Slow fashion is the new little black dress! With so many sustainable yoga clothing brands leading the charge with eco friendly activewear, it can be hard to know where to start and what to choose.
Keep reading to discover our favorite eco friendly yoga clothing!
What Makes Yoga Clothing Sustainable?
Polyester is widely considered to be the best material from which to make activewear. It’s durable, wrinkle free, not typically see through, and stays in place despite sweat and moisture.
So, what’s the problem?
Polyester is a type of plastic that’s made from petroleum. Petroleum is a carbon-intensive non-renewable resource producing incredibly high levels of greenhouse gases. In 2015 research suggested that more than 70 million barrels of petroleum a year is used to make the world’s supply of polyester. Without even factoring-in the waste and disposal of the petroleum after processing, the polyester garments themselves are not biodegradable and remain in ecosystems all over the world, particularly in our oceans. Instead, eco friendly brands help preserve the environment by making sustainable yoga clothes and activewear from alternative sources like post-consumer plastic waste and fishing nets.
Greenwashing is a concern when it comes to sustainability. When researching a brand to see if it is truly sustainable, it’s important to do a deep dive into the research. Just because a company’s website has a page on sustainability and talks about its goals doesn’t mean it’s actually doing the work. Hidden Lemur researches the kinds of fabric that brands use, and the various sustainability initiatives a company is involved in. As more and more companies begin to adopt eco friendly production processes their practices and social involvements change over time. The reverse can be true as well, so we encourage you to read through the information on a company’s website, and don’t hesitate to reach out to them to ask questions to further help you make environmentally friendly consumer decisions.
prAna
prAna is a socially and environmentally driven brand. They create sustainable basics including eco friendly yoga clothing that’s made to last.
Best For: Staple activewear pieces that can mix and match
Sustainability: Zero-plastic packaging and 100% recycled paper;
Ethics: Fair trade certified but does use animal products such as
Size Range: XS to XL and additional plus sizing
Materials: prAna uses organic hemp and recycled fabrics in many of its items; check individual items and colors for specific fabric usage details
Pricing: $
prAna Sustainability Practices
prAna holds three types of sustainability certifications including Fair Trade Certified organic cotton which is used in many of their products. Additionally, many textiles are certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard and Organic Content Standard. They use both certifications because each has different requirements.
The sustainable brand also prides itself on its use of hemp in its products. Hemp is an incredible textile with benefits such as:
– Inhibiting bacterial growth
– Thermo-conductive
– Fast drying
– UV-resistant properties
– Durability
The use of hemp, combined with cleaner chemical use during clothing production helps make prAna an even more sustainably oriented brand.
Finally, prAna takes initiative by using responsible packaging for shipping. This includes the use of roll packing and responsible paper that is 100% recycled.
prAna Ethical Practices
prAna is a Fair Trade certified brand, meaning that their products come from a certified factory where safety measures are in place to protect the employees both physically and mentally.
As always, when being an advocate for sustainability, it’s vital to do your own research. While prAna does have fantastic initiatives for sustainability, they don’t make a big effort to push website visitors to their other shop that focuses on creating clothes that are part of a circular economy. To find and access this seperate site, you need to do some digging or click here for direct access.
Finally, prAna is not a vegan company as they use animal skin and feathers in their clothing. This includes the use of cashmere, silk, wool, and leather.
prAna Sustainable Yoga Clothes
prAna Size Inclusivity
prAna provides sizes ranging from XS to XL. It’s not the most size-inclusive sustainable company on this guide but they do offer a range of plus size specific clothing.
prAna Pricing
prAna offers midrange prices on its clothing making its sustainable yoga items relatively affordable. Although not as cheap as a fast fashion brand, these items are built to last with proper care and are much more ethical and sustainable. That means that although you might pay a little more upfront, your leggings will last for many years and you’ll be doing your part in supporting a sustainable fashion movement.
[Check prAna prices for eco friendly yoga clothing here]
Girlfriend Collective
Girlfriend Collective offers a wide variety of clothing, with everything from underwear and hair accessories to sustainable yoga clothing. The brand’s goal is to provide complete transparency to customers.
Best For: Practical and fashionable activewear pieces at sustainable prices
Sustainability: Recycled packaging, recycled and sustainable textiles, activewear made from post-consumer waste, sustainability report on each product
Ethics: SA8000 certification (overlaps with Fair Trade certification but more geared towards workers in factories)
Size Range: XXS to 6XL
Materials: Often made from post-consumer waste, zero-waste yarn, and fibers, partially recycled polyester
Pricing: $
Girlfriend Collective Sustainability Practices
When shopping for sustainable yoga clothes, Girlfriend Collective is a great place to start. The brand does a fantastic job of making its sustainable practices available to customers and each product has a sustainability report that includes: the number of water bottles used in the item (from post-consumer waste), the pounds of CO2 that were prevented, and the kilowatt hours of energy that were saved.
Girlfriend Collective also uses recycled fabrics and a textile called cupro, which is a fiber made from the waste that is left by the cotton industry.
Girlfriend Collective Ethical Practices
Girlfriend Collective uses an SA8000 certified factory in Vietnam. This certification is similar to that of the Fair Trade certification and certifies that workers’ mental and physical wellbeing is a priority and that no child-labor practices are in place.
Girlfriend Collective Sustainable Yoga Clothes
Girlfriend Collective Size Inclusivity
Girlfriend Collective is one of the most size-inclusive producers of eco friendly yoga clothes on this guide. With sizes from XXS to 6XL, there’s something for every single body and you don’t have to go to a different part of the website to find it!
Girlfriend Collective Pricing
For a slow fashion yoga clothing brand, Girlfriend Collective prices are in the midrange. You won’t break the bank, but you probably won’t be coming home with as many pieces as you would from a discount retailer.
[Check Girlfriend Collective Pricing]
Organic Basics
Organic Basics does just what its name suggests: it keeps products simple and organic. You won’t find any outrageous wear-once type products on here, you’ll find staples that are designed to last and that you’ll keep coming back to again and again.
Best For: Everyday essentials that are designed to last
Sustainability: Low impact website, sustainable and responsible fabrics and textiles, certified organic cotton
Ethics: Sustainable fabric practices at the forefront of the mission; also works to ensure safe and healthy factory practices
Size Range: XS to XXL (sizes are often grouped)
Materials: Organic, low-impact fabrics only
Pricing: $$
Organic Basics Sustainability Practices
When it comes to sustainability, Organic Basics goes so far as to even provide a second low-impact website that users can choose to shop from.
The guiding principle behind Organic Basics is to start with design. The brand prides itself on creating timeless designs that are built to last and act as wardrobe staples for years to come. The B-Corp company products are produced in certified factories (Oeko-Tex, GOTS, iso 9001, FSC-certified and made with responsible and sustainable materials, typically with organic cotton.
Finally, Organic Basics has its own fund, Organic Basics, which supports grassroots campaigns aimed at improving Earth’s environmental state. They currently fund projects such as Rewilding Europe, supporting communities in the Amazon, and restoring habitats for pollinators.
Organic Basics Ethical Practices
The Organic Basics website doesn’t provide a ton of information on the ethical practices of the brand however external sources show that they’ve put in the work. Organic Basics is a certified B Corp which means that they ensure the workplace is free from child and forced labor and that employee benefits include free lunch, a living wage, and childcare.
Organic Basics Sustainable Eco Friendly Yoga Clothing
Organic Basics Size Inclusivity
Organic Basics sizing ranges from XS to XXL, however within their eco yoga clothing and activewear section, their sizing for both tops and bottoms is grouped into only three sizes: XS-S, M-L, and XL-XXL.
Organic Basics Pricing
The pricing of Organic Basics clothing is on the higher end of the spectrum. However, they do offer active packs (featured above) which get you a great price on an eco friendly activewear top and bottom.
[Shop Organic Basics Sustainable Yoga Clothes]
Made Trade
Made Trade is a marketplace where you can shop for a broad range of goods, including eco yoga clothing, that are sustainably made from small businesses. Made Trade brings together these artisans in one place so it’s easy to shop for all of your essentials without worrying about the ethical or environmental impacts.
Best For: Supporting different brands with one purchase
Sustainability: Sustainable materials and recycled/upcycled products
Ethics: Supports Fair Trade products and pays artisans fair prices
Size Range: XS to XXL (varies by product)
Materials: Varies by product and brand, often sustainable and recyclable
Pricing: $$
Made Trade Sustainability Practices
Made Trade is a climate neutral business that is officially Climate Neutral Certified by purchasing offsetting credits to support conservation projects. The brand also participates in 1% For the Planet where 1% of every purchase is donated to an environmental non-profit.
On each product page, you’ll find a box with different certifications from Made Trade. A product could be marked as:
– Recycled/upcycled
– Vegan
– Women owned
– Hand crafted
– Sustainable materials
This makes it easy to shop for specific items that align with initiatives that you want to support. To make it even easier, you can also shop by value:
– BIPOC Owned
– Fair trade
– Vegan
– Sustainable materials
– Hand crafted
– Recycled/upcycled
– Women owned
Made Trade Ethical Practices
This artisan marketplace carefully vets each product to make sure that it aligns with their values. Potential partners go through an extensive application process in which items are evaluated by looking at the production process, labor conditions, fair trade status, and more.
Made Trade Sustainable Yoga Clothes
– Recycled Crossover Pocket Legging
– Crisscross Four-Way Recycled Top
Made Trade Size Inclusivity
Because Made Trade is a marketplace rather than a single producer, size options and fit among products varies. Generally, ranges between XS and XXL are available, which usually gives the customer between five and six options to choose between.
Made Trade Pricing
Made Trade pricing varies by product, but prices generally reflect that lack of shortcuts that are taken in the manufacturing process and the ethicality and sustainability practices that are put into place and verified throughout.
[Shop Made Trade Sustainable Yoga Clothes]
Other Sustainable Yoga Clothing Brands We Love
Threads 4 Thought
Threads 4 Thought is a fantastic sustainable yoga clothing brand that focuses on providing its customers with ultimate transparency. The brand publishes a thorough yet easy to understand transparency report which details how much water, crude oil, and soil has been used in the production of its products. Threads 4 Thought makes an effort to reduce its water usage in clothing production by using a closed-loop system.
[Shop Threads 4 Thought Yoga Clothes]
Tentree
Tentree’s name comes from the promise the brand makes to plant ten trees for every purchase. Many if not all of their activewear products use recycled polyester and on each product, you can see details on water, CO2, and waste that was saved by Tentree’s sustainable production methods. The brand is affordable, ethical, and sustainable – what’s not to love?
[Shop Tentree Activewear Here]
United by Blue
United by Blue has been a Certified B Corp since 2011 and pledges to remove one pound of trash from oceans for every product sold. This is done on United by Blue’s annual cleanup days. Their mission is to make the Earth’s water pollution-free and to keep the ocean clean and healthy by producing only sustainable products. So not only is United by Blue an eco friendly yoga clothing company, they’re also placing people over profit through responsible workplace practices. Their eco yoga clothing is affordable, durable, gorgeous, and easy to mix and match.
[Shop United by Blue Eco Yoga Clothing]
Shop Sustainable Yoga Clothing Today
By now, your shopping cart is probably pretty full of amazing sustainable yoga clothes. Be sure to sign up for Hidden Lemur’s email list to stay up to date with the last sustainable living and travel details!
For your next read, check out our guide to sustainable shoes.
Disclaimer: Hey reader! Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase using any of these links, we’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Hidden Lemur is committed to promoting sustainable travel, and we only partner with brands that we believe contribute positively to that cause.
