SUSTAINABLE ACTIVEWEAR AND FOOTWEAR: WHERE TO START?
STEP 1
STEP 1
STEP 1
Use what you already own
STEP 2
STEP 1
STEP 1
Care for your clothing properly
STEP 3
STEP 1
STEP 3
Buy consciously and only when necessary
1. Putting your activewear and footwear to good use
The most sustainable step you can take today is to wear the activewear and footwear you already own. This is the best way to extend the life cycle of your clothes and keep them out of landfills.
Since the majority of activewear is made from polyester, a synthetic fabric made from plastic, throwing away activewear can be very harmful for the environment. If your clothes are worn out, look into repair options through companies like Presca and Patagonia or follow Re-Run for lots of top tips on repairing!
2. Caring for your clothes
There will be times when you can’t buy or wear sustainable clothes, like when you have to wear your squad kit. That’s why it is crucial to know how to care for your items properly. Every time you wash something made of polyester, microfibers are released into local waterways.
So, what can you do to reduce microfiber pollution?
- Do laundry less often - but make sure to let your clothing dry in between training! Drying alone can reduce up to 90% of the bacteria in your clothes.
- Use a Guppyfriend laundry bag. Not only does the bag catch microfibers, but the clothing inside the bag tends to shed up to 85% less than in a normal wash.
- Use a Cora Ball for big loads of laundry. Research suggests that the Cora Ball can remove up to 35% of microfibers from a washing load.
3. Choosing what you buy
No matter how well we look after our clothes, buying new items is sometimes unavoidable. Here’s how to consciously buy sportswear.
First, look out for sustainable fabrics to avoid buying clothing made from polyester.
Next, choose a brand that works for you. Sifting through brands can be overwhelming, but Renoon has made things easy for you.
On the Renoon app, you can take a quiz which guides you through 5 Areas of Impact:
- Environmental Protection - avoiding clothes that have a negative environmental impact
- Human Wellbeing - avoiding brands with bad human rights practices
- Animal Ethics - avoiding brands which harm animals
- Innovation & Technology - investing in new clothing innovation
- Modern Consumption - options to buy second hand or rent clothes
Through the quiz you can find out what your main values are and get matched with hundreds of brands that believe and act upon those values. Renoon also lets you review brands and their products, helping spread the word about sustainable kit that you love.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Learn More
Take Action
Green Runners is a great Instagram community of athletes taking steps to cut their footprints - including around clothing.
Or check out the #Clothes4Good campaign, which provides resources athletes can share on their own social media.