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Like white T-shirts and sweats, there are tons of possibilities and options when shopping for workout gear, from the questionably cheap to the luxuriously overpriced. Among them, though, are a handful of sustainable workout clothes that come from brands that are ethical, responsible, or both, creating well-made and fairly priced options that don’t sacrifice style or fall short when it comes to comfort, performance, and function.
Take Girlfriend for example, (its high-rise leggings are a favorite among Vogue editors), whose sustainable activewear sets come in a range of essentials and limited-edition colors in a variety of compressive and stretch fabrics. Its best-selling compression leggings are made from 25 water bottles each. For a bit of context, it would take 500 years for a plastic water bottle to decompose, according to the brand, and each candy-colored legging, bra, or bike short diverts those bottles from landfills.
Recycled materials aren’t the only sustainable alternatives in the space: There are organic cottons and other plant-based materials, such as Tencel, which is crafted from eucalyptus. Vyayama uses this renewable, botanical-based material for its sleek, thin-strapped sports bras and workout tops, available to shop on Rêve en Vert, a commerce platform for “sustainable living.” And in addition to its deadstock fabric floral dresses, you can now add sustainable workout clothes to your cart from Reformation’s new line of recycled polyester activewear in flattering silhouettes.
Thanks to these eight sustainable activewear brands, your workout wardrobe can be thoughtful and eco-conscious—even if you don’t plan on hitting the gym anytime soon. Below, find Vogue’s guide to stylish and Earth-friendly athleisure to sport for your next workout.
Girlfriend’s activewear sets come in an assortment of eco-friendly dyed colors and are made from either recycled nylon or polyester fibers, which are derived from recycled plastic bottles or fishing nets. Girlfriend’s recycled fabrics are certified Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex. Each garment comes with its own sustainability report that shows how many water bottles were diverted from landfills, how many pounds of CO2 were prevented, and how much energy and water was saved.
Girlfriend Paloma bra in pear
Girlfriend high-rise bike short in pear
Girlfriend Lou bra in midnight
Girlfriend high-rise pocket legging in midnight
Reformation’s active collection is made with Repreve, a material that uses 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles and is GRS & Oeko-Tex certified. The fibers are 100% traceable from plastic to polyester. The brand’s jumpsuit one-pieces, high-rise leggings, and square-neck sports bras calculate the number of bottles recycled and the savings in greenhouse gas emissions, water, and energy for each item. In a range of calming colors and easy neutrals, Reformation’s fabric uses 45% less energy, 20% less water, and 30% less GHG emissions than virgin polyester.
Reformation Ivy Ecostretch cropped tank in clay
Reformation Ecostretch high-rise legging in clay
Reformation Emmy jumpsuit in morning glory
Reformation Ecomove high-rise legging in pine
Everlane is no stranger to sustainable materials, from its clean silk, recycled wool and cashmere (ReWool and ReCashmere) to its recycled sneakers. The transparency focused-brand has committed to eliminating all virgin plastics from its supply chain and has just entered the activewear space, creating minimalist-designed leggings, bras, bike shorts, and bodysuits from recycled nylons and polyesters.
Everlane The Perform cami in heather charcoal
Everlane The Perform legging in heather charcoal
Everlane The Perform bra in black
Everlane The Perform legging in black
All of Summersalt’s activewear is made from 80 to 90% recycled polyester that comes from recycled plastic bottles. The punchy prints and bright-colored workoutwear are certified using the Global Recycled Standard. Each product page shares the number of plastic bottles used to make up the style—so don’t forget to bring along your reusable bottle when you head to the gym.
Summersalt The Midi sports bra in slate
Summersalt The Do-It-All high-rise bike short in slate
Summersalt The On-The-Go zip-up jacket in sea urchin
Summersalt The Do-It-All high-rise 7/8 legging in sea urchin
For a fully sustainable shopping experience, you can peruse and purchase activewear from Organic Basics on its low-impact website, which loads images on request and minimizes power consumption. Its sustainable workout clothing is treated with Bluesign-approved recycled silver salt called Polygiene, which stops the growth of odor-causing bacteria on the fabric. Made from recycled nylon, Organic Basics’s leggings, bras, and more save water and energy, divert waste from landfills, and reduce CO2 emissions. Each product has its own Impact Index, a tool that measures the brand’s environmental footprint.
Organic Basics SilverTech active workout bra and leggings
Organic Basics SilverTech active workout leggings and bra
Organic Basics active yoga pack bra and shorts
Organic Basics active yoga pack bra and shorts
A leader in responsible and sustainable luxury fashion, Stella McCartney adhered to the same standards and values in her activewear collaboration with Adidas. High-performance recycled materials are made with Parley Ocean Plastic and PrimeGreen recycled polyester, which comes from both post-industrial and post-consumer waste. The end result is stylish sportswear tops, cycling shorts, and sneakers. Both Adidas and Stella McCartney have committed to ending the use of virgin plastics while being mindful through their production processes to use less water and energy.
Adidas x Stella McCartney Future Playground long-sleeved crop top
Adidas x Stella McCartney TruePurpose cycling tight
Adidas x Stella McCartney TruePurpose post-mastectomy sports bra
Adidas x Stella McCartney Ultraboost X sneakers
For soft yet supportive yoga pants and tops, look to Vyayama’s Tencel fabrics crafted from sustainably farmed eucalyptus. The botanical-based material is a renewable fiber and certified non-toxic, plus, it keeps you cool with moisture-wicking properties. Made in Europe, the fabrics are knitted in the same areas of garment production to reduce transportation impact.
Vyayama Kalablak crop top in black
Vyayama Strata Cupro leggings in black
Vyayama Kalablak Tencel tank in black
Vyayama Kalablak Tencel short in black
Indigo Luna’s line of sustainable yoga clothes are made from certified organic cotton, plant viscose, and Econyl, which regenerates nylon waste from landfills and oceans and turns it into fabric. The line’s subdued color palette goes hand in hand with its natural dyeing process, which uses plant materials such as indigo leaves, mango leaves, and redwood bark.
Indigo Luna Ananda tank in pistachio
Indigo Luna Ananda bike short in dandelion
Indigo Luna Ananda top in French blue
Indigo Luna Ananda legging in melrose
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