Are you looking for the perfect way to spruce up your workout wardrobe while making sure you’re always staying sustainable? Well, look no further: eco-friendly gear is now easier than ever to come by! With a wide range of options available online, it’s never been simpler to find stylish and classic pieces made from materials that won’t harm our world.

This blog article features the who’s who of affordable ethical activewear brands. These companies are producing certifiably dope threads that are perfect for any athleisure enthusiast or conscious consumer who wants to look trendy and do their part for the planet.

We can tell you’re excited – so let’s hop to it. But first – let’s take a quick second to give some color to the label of sustainable activewear and what the companies in this space are trying to accomplish. 

What Is Sustainable Activewear?

The sustainable activewear industry takes the extra effort and commitment to produce clothing that not only looks great and performs well but also helps reduce its impact on the planet. This is a big deal since the clothing industry is one of the worst offenders of carbon emissions and environmental harm. 

Most companies in this class of conscious consumerism strive to use environmentally-friendly practices and materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester, or biodegradable materials for their workout clothes. Comfy and stylish apparel that you can then enjoy for longer than what you might find on the racks of fast fashion while also enjoying the feeling of giving back to the planet. This creates a better future for everyone with minimal water waste and energy consumption. 

Beyond environmentally sound sourcing and manufacturing, some sustainable dtc brands go even further by buying carbon credits or making climate pledges or charitable donations to reduce their overall environmental impact. Most of these companies also strive for ethical labor by paying factory workers fair wages and making sure their working conditions are safe, all while keeping the price of your new favorite sports bra or yoga pants affordable. 

Sustainable activewear can help create a better future where people can still enjoy amazing products without causing further harm to the environment. And by solving environmental issues that are caused by fast fashion, sustainable fashion can boost the global economy to the tune of $192 billion. That’s something we should all want to be a part of.

Sustainable Workout Clothes From Brands You Can Trust

Let’s go check out some of these incredible carbon neutral clothing brands that are making their name known in the world of sustainable gym wear.

Girlfriend Collective

Girlfriend Collective is revolutionizing the way we think about activewear. Their eco-friendly, body positive designs come in sizes XXS – 6XL and are made from recycled materials like 25 water bottles for their Compressive Leggings. Plus, they’ve specifically designed crop tops to provide better support for larger cup sizes so everyone can feel confident working out (or just lounging around). 

Girlfriend Collective only uses 100% recycled packaging for shipping and their manufacturing takes place in an SA8000-certified factory which ensures workers have fair wages & safe working conditions. 

When you’re done with your old leggings and bras, you can send ’em back to Girlfriend for recycling through the Recycle Reuse ReGirlfriend program! You’ll get $15 in store credit plus you help save the planet. It’s a triple score – cash money & good karma all around! Just note that each recycled item needs its own shipping label if you want multiple items gone at once (only available in the US right now). 

A friendly tip: sizes run small so consider going up one size when ordering!

Organic Basics

Ready to level up your wardrobe’s eco-friendly status? Organic Basics has got you covered with their sustainable fabric options like organic cotton and Tencel lyocell – a tree pulp-based fiber. 

You can get active without sacrificing comfort in their SilverTech line which boasts high performance nylon treated for anti-odor technology. And their super breathable underwear is made with Polygiene® Stay Fresh tech to reduce laundry loads.

Pact

Feeling good about the clothes you wear shouldn’t be a luxury and Pact has made it affordable for everyone to do just that. Their leggings in particular have a tantalizing stretch that makes them ideal for yoga (or Netflix marathons). And their basics are ethically produced with Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified organic cotton.

Pact’s fair trade certified factories help reduce environmental impact while treating workers fairly, bringing us all closer to a world without toxic chemicals and sweatshops. Best of all? Their everyday loungewear will give any outfit a cool and comfy upgrade without breaking the bank.

Summersalt

Summersalt has created a great eco-friendly activewear lin

e with fabric made from recycled plastic so you can keep it green while slaying at the gym. Their pieces are designed for high impact workouts but also keep you comfortable – especially their leggings which come with double seams for a smooth inside feel and insulation for those cooler days. 

Celebrities love it but even better than its celeb status is how they use over 10k women’s measurements for sizing to ensure a true fit.

Tentree 

Tentree’s InMotion collection makes an environmental impact by using certified recyclable plastic for activewear that’s soft and long-lasting. Plus every purchase results in 10 trees being planted (they’re on track for planting 1 billion by 2030!) and all their packaging is made from recycled/biodegradable materials – how cool is that?

Flexibility for Your Lifestyle: Sustainable Yoga Clothes

We’ve covered some of the top brands of sustainable workout clothes, but now let’s talk about eco friendly places to shop when you need some comfortable, stylish, and functional clothes for the yoga mat.

Dharma Bums

Dharma Bums is an Aussie-owned sustainable yoga clothes company that was founded on the sun-soaked beaches of Sydney. They are serious about sustainability as well as ethical labor practices and every decision they make as a brand is impacted by both of these causes. From every stitch to every package they ship – the Dharma Bums founders are thinking about how they can reduce their impact on the planet. 

Their off cut fabric is recycled into boxing bag stuffing and you can even compost their garment and mailer bags in your own backyard. But if they happen to make it to a landfill, then they will fully break down there, making them the perfect zero waste products!

Oh, and they make some killer yoga pants, which you might have figured. They are currently only shipping in Australia and the UK.

PrAna

PrAna invites you to think outside the mat when it comes to your new favorite yoga pants and necessities. They have sustainability-minded yoga products for both men and women, so wherever you may fall on the gender spectrum, you’ll find environmentally conscious yoga gear that will last for years to come. 

And it’s worth noting that PrAna is a founding member of the Outdoor Industry Association’s (OIA) Climate Action Corps. This is a group of like-minded environmentally conscious companies that are committed to measuring, planning, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions with a target reduction of 30% by 2030.

Reprise

Reprise is a plant-based apparel company that is proud to be plastic free. While they openly appreciate the progress the fashion industry is making with its initiatives to make sustainable clothing, they are strong in their stance that we shouldn’t cover our skin in plastic. Reprise invites you to wear plants. You might never go back.

Brands for Your Next Adventure: Sustainable Outdoor Gear

Do you live for the great outdoors? So do these sustainable outdoor gear companies.

Outerknown 

Outerknown is your classic outdoor outfitter but with a major focus on sustainability Fairtrade. Since their founding, they’ve kept more than 1800 garments out of landfills through their Outerworn pre-owned platform and have paid more than $133,000 into Fairtrade premium to improve the lives of those who make their clothes. And their support of farmers using Regenerative Organic CertifiedTM (ROCTM) practices lead to the harvest of 10 tons of organic cotton in 2022.

Patagonia

Patagonia is something of a GOAT when it comes to environmental activism at the corporate level. They’ve been donating 1% of their sales each year since 1985 to efforts of preservation and restoration of the natural environment and they’ve awarded more than $144 million in cash to grassroots environmental groups. They encourage all companies big and small to follow their 1% pledge. Just imagine where this moss-covered rock we inhabit could be if we all shared this goal. 

Eco Friendly Running Shoes 

Doing some sustainable shopping online? Check out these eco friendly kicks worth taking for a spin.

Allbirds 

Allbirds measures their carbon footprint minted by creating shoe soles that are equipped for your feet’s everyday needs to your hiking and running ambitions. And they do so through the five core elements of their shoe manufacturing process – materials, manufacturing, transportation, product use, and end of life. 

Allbirds has always utilized green elements like wool, tree, and sugar and they work solely with manufacturing partners who share their determination to cut down unnecessary environmental harm. Their shoes are manufactured as safely as possible – both in terms of carbon emissions and labor.

If you wear your new kicks the way Allbirds hopes you will then you are going to have to wash them at some point. Good thing they are machine washable. Allbirds encourages their customers to do so in cold water and air dry to minimize their own carbon footprint and increase the lifespan of their shoes.

Hylo Athletics

UK-based running brand Hylo Athletics harvests most of its raw materials within 60 miles of its manufacturing hub which significantly reduces its greenhouse gas emissions. Their transportation emissions are factored in and any planetary impact is offset. Eco friendly running shoes. Hylo gets it.

LANE EIGHT

Lane Eight is really the perfect anchor to this list of who’s who in the realm of organic workout clothes because they remind us to cut ourselves a break in our mission to reduce our carbon footprint. It’s not a perfect process. There will be setbacks amidst the victories. But if we keep at it with consistency and determination, we will no doubt make a difference. 

As they put it – “Neither fitness nor sustainability is easy to master, and the journey can often be non-linear. We set goals, train, get sore, have setbacks, and learn something new with every rep. To achieve any goal, you need commitment and consistency. Most importantly, you need to START.”

Get Active. Stay Green.

Now you know where you can shop and stay green as you prepare for your next adventure, whether that’s on the couch or on the trail. We encourage you to get out there and give this big wide world everything you got and check out the brands mentioned here while you’re at it. 

Looking to make your own ecommerce store more sustainable? Add an eco-friendly checkout option with Eco Cart.