I have compiled a list of active/outdoor clothing brands taking transformative steps towards a better future.
BAM, a certified B Corporation, was established in 2006 with a mission to show the world that you can have success whilst doing the right thing. BAM’s clothing is mainly yoga, pilates, gym and running wear for both men and women.
BAM uses 100% recycled polyester, and 0% of their clothes end up in landfills. They are currently innovating nature-based fabrics to improve their positive impact and the quality of their garments. They stand for giving everyone involved fair wages and treatment; creating a circular economy to conserve natural resources, protect biodiversity and eliminate pollution; and sharing their climate story to increase education.
Patagonia, technically a non-profit, is a popular outdoor brand that specialises in outdoor equipment and clothes. While on the pricier side, they have made leaps and bounds in the environmental space.
They focus much of their work on innovating organic cotton and working with farmers to meet their needs whilst also giving back to the planet. A successful venture for Patagonia includes their Worn Wear scheme, where they make repairing clothes accessible to extend their lifecycles.
Passenger is another outdoor clothing brand, also one of my favourites, as they are a little more budget-friendly whilst offering high-quality products which align with my values.
They favour organic and recycled materials, such as organic cotton, which avoids the use of chemicals and pesticides. If polyester is used within a garment, it is from a recycled source. To give back adn restore the planet, Passenger focus on planting native trees and protecting them to have a lasting impact, currently they have planted upwards of 2 million trees worldwide. Whilst there is still room for improvement at Passenger, they are transparent in their processes and are working with partners such as ‘Trees For The Future’ to help keep our Earth happy and healthy
From gym clothes to loungewear, Pact has a range of conscious clothing for everyone. A company that is Carbon Neutral, Fair Trade and Organic Cotton certified.
Pact’s efforts to support people and the planet have resulted in 877 million gallons of water being saved through the use of organic farming. Factory workers are provided with safe working conditions, community support, and additional development funds to empower employees.
Girlfriend Collective uses old plastic and water bottles paired with eco-friendly dyes and recycled water to create an ethically made (and certified) activewear portfolio.
Their website is also equipped with a care guide to ensure user get the longest and highest quality wear out of their garments. Finally, their ReGirlfriend is a resell or recycle initiative to reduce the number of textiles entering landfills.
Focused on ending waste, Rapanui, with currently less than 1% of garments being remade into something new.
The main sustainable action they take to achieve this is by customers sending their 100% cotton clothing (from any brand) in exchange for a £5 store credit each time. Rapanui then sort it into various categories, including conditions and they are then made into new clothes which can be found in their recycled clothing line.
On specifically make running shoes, and have been one of the first to create an almost fully-circular sports shoe! Not literally circular, but the materials that go into the Cyclon shoes come back out to be made into other shoes.
We must remember that these actions shouldn’t be celebrated; these should be the norm. Through purchasing items from these and similar brands, we are influencing other, non-ethical brands to take the same action.
Not My Monkey 