Our Favorite Sustainable Workout Gear

As the world opens up and we’re able to begin socializing more, we have a renewed excitement to take on life feeling our best. That means a renewed commitment to our personal health and wellness as well as the wellness of our planet! With sustainable, eco-friendly workout gear, we can take care of both!

ZenWTR is passionate about making it easy for you to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

Learn about what to look out for when shopping for sustainable brands or let us do the work for you and check out our top 10 list of favorite brands for sustainable workout gear below!

How to Spot a Sustainable Brand (… And Avoid Greenwashing)

More than ever, consumers want to know how their purchases impact the planet. We’re looking into company's mission statements and sustainability practices and evaluating the recyclability of what we are buying. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways you can determine whether a brand’s sustainability claims are legitimate, including:

• Check their sourcing – Raw materials can be ethically and/or sustainably sourced. The easiest way to find out if a brand is practicing ethical sourcing, look for third-party certifications like the ones listed here. There are countless certifications that vary based on industry and material. Consider researching industry standards to identify legitimate, sustainable certifications beyond this list.
  • Fair Trade Certification
  • Global Organic Textile Standard
  • Oeko-Tex
  • Better Cotton Initiative
  • Cradle to Cradle
  • Leather Working Group
  • NSF International

• Confirm their claims – While some companies genuinely strive to incorporate sustainable materials and practices into their business models, others will exaggerate less than accurate eco-friendly claims. If you can’t find specific information on a brand’s website (or with a quick Google search) on how they’re working to better the planet, it’s likely because they aren’t.

• Consult Sustainability-Focused Consumer Resources – From household cleaners to eco-friendly materials, certain resources—such as Good On You and ThinkDirty—can provide ratings and reviews plus information regarding a brand’s sustainability practices.

Our Top 10 Eco-Friendly Fitness Brands

By supporting fitness brands that use different types of recycled material to create their products, you can help create a healthier planet while creating a healthier you.

Here are some of the top eco-friendly fitness brands we feel are worth supporting:

1. Adidas Parley – You’re likely familiar with this famous activewear brand, but now, Adidas has partnered with Parley for the Oceans, an environmental protection non-profit organization. By sourcing plastic from coastal environments, Adidas Parley has created a collection of stylish shoes and tracksuits made with sustainable fabric for those who want to stay fit and keep our oceans clean. Additionally, by 2024, Adidas has pledged to ensure all polyester in their products will be 100% recycled.
2. EleVen – Founded by tennis world champion Venus Williams, EleVen is a women’s activewear brand that understands the importance of sustainability as well as performance. That’s why they’ve created a line of durable Repreve fitness attire made using recycled fibers, earning this brand an EleVen out of ten in both style and eco-friendliness.  
3. Oraki – Whether you’re practicing your calming breathing in downward dog or crawling through a traffic jam, Oraki guarantees you’ll look stylish doing it with leggings and workout tops made from different types of sustainable fabric. From recycled cotton and polyester to regenerated nylon (made from raw materials found in unwanted carpets and fishing nets), not only do Oraki’s practices prioritize the health of our planet, but they also recognize the health of our furrier friends with products that are 100% vegan and cruelty free. 
4. Kathmandu – The hikers, backpackers, and world-travelers at Kathmandu understand that preserving our planet rests on our shoulders. That’s why they specialize in creating sustainable backpacks, jackets, thermals, and more out of Repreve fabric, made from recycled bottles, that help protect the environment.They’re committed to better business practices from all angles, including 100% sustainable cotton farming, solar energy to offset carbon emissions, water-saving solutions in the manufacturing process and promoting diversity internally and externally.
5. Roxy – Roxy girls everywhere can look and feel their best about preserving our beaches with colorful board shorts, swimwear, and backpacks made with recycled Repreve fabric. In fact, every pair of Roxy boardshorts is made with seven recycled plastic bottles that would have otherwise ended up in our oceans.^[1] Talk about changing the tides.
6. De Feet – If you’re looking to take steps toward supporting sustainability, check out De Feet’s new line of socks—the Levitator Lite. Made primarily from recycled plastic water bottles, these colorful, lightweight socks keep your feet cool when your workouts start to heat up, making them the perfect addition to any fitness collection. 
7. Billabong- Their new Eco-Surf line features neoprene made from upcycled car tires and jerseys and bikinis made from recycled plastic bottles, recycled knits and recycled spandex. They also use water-based adhesives and a yarn-dying process that yarns reduces water usage by 90% compared to traditional methods. And they look amazing too!
8. Headsweats – In their efforts to make the world a greener place, Headsweats creates cycling caps, headbands, and other apparel using Repreve—a leading performance fiber made from recycled plastic bottles that boast moisture-wicking, water repellent, and cooling properties.
9. Outdoor Voices – Outdoor Voices is on a mission to get the world moving toward recreation, happiness, and above all, sustainability. To help protect the biggest playground of all (our planet), they source polyester made from recycled plastic bottles to create their stylish line of fitness attire. Plus, they’ve invested in recyclable packaging for both in-store and online orders.
10. Manduka – Sustainability goes beyond pulling plastic from landfills and oceans; it’s also about keeping plastic from ending up there in the first place. That’s exactly how Manduka—maker of yoga clothes, mats, clothing, and accessories—aims to help the planet. Their LiveON program offers a zero-waste yoga mat solution. When you order a new mat, you ship back your current one, and they take care of the rest.

No matter what activities you’re diving into this season, choosing to support sustainable brands can inspire you to keep working toward all your healthy habits—including saving the planet.

And when it’s time to rehydrate, choose ZenWTR to hydrate your eco-friendly lifestyle. When we support each other in our efforts to protect the planet, we can all emerge stronger and healthier.

Shop ZenWTR now.

Sources:

Repreve. 

EcoCult. Is There a Sustainable Certification for Clothing?
[Your Guide to Eco-Friendly and Ethical Labels]. 

^[1] Repreve. Roxy Boardshorts—Made Beach Friendlier with REPREVE.