shipping. Pact even provides an opportunity to use its shipping box to donate your old clothes to nonprofits.

3. Organic Basics

The activewear collection for men and women at Organic Basics includes bras, underwear, socks, leggings, T-shirts, long-sleeve shirts, tanks, shorts, and pants. Everything you need to get out there and get moving.

The company only uses natural, renewable, recycled, biodegradable, or low-impact textiles. They also only work with trusted, certified factory partners that ensure living wages, safe working conditions, and no forced or child labor.

4. Soul Flower

I have to admit, I practically live in the organic yoga collection from Soul Flower. These pieces are made from organic cotton and other sustainable fabrics. As soon as you put them on and feel how incredibly soft and comfortable they are, you’ll never want to take them off!

In addition to working with sustainable fabrics, Soul Flower is also a green company that uses eco-friendly shipping practices, works with Fair Trade Certified manufacturing companies, and creates its own initiatives to reduce waste around its office.

5. RubyMoon

Are there times when you wish you could go straight from your work to a refreshing dip in the pool? Well, now you can thanks to the innovative and eco-friendly line of Gym to Swim pieces by RubyMoon.

Their sustainable and ethical collection of swimwear and activewear is made from stretchy, super soft, and sustainable fabric that’s durable, vegan, and certified against chlorine, sunlight, and saltwater.

Since the pieces are made ethically and sustainably with ECONYL regenerated nylon from pre-consumer and post-consumer waste, such as fishing nets, they help clean the oceans and produce about half the carbon emissions as traditional pieces.

Plus, with every RubyMoon purchase, you help empower women worldwide. RubyMoon ships its pieces around the world. When you’re ready to shop, simply select your currency and pick out a few of your favorite items.

6. People Tree

People Tree has been a pioneer in sustainable fashion since its beginnings in 1991. When you shop from this company, you can rest assured your clothing is made following the highest ethical and environmental standards.

Their activewear collection has pieces that are so cute and stylish, you won’t mind wearing them outside of the gym or studio. The mix and match pieces are made from natural, organic cotton by artisans in Fair Trade factories.

The designs feature eye-catching colors and the support you need to feel comfortable during your workout.

7. Thought

When you shop with Thought, you don’t have to compromise on comfort, style, or sustainability. Their activewear and loungewear collection is crafted using the same natural, sustainable yarns that give all of their clothing a silky, soft feel.

Best of all, these pieces are so comfortable, they can easily take you from the gym to relaxing at home.

Some of the sustainable features you’ll enjoy when you shop with Thought include vegan glue, zero plastic packaging, 100% biodegradable garment bags, ethical and fair labor practices, and GOTS certified organic cotton.

Not sure why organic cotton is such a big deal? Then be sure to check out everything you need to know about the importance of organic cotton!

8. Tentree

You’ll find a variety of activewear options at Tentree. Everything is made with the smallest environmental footprint possible, yet these pieces are some of the most comfortable clothing items you’ll ever wear.

The eco-friendly materials and blends include organic cotton, recycled polyester, TENCEL Lyocell, and hemp. In addition to using sustainable materials, Tentree also works closely with its manufacturing partners to create safe and fair working conditions for the people who make the clothing.

Plus, Tentree isn’t one of the best sustainable activewear brands simply because it creates comfortable, eco-friendly, and ethical clothing. They’re also on a mission to help our planet by planting 10 trees for every item purchased.

Every piece of clothing comes with a unique tag that has a code specific to your 10 trees. When you register your code, you can track your trees and see where they’re planted!

9. Patagonia

No matter your sport or activity, you know you can find the sustainable activewear you need at Patagonia. The clothing company has been a leader in sustainability since its beginnings.

The company is part of 1% for the Planet, which provides support to environmental nonprofits. They also provide grants to grassroots environmental groups to help support long-term change.

The activewear from Patagonia is designed to last, so you can buy less. Plus, the company even offers its unique Worn Wear program. With this program, you can trade in your used Patagonia clothing for credit toward new Patagonia purchases. You can also shop the program for great deals on recycled, repaired, and gently used items.

10. Maggie’s Organics

Maggie’s Organics is another excellent option if you’re looking for activewear basics like socks, leggings, T-shirts, camisoles, hoodies, tanks, shorts, and more. The company believes you can’t have environmental sustainability without also participating in social responsibility.

That’s why in addition to relying on organic cotton to create its unbelievably soft clothing, Maggie’s Organics also supports textile workers by providing living wages and safe working environments. And they do all of this while making adorable and comfortable pieces you’ll absolutely love!

11. Wolven

The motto of Wolven is Make Sustainability Sexy, and they do a fantastic job of that! Nature-lovers will absolutely adore the earth-inspired prints, and fashion-lovers will appreciate the unique styles and designs.

This sustainable apparel brand makes attractive and comfortable activewear from recycled plastic. They also use beechwood pulp, which is twice as soft as cotton.

Plus, the company has partnered with Climate Neutral to help offset its carbon footprint, which means your purchases are carbon-neutral.

11 Best Sustainable Activewear Brands

Whether it’s for working out or simply relaxing around the house, you don’t have to turn to cheaply and unethically made activewear. Instead, choose one of the best sustainable activewear brands for clothes that feel good on AND you can feel good wearing.

More Eco-Friendly Living Tips

Now that you’ve learned more about the best sustainable activewear brands, are you interested in even more excellent eco-friendly living tips? Then be sure to check out some of our other posts: