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Sweatpants are a closet essential, perfect for lazy days around the house, sweating it out at the gym, catching a red-eye flight, and the days you just need some comfort.
As we move to more conscious clothing consumption, many great brands are creating organic cotton sweatpants ethically and with as little impact on the environment.
If you’re like me, I can’t live without my favorite pair of sweatpants (she says as she’s currently writing this article in sweatpants…guilty). But like many sweatpants on the market, most are created from conventional cotton, which harms the environment or has been mass-produced by fast fashion brands in sweatshops.
In this article, we’ll show you our favorite sustainable brands using natural materials and sustainable fabrics to create cozy sweatpants you won’t want to take off.
What is Organic Cotton?
Organic cotton is a natural fiber grown in a way that replenishes the soil and protects biodiversity. Farmers must meet strict agricultural standards which ensure their cotton is recognized as organic.
Organic cotton must be grown without harmful pesticides or chemicals and with less water.
What’s The Difference Between Cotton and Organic Cotton?
The difference between organic cotton and regular cotton is that organic cotton is grown with less water and without pesticides.
Conventional cotton irrigation uses 44 trillion litres of water every year, whilst Organic Cotton uses up to 91% less. In addition, no harmful chemicals are used to grow organic cotton, instead farmers use natural techniques that replenish the soil and encourage healthy crops, including crop rotation.
Organic cotton is a more eco-friendly alternative to conventional cotton, and results in a 46% reduction in global warming potential, meaning a reduction in CO2 emissions compared to regular cotton.
What Is GOTS?
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a non-profit organization that sets a standard for what classifies a fiber as being called ‘organic.’
The GOTS label can be used as a tool to see that a brand is committed to sourcing its organic cotton sustainably and ethically. If you’d like to read more about GOTS and how brands can become GOTS certified, check out our article here.
The Best Organic Cotton Sweatpants
Ecothes Favorites
Best affordable organic sweatpants – Pact
Best for comfort – Colorful Standard
Best Men’s organic sweatpants – Outerknown
1. Colorful Standard
Materials: 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton sweatpants made with eco-friendly Oeko-Tex® certified dyes.
Price range: $$
Ships to: Worldwide
If you want to bring a splash of color to your closet this season, check out Colorful Standard. The brand creates a colorful collection of eco-friendly essentials. Plus, C.S only uses GOTS-certified organic cotton to create its sweatpants, sweatshirts, and hoodies.
Made with non-toxic Oeko-Tex® certified dyes, you’ll be spoilt for choice regarding what color you want.
I personally own two pairs of Colorful Standard sweatpants and love how soft, cosy, and lightweight they are.
The brand also creates the matching organic cotton sweatshirt and hoodie for a coordinated set.
2. For Days
Materials: Organic cotton and recycled cotton blend
Price range: $$
Ecothes rating: 4/5
Ships to: the US & International
Meet For Days, the closed-loop clothing brand putting a stop to textile waste. For Days creates fully recyclable clothing from recycled and organic materials.
The brand then encourages you to recycle your old For Days clothing when you’re done with them in return for store credit.
The brand creates super soft and chic terry fleece sweatpants and stylish track pants you’ll want to wear both in the house and out.
3. Girlfriend Collective
Materials: Recycled cotton and organic cotton sweatpants
Price range: $
Ecothes Rating: 4.5/5
Ships to: the US & International
Us, along with everyone else, are obsessed with Girlfriend Collective right now. The sustainable activewear brand burst onto the scene and was hailed for its size-inclusive recycled activewear.
But did you know the brand also creates ultra soft organic cotton sweatpants and joggers?
The classic jogger style is made from recycled and organic cotton, is available in thirteen dreamy colors, comes in sizes up to 6XL, oh and they’re 100% biodegradable – what’s not to love?
4. Pact
Materials: GOTS organic cotton sweatpants made in an ethical, fair trade factory
Price range: $-$$
Ecothes Rating: 4.2/5
Ships to: the US & International
Pact is one of our go-to brands for affordable sustainable clothing. Plus, the organic clothing brand creates a great range of sweatpants in a whole range of dreamy colors.
You can find vintage style sweatpants, wide leg sweatpants, joggers, and track pants all made from GOTS certified organic cotton.
5. Pangaia
Materials: 100% organic cotton track pants and sweatpants
Price range: $$
Ships to: Worldwide
Another on-trend sustainable brand to have on your radar is Pangaia. The cool brand creates its sweatpants and track pants from organic cotton and treats it with the brand’s trademark peppermint oil to keep them fresher for longer.
Pangaia sweatpants feature the brand’s classic print, are medium weight, and genderless. The brand also creates a matching t-shirt and hoodie for every color available, and trust us, there’s so many colors available!
6. Allbirds
Materials: French terry sweatpants made from organic Pima Cotton, Tencel, Hemp
Price range: $$
Ships to: Worldwide
If there’s a brand that knows how to do comfort well, its Allbirds.
The sustainable brand famed for its ultra-comfortable sneakers and running shoes also creates a range of eco friendly lounge and activewear. We’ve personally tried their leggings and shirts, and trust us when we say their activewear is buttery soft and ultra-comfortable.
If that’s anything to go by, we’re sure that the Allbirds R&R collection of sustainable sweatpants and sweatshirts will be equally as high quality and super comfortable.
7. Back Beat Co.
Materials: Natural materials including GOTS organic cotton, hemp
Price range: $$
Ships to: the US & International
If you’re looking for a unique take on the classic sweat pant style check out Back Beat Co – the Californian based sustainable clothing brand creating pieces that allow you to express yourself.
The brand is female-led and WOC-owned focusing on creating ethical clothing that shakes up the boring basic style.
The brand creates its loungewear styles from natural fibers, including organic cotton joggers and hemp track pants.
8. Tentree
Materials: Organic cotton and recycled polyester from plastic bottles
Price range: $$
Ecothes rating: 4/5
Ships to: the US & International
Tentree is a sustainable brand inspired by nature. The brand is committed to not only using responsible materials but they believe in giving back to the planet also. Tentree plants 10 trees for every item sold, so far, the brand has planted over 81 million trees.
Tentree’s best selling Bamone sweatpants get thousands of five star reviews, with customers loving how soft, thick, and cozy they are. Some reviews say that the bottoms tend to run large, so make sure you check the fit guide.
9. Outerknown
Materials: Organic cotton, hemp, and recycled polyester
Price range: $$$
Ships to: Worldwide
Founded by award winning surfer Kelly Slater, Outerknown has a total commitment to sustainability. The brand uses responsible and sustainable materials, along with considered production.
Outerknown creates a range of men’s and women’s organic sweatpants, so you can lounge out in style.
10. Able
Materials: Responsibly sourced cotton
Price range: $-$$
Ships to: the US & Canada
Stylish sustainable brand Able creates dreamy womenswear from considered materials. The size-inclusive brand also creates a selection of super soft, cozy sweatpants that get rave reviews from customers.
Not only for lounging, you can dress up Able’s sweatpants with a matching track top and sustainable sneakers for a morning coffee run or walk in the park.
11. Kotn
Materials: Responsibly and ethically sourced Egyptian cotton
Price range: $-$$
Ecothes rating: 4/5
Ships to: Worldwide
Ethical clothing brand Kotn creates stylish minimal basics in on-trend colors. The brand is a certified B corp, meaning it places people and the planet above profits.
Kotn’s cotton sweatpants are ethically made, and affordable, making them the perfect option for anyone looking for affordable ethical loungewear.
12. Harvest & Mill
Materials: 100% organic cotton grown in the USA
Price range: $-$$
Ships to: the US
One of our favorite made in the USA brands, Harvest and Mill, creates dreamy loungewear sets from organic cotton fabric that’s grown and sewn right here in the USA.
The organic clothing brand has 70% less GHG emissions than other sustainable brands thanks to its North American supply chain and eco-friendly practices.
13. Vetta
Materials: Sustainable materials like Organic cotton and Tencel
Price range: $$
Ships to: the US & International
If you’re looking for elevated basics, check out Vetta, another made in the USA brand creating sustainable clothing from eco-friendly materials.
Vetta creates clothing that forms part of a capsule wardrobe, so can be easily dressed up or down, for day to nighttime look transitioning.
We love these organic cotton joggers by Vetta, perfect for forming from home, or layered under a blazer for days in the office.
Sustainable Sweatpants – Alternatives to Organic Cotton
While the following sustainable sweatpants selection isn’t technically made from organic cotton, they’re too good not to include. We’ve only included sustainable brands using eco-friendly materials to create the following sustainable sweatpants.
14. Summersalt
Materials: Tencel
Price range: $$
Ships to: Worldwide
For buttery soft sweatpants you won’t want to leave at home, check out Summersalt, who creates these stylish sweatpants from eco-friendly Tencel – a lightweight fabric with a super soft feel.
Tencel is a material made from wood fibers. It is a breathable material with great moisture-wicking properties – so you won’t actually be sweating in these sweatpants.
Wrapping Up: Organic Cotton Sweatpants
We hope you’ve enjoyed the article, and have found the perfect sweatpants to lounge in. Don’t forget to pair your new sweatpants with an organic cotton hoodie or sweatshirt.
