Don’t Sweat it! Reviewing the Best Ethical Workout Clothes
Make A Fashion & Lifestyle Statement With These Ethical Workout Clothes
By Yashashree Samant
Everytime the clock strikes midnight on December 31st there’s always one consistent resolution in the back of everyone's mind. Time to start eating healthy, join a gym, enroll in pilates, or perhaps even finally invest in a Peloton. For the most part, we try to follow through with these resolutions to get more fit and to embody an active lifestyle. Looking good often starts with feeling good, but before you step foot in your local gym or embark on a cool 5k run you’re going to want to check your closet and ensure that the clothes you’re wearing are ethically and sustainably produced.
A great swimsuit, good fit of yoga pants or maybe just comfortable joggers. Athletic clothing has gone from being an option to now seemingly essential for anyone looking to embody that athlete mindset. While it is pertinent to work out and treat our bodies with love and respect, we can’t be getting better at the cost of the earth getting worse. Activewear is often made out of cheap, synthetic materials and is worn many times which results in damage; thus, increasing wastage.
D.O.B wants to ensure that the earth stays healthy along with you. So here are some brands that follow ethical and sustainable practices when producing activewear. This summer, workout to get the planet back into shape.
Synergy Organic Clothing - This California based brand was inspired by the light and breezy fabrics of Southeast Asia. Synergy has built a global community from Kathmandu to California where they source organically grown cotton from India, use low impact dyes, and offer complete transparency on their manufacturing processes. Along with regular apparel, Synergy Organic Clothing has a section for activewear that is conscious and stylish at the same time. They’re also leading the way for recycling older garments. Mail or return the older garment to their store and you can get a discount on the next purchase.
OOKIOH - This is a 100% sustainable and ethical swimwear brand that you can flaunt this beach season. The fabric is regenerated from ocean waste like fishing nets and pre-consumer waste products that are turned into exquisite fabric that’ll allow you to float in the pool for hours or practice laps with the same amount of energy and finesse.
Nube - This activewear brand is women-owned and U.S. based. All of their fabrics are made from recycled materials. The recycled polyester used in their activewear reduces water consumption by nearly 20%, energy consumption by over 45%, and greenhouse gas emissions by over 30%. They have partnered with artists from around the country who jazz up the clothing and add prints that are motivated from environmental issues.
For Days - For Days is an apparel brand that also has a collection of relaxing sweats to shop from. The brand has pledged to reduce the waste produced from American high fashion. They have a SWAP program that allows people to swap previous purchases for new products which reduces the landfills, a percent at a time.
Outdoor Voices - This activewear brand makes environmentally conscious choices for their company across the board. They use sustainable materials in their retail shops, meaningful partnerships with nonprofits, recycled or recyclable packaging and ethically sourced sustainable fabric. In their words, they “design clothes with longevity in mind so they stay in gym bags and not landfills.”
Your Dollar is Your Voice!
D.O.B believes that by sharing information and questioning sustainable and ethical practices, we can all make better choices where to spend our dollars. We offer and support brands who align with our principles; sustainable, inclusive & local.