When you’re shopping for new training kit, your priorities are likely to be fit, comfort, looks, and ability to handle the task at hand – whether that’s lifting shoes with a stable platform, or a running top that’s breathable and effective at wicking sweat away. In recent years, though, another important factor has emerged: environmental impact. According to research by The Roundup, 87% of the materials and fibres used to make all clothing will end up in incinerators or landfill, while clothing and textiles currently make up at least 7% of the total amount of waste in global landfill space.
Commonly made out of manmade materials like polyester, nylon and Lycra, workout wear is particularly bad during its lifecycle too. Friends of the Earth claims that every time you wash clothing made out of these materials, they shed millions of plastic microfibres into the wastewater, which ultimately end up in rivers and the sea. A 2020 study also found that simply wearing the garments is enough to release the non-biodegrading microplastics, which is why they have been found near the top of Everest, as well as on sea and river beds.