7 Sustainable Yoga Clothing Brands Creating Eco-friendly Activewear
Practicing yoga is about health and mindfulness. Yoga can also help us connect to nature and the world around us while improving our mental health.
When you’re looking after your body and mind and forging a deeper connection with your surroundings, you want to extend that experience to all areas of your practice, right down to the yoga clothes you wear on your eco-friendly yoga mats.
It’s no secret that fashion is an industry that’s long had a detrimental impact on people and the planet, exploiting both for the sake of something new and trendy on the shelves every week.
This has not escaped the lines of activewear clothing.
Looking good while you’re working out may not seem important, but it can keep you motivated, and knowing your outfit’s good for you and the planet can also add an extra bounce to your step.
Plus, eco-friendly material doesn't have to come at the cost of comfort.
This post does contain some affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase The Honest Consumer will receive a commission. Our commission is at no additional cost to you.
When it comes to practicing yoga, all those twists, bends, and poses mean you’ll need to wear something comfortable, stretchy, and lightweight.
It’s not just your body that needs to do the breathing during exercise: your clothes need to breathe too.
And if you’re practicing regularly, you’ll want yoga apparel that’s durable and long-lasting.
This means investing in high-quality yoga clothes designed for longevity; but considering all the bending and stretching, especially on a regular basis, you need items that speak to these considerations as well.
8 Sustainable Yoga Clothing Brands to Try
These sustainable activewear brands are perfect for your next yoga class!
They're a perfect balance of fashion with function, providing the comfort you want but also the quality you deserve, so your pieces can last you a long time. If you care for them properly, too, they can outlast the less sustainable competitor brands!
These eco-friendly options feature organic yoga clothing, leggings made from plastic bottles, and wood pulp based fibers. They also feature inclusive size ranges and clothing styles to suit every taste!
All of these brands also use ethical practices when it comes to labor and creating positive change, and have the certifications you want to look for when researching brands for yourself.
Wolven’s Yoga Clothes Made from Recycled Materials
Wolven is a BIPOC, female-founded brand whose mission is to promote environmental protection, community, and inclusivity through stand out clothing that not only lets you look good, but feel good while wearing it.
Wolven prides itself on designing stand-out styles that are made from recycled materials. Their fabric is made from BPA-Free recycled bottles that are transformed into soft, sexy sustainable clothes that you can be proud to wear.
Discover sustainable sports bras, leggings, swimwear, crop tops, and more. Their sizes range from XS-XL. Wolven also off-sets their carbon footprint and donates 1% of their annual revenue to environmental and community organizations.
Sustain by Kat’s Natural Clothing
Each plant-dyed piece from Sustain by Kat is meticulously dyed with brilliant plant dyes from across the world, known for their ability to make beautiful, long-lasting colors.
No harmful chemicals here. Discover brightly colored sports bras, tees, and tanks.
Girlfriend Collective's Sustainable Leggings & Bras
From leggings and shorts to sports bras and tanks, Girlfriend Collective has just what you need to get comfy on your yoga mat.
Blending recycled fabrics like nylon and polyester with spandex for leggings and bras gives you a sustainable yoga outfit with enough stretch for all those bends and poses, while cupro is utilized for tanks and tees.
Recycled fabrics made from plastic water bottles and fishing nets are certified Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex, dyed with eco-friendly dyes, and delivered in packaging that is 100% recycled and recyclable.
Girlfriend Collective
Girlfriend Collective is also SA8000 certified, protecting workers in factories by implementing fair and safe working conditions.
Girlfriend Collective also has a circular program called Regirlfriend. This program collects old Girlfriend Collective compression leggings and upcycles them into new pieces that can be worn again and again.
Consumers who choose to send their legging back to be turned into new garments also get a store credit.
Girlfriend Collective is also size inclusive ranging from XXS-6XL in their yoga and activewear.
Ministry of Supply's Sustainable Workout Clothes Perfect for Yoga
It’s all about science and sustainability for Ministry of Supply, with apparel designed with motion, comfort, and the planet in mind.
Making use of recycled polyester, wood-derived viscose, cotton, Merino wool, and bio-based polyester, Ministry of Supply gives you activewear options that are comfy and high-performing with several items enhanced with functional features like purposeful pockets and adjustable hems.
PACT’s Organic Cotton Leggings & Activewear
If organic cotton is the fabric of your choice then PACT is a great brand to explore. PACT’s affordable organic basics make it easy for consumers to start building their sustainable wardrobe.
PACT uses 100% Certified Organic Cotton to ensure high quality garments, clean materials on their customer’s skin, and to be conscious of the environment.
PACT’s clothing is made in Fair Trade Certified factories in India. This ensures livable wages and a positive work environment for garment workers. Discover organic cotton leggings, tank tops, and tees great for yoga practices.
Boody's Functional Activewear Made from Bamboo Viscose
Boody's affordable, ethically made bamboo viscose products allow consumers to explore and enjoy the comfort of eco-fibers through everyday basics such as bras, underwear, and activewear.
Boody's new activewear collection features sports bras, joggers, and leggings made from bamboo viscose and organic cotton to create sustainable yoga clothes that are super-soft, moisture-wicking and breathable.
prAna's Yoga Clothes Made with Eco-friendly Materials
Motivated by style and sustainability, prAna is committed to designing activewear that speaks to these tenets, particularly for yogis.
prAna makes use of fabrics such as organic cotton, TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal, and recycled nylon and polyester, as well as organic hemp.
Deliveries are made using a roll-pack method, eliminating the need for plastic, with tags, shipping envelopes, and headwear clamps made from 100% recycled content paper.
The Good Tee embraces an ethical supply chain, and their organic cotton tshirts represent a vision of sustainability, accountability and transparency. They are Fair Trade Certified™, and support slower production schedules, ethical working conditions, and fair deals for all!
The Good Tee makes slow fashion clothing designed for longevity, quality and reducing their environmental impact. They use GOTS certified organic cotton, a natural fiber which biodegrades, having less impact on the planet.
They meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.
The Good Tee's activewear range is the perfect balance of comfortable with fashionable and functional!
When we think of yoga pants or yoga leggings we think of stretchy comfortable materials. Synthetic fibers are a go-to for activewear: they repel water, wick sweat, and stretch without getting stretched out.
But synthetic fabrics have their downsides too, both for you and the planet.
Let's explore the negative environmental impacts of athletic wear, some more sustainable fabrics, and some ethical activewear brands creating eco-friendly yoga clothes.
Negative Environmental Impacts of Synthetic Fabrics
Synthetic fabrics greatly contribute to the microplastic problem. When you wash your clothes, microfibers (a type of microplastic) are released, entering waterways where they adversely impact aquatic life.
Regardless of what fabric you choose, they may be doused in dyes made with toxic chemicals that also leach into waterways, as well as affecting your skin and that of workers in factories.
Synthetic and virgin fabrics are also carbon intensive; even natural fabrics can have a negative environmental impact, such as conventional cotton, which is very water-intensive.
Unfortunately there is not a perfect solution!
So whenever you purchase new yoga clothing be sure to invest in quality brands that create clothing that is crafted to last and take care of your clothes!
Tips for Shopping for Yoga Wear
While there are a lot of fabrics to chose from let's explore the impacts of these eco-friendly fabrics and learn what to consider when shopping for sustainable yoga brands. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed by the variety of options out there - just refer to these main touchpoints, like natural materials, recycled materials, and certifications, when shopping and use the additional tips to help get clarity on any lack of transparency from a brand. Pro tip: don't hesitate to reach out to a brand when you have questions. If they're not hiding anything, they should be open and honest about their practices with you and be ready to answer!
Natural Materials & Plant Based Fabrics
Plant-based fabrics are becoming the fabric of choice for many looking to build a more sustainable closet.
With options like bamboo, organic cotton, hemp, and cupro (cotton waste material), there’s plenty to choose from.
And it’s good news for those seeking vegan or cruelty-free apparel.
Organic fabrics can also be a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to synthetics.
They’re grown without toxic pesticides, fertilizers, or GMOs, and are better for your skin.
However, it can be challenging to find clothing designed for activewear, including yoga clothes, that is made with natural fibers, plant-based, or organic.
While cotton is great for warm weather because it’s breathable, its absorbency is not great for activewear.
If you’re going to be sweating a lot, it means having wet clothes sticking to you throughout your practice. To optimize for high-performance, durability, and stretch, activewear is usually blended with synthetic fibers like elastane and Spandex.
Choose Recycled Materials
Since wearing synthetics may be unavoidable rather look for yoga clothes made from recycled synthetics likes recycled polyester or recycled nylon.
Choosing recycled fabrics instead of virgin ones can help lower your carbon footprint.
Recycled synthetics still contribute to the microplastic problem, but it also minimizes the amount of plastic in landfills and waterways.
To minimize microfibers released during washing, invest in a microfiber-catching bag or filter for your washing machine.
Look for Third Party Certifications
Other steps you can take is choosing yoga clothes made from fabrics that are chemical-free and certified such as GOTS-certified clothing made with organic dyes.
This certification ensures the clothes have been tested for harmful chemicals that could be bad for you and the planet. Also consider Certified B Corporations and Fair Trade Certifications as well.
Look for Sustainable Practices Through Out The Yoga Brand
Along with sustainable materials support brands with eco-friendly practices such as using renewable energy, renewable resources, creating less waste, and embracing circular fashion.
This creates a long term positive impact through out their business model.
Choose Ethical Brands
Avoid child labor and be sure the brand values the people within the supply chain just as much by paying fair wages.
An easy way to ensure this is to look for Fair Trade Certified brands as that ensures the clothes were made in fair trade factories.
When shopping a smaller sustainable fashion brand don't be afraid to ask about their supply chain and ethical manufacturing.
Truly transparent brands will be happy you care and usually provide more information on their production process.
Hopefully this guide helped explore some new yoga clothing brands and sustainable fabrics. These brands are all a good choice if you regularly practice yoga and are looking for an eco-friendly option.
There are so many great sustainable yoga wear options available!
Meet the Author
Claudia Hauter is a South African writer, copy editor, and content creator with degrees in Drama and Anthropology. She works in television managing web content. When she isn’t reading or writing, she’s walking her dog, finding small businesses and markets to support, or attracting butterflies and bees with her vegetable garden. Learn from Claudia on Twitter or Instagram.
For more ethical & sustainable fashion tips be sure to follow The Honest Consumer on social media, subscribe to our newsletter, & check out the Ethical & Sustainable Brand Directory.