If you’ve read my previous posts, you’re aware that I’m on a mission to cut down my family’s exposure to micro-plastics. I’ve already upgraded our bedding and pajamas to ones made from organic cotton. Another change I’ve recently made is to my athletic wear. If you’re like me and regularly workout, it’s important that you are not breaking a sweat in synthetic material that will leak plastics into your system. Each time you move in your tight fitted sports bra or leggings you may be exposing yourself to toxins which could wreak havoc on your health. This summer, I made the change to athletic wear made of organic cotton and I’m so glad I did. I can strongly recommend two brands: MATE the Label and Pact. There are some things to consider when choosing items from each brand, which I’ve detailed below. I also found some products via Amazon that are extremely inexpensive, but are of great quality. Read on to learn all about them:

MATE the Label

What I bought: Three sports bras, one pair of biker shorts and one pair of full length leggings (no pockets)

Cost: Expensive, but I waited for a sale to save some money

MATE the label is the non-toxic equivalent of Lululemon. The clothes are stylish, extremely form fitting and make you look great, but they are highly priced (the bra’s I bought are listed at $58 each, the leggings are listed at $98). I have owned two pairs of Lululemon leggings and while they looked great, I never felt comfortable working out in them. This is not the case with the products I received from MATE the Label. Their clothes move with you and are breathable (Hello? They’re 92% organic cotton!). I also happen to love the neutral colors they come in and the fact that the dyes they use are non-toxic (they avoid 31 chemicals and 49 dye substances when producing their clothes) and therefore have a higher absorption rate, which means they use less water to color them as well.

The sports bras are supportive, which was surprising to me, since they are mostly organic cotton (The other 8% is elastane) and the leggings (also 92% organic cotton, 8% elastane) hold their shape even through the most intense workouts. Moreover, I am 5’11” and the leggings are long enough for me. The website states the inseam is 27 inches. Even on my long legs they hit slightly above my ankle in a spot that doesn’t look like I shrunk them in the wash. On that note, be sure to wash these items in cold water only and air dry them, as cotton does (and will) shrink!

Their biker shorts do seem to be cut a bit small, but I have to say the customer service is impeccable-I received a full refund for them after reaching out to MATE regarding this concern and I was allowed to keep the item!

Lastly, MATE ships its items in recycled paper packages.

Pact

What I bought: Three pairs of leggings

Cost: Affordable and I bought them during a sale, so I saved money

Pact is another brand which offers athletic wear made from organic cotton and it’s a lot more reasonably priced (full length, no pocket leggings are listed at $48, full-length pocketed leggings are listed at $58). That being said, while I do love what I bought, it’s ever so slightly less fabulous looking than the items I bought from MATE the Label. The crotch lays ever-so-slightly less perfectly and they are 1/2 in shorter in length (26.5 inches). However, it wasn’t enough to make me return anything. I am extremely happy with their products.

From Pact, I opted for one pair of full length pocketed leggings and two pairs of full length leggings without pockets. They fit fine on my 5’11” frame, but again, I am sure to wash them cold and air dry only! These leggings also move very well with me during workout and are obviously breathable, due to the high cotton count.

Pact also ships items to their customers using paper.

Jockey

What I bought: Two pairs of biker shorts (one with a 5” inseam and one with a 7” inseam)

Cost: Inexpensive

Via Amazon, I bought two mostly (92%) cotton pairs of biker shorts, which are great, but here’s the catch: the materials used for the product change depending on the color you buy! For example, I bought black biker shorts with a 7” inseam which are made from 92% cotton (not organic) and 8% spandex. If I were to choose the gray shorts, the cotton content drops to 55%! Moral of the story: Read the details and choose wisely.

These shorts were only about $14.00 and they look and feel great! I highly recommend them. The rise is high and the inseams are long enough that they don’t ride up when I’m on the bike or weight training.

Hanes

What I bought: Two sets of three cotton bralettes, thin straps

Cost: Inexpensive

Amazon came through again with cotton bralettes from Hanes. A three pack runs just $16.50 and they are made from 95% cotton (not organic) and 5% spandex. I wear these on the days I do yoga or if I’m lounging around the house. Keep in mind, I am a B cup, so those who are a bit more “blessed in the chest” might not find these as supportive, but for my frame, they get five stars! They come in a great variety of colors and are so comfortable. I mistakenly put one of the bras in the dryer and while it did shrink a bit, it stretched back out while still being supportive in no time. I’m impressed!

One last note:

Before you trash all of your old workout clothes, be sure to check the labels. While most of what I owned had to go, I did realize that just by chance I purchased two fitted, stretchy tanks from Athleta years ago, which happen to be made of 85% organic cotton. I also came across two pairs of Proyog yoga shorts which are also 95% organic cotton. What a nice surprise!

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