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Yoga might look relaxing from the outside, but as you know, you’re going to need clothes that support you through a wide range of movement and stay breathable to keep you cool on hot days.
However, much of the yoga clothing market is made up of brands using cheap and unsustainable materials like polyester, or using materials like cotton that waste huge amounts of water in the production process.
How To Choose Sustainable Yoga Clothing?
There are a few factors to consider when choosing sustainable yoga wear. Firstly it’s important to choose clothes that you feel comfortable and confident in.
Secondly, looking for brands using sustainable materials and ethical production is essential. Luckily for us, some great brands out there create yoga wear that flows and moves with your body during your practice. The best part is they’re making them using a range of eco-friendly materials and responsible manufacturing.
We’ve included a handy checklist below of some key things to look for when choosing eco-friendly yoga clothing.
- Ensure the fabric doesn’t restrict your movement.
- Choose eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton, bamboo, or recycled polyester.
- Check a brand has transparent supply chain practices, such as fair labor and environmentally conscious production processes.
- Check what certifications a brand has. For example, brands with certifications like GRS, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), or Bluesign are demonstrating their commitment to sustainable production.
- Look for durable construction and timeless designs to reduce waste.
- Check if a brand has recycling or upcycling programs for old clothes.
Luckily, it’s not all bad news. Today, there’s a variety of yoga brands creating sustainable leggings, shorts, tops, and more, all using eco-friendly materials without compromising on support or breathability.
Looking for a new mat? Make sure to check out our eco-friendly yoga mat picks here.
Let’s take a look at our brand picks.
Our Top Sustainable Yoga Clothing Picks
1. Girlfriend Collective
At a glance: Breathable and sweat-wicking sustainable yoga leggings, tops, sports bras
Sustainability: Recycled and eco-friendly materials, SA8000 certified factory with ethical worker treatment
Price range: $$
Best for: Inclusive sizing and high-performance
Girlfriend Collective is a sustainable brand making a range of activewear, swimwear, and loungewear.
They have a selection of sustainable yoga clothes, including leggings, tanks, shorts, as well as a range of sports bras and supportive underwear.
Girlfriend uses various sustainable materials, including recycled plastic bottles (RPET), recycled fishing nets, cupro, and more. The brand is transparent about their supply chain and the rigorous certifications their suppliers need to adhere to in terms of social and environmental standards.
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2. Wolven
At a glance: Stylish and fun yoga clothes made from recycled plastic bottles
Sustainability: Removes one pound of trash from the ocean for every purchase.
Pricing: $$$
Best for: Stylish and unique designs so you look the part
Wolven makes high-quality and eco-friendly yoga leggings, tops, and sports bras from plastic bottles. Each pair of leggings contains 27 plastic bottles, blended with spandex to ensure they’re soft, supportive, and moisture-wicking.
The leggings have a thick, durable feel, but don’t compromise on breathability. They also have pockets to keep your phone in when you’re on the go.
We love what Wolven are doing. First of all, whatever you buy from Wolven is completely carbon-neutral, as they offset their emissions. The brand partners with Cancel Plastic to collect a pound of waste from the ocean for every purchase, and, they donate 1% of profits to environmental causes.
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3. prAna
At a glance: Yoga gear designed for performance and made using sustainable materials.
Sustainability: Fair Trade Certified factories, recycled materials, circular manufacturing process
Pricing: $$ – $$$
Best for: Trusted, reliable range of yoga clothes
prAna’s yoga gear is functional, supportive, and high-quality. Whether you’re going to a yoga class, climbing, or a long hike, their clothes are up to the task, and the high-rise cut looks modern and smart.
prAna have you covered for leggings, relaxed pants, sorts, tops and sports bras. The leggings pictured have a perfect blend of compression and breathability, and, they have pockets. The materials is also UPF 50+, so you’re not going to get a sunburn through them.
In terms of sustainability, prAna have been pushing the boundaries since the brand was founded in 1992.
Their yoga wear is made from recycled polyester blends, and the fabric is bluesign certified. prAna’s supply chain is free of harmful viscose fibers and rayon, and all materials they use wood or celluslose in come from FSC certified and responsibly managed forests.
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4. tentree
At a glance: High-quality activewear
Sustainability: 10 trees planted for every purchase, turn post-consumer waste into clothes, water, CO2, and waste saving production processes
Pricing: $$
Best for: Direct environmental impact from every purchase
tentree is a sustainable brand that plants ten trees for every purchase made, and the brand is on track to plant 1 billion trees by 2030.
Their clothes are perfect for your yoga or pilates classes as they’re supportive, close-fitting, and breathable. The leggings pictured have mesh sections on for increased air flow, and a hidden backpocket that can hold your phone, headphones, or any other small items you need with you.
tentree’s yoga wear is made from recycled post-consumer waste, giving it a new lease of life.
They also use technology like adding zinc-additives to the material, which naturally controls and stops odor and bacteria from building up in your yoga wear.
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6. Yoga Democracy
At a glance: Yoga clothing created from recycled plastic bottles and fishing nets
Sustainability: Made in the USA from recycled fabric
Pricing: $$
Best for: Bold prints, flared yoga pants
Yoga Democracy is the original when it comes to comfortable and sustainable yoga clothing. They make a range of leggings, tops, shorts, and sports bras in various fun, unique prints. Plus, as the brand name suggests, every piece is carefully designed for yoga.
What sets Yoga Democracy apart from other brands (along with their unique prints, of course) is that they create all of their activewear ethically in the USA. Keeping the supply chain local allows the brand to reduce its carbon footprint.
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7. Patagonia
At a glance: Leggings, sports bras, and more, from a brand committed to performance
Sustainability: Certified B Corp, Member of 1% For The Planet, Fair Trade Certified, sustainable materials
Pricing: $$$
Best for: Long-lasting gear from a brand dedicated to sportswear
Patagonia is well known for being an ethical brand dedicated to using their business for positive change, particularly around environmental issues. We’ve always been impressed with the quality of their clothing and accessories, so it’s no surprise that they’re a good choice if you’re in need of some new sustainable yoga leggings, shorts, or a sports bra.
The brand takes advantage of materials like recycled polyester to ensure their clothes are kind on the planet, and they’re always making positive changes, such as moving to reduce their use of petroluem-based nylon and introducing recycled spandex.
Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, was one of the co-founders of the 1% For The Planet, and since 1985, Patagonia has continued to donate 1% of sales to environmental causes.
They’ve got you covered for your next yoga or pilates class, no matter how intense it is.
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Wrapping Up: Sustainable Yoga Clothes
We hoped you loved the article. If you have any more recommendations for ethical and sustainable yoga clothes, let us know in the comments below.
If you want to discover more amazing sustainable activewear brands, check out our guide here, or browse our favorite eco-friendly running shoes.
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The Corq Everyday Mat is a durable, high-performance, and sustainable yoga mat made from Portuguese cork and Vietnamese natural tree rubber.
