What Sustainable Fabrics Can Be Used in Sportswear?
Performance-level sportswear has to be top-notch. Athletes can't be tugging on their clothes while competing - they shouldn’t even have to think about them. But what about those eco-conscious customers that want high-performance apparel that minimizes their environmental impact on the planet?
Some of the best fabrics in sportswear are sustainable, including cotton, hemp, recycled wool, man-made cellulosic fibers, recycled or biodegradable polyester, and regenerated nylon. This eco-friendly range of fabrics offers flexible, moisture-wicking, and sustainably sourced alternatives.
Consumer online searches for “sustainable fashion” tripled between 2016-2019 - and wherever the consumer pushes, the industry follows. If you work in any vertical of sportswear or activewear, read on for a better understanding of the state of sustainable fabrics and how they can be used today.
What Is Sustainable Fabric?
Sustainable textiles are made from eco-friendly materials such as animal fibers, organic plant fibers, and recycled materials. In addition to sustainable sourcing, these materials are manufactured with processes designed to have a lower impact on the environment.
To keep up with the rising demand, sportswear and activewear brands have had to innovate rapidly, and in some cases, that's meant incorporating age-old fibers in new ways. In other cases, it's meant heavy investment in research and development.
The output, in either case, has surfaced the seven most sustainable fibers in sportswear, which includes:
Organic Cotton
Organic Hemp
Recycled Wool
Man-made Cellulosic Fibers
Recycled Polyester
Biodegradable Polyester
Regenerated Nylon
7 Best Sustainable Fibers for Sportswear Fabrics
Let's have a closer look at each of these heavy-hitting eco materials. Below, you'll find a description of each fiber, where it's best used in the space, and finally the functional pros and cons.
1. Organic Cotton
Cotton is a versatile fiber that can be found in knit and woven fabrics. Because it absorbs moisture, dries slowly, and loses its shape, cotton might not be everyone’s first choice for sportswear. But if you’re just using it for a mellow yoga class or a quick gym session when sweat is kept to a minimum, a cotton t-shirt is just fine.
National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) field instructors recommend wearing cotton outdoors for a summer rafting trip or a hike in a hot, dry desert. It’s also great for comfortable post-workout athleisure apparel.
Pros of Organic Cotton in Sportswear:
Organic cotton is grown without the use of synthetic chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers, making it a more Earth-friendly fiber option
Cons of Organic Cotton in Sportswear:
Organic cotton has a lower yield compared to non-organic harvesting and farming is more labor-intensive. Both of these factors drive up the cost.
2. Organic Hemp
We’ve already gone down the rabbit hole on the benefits of hemp apparel, but the basic gist is it’s better for the environment than other materials because it requires zero pesticides to grow successfully. Plus, it improves soil conditions and requires less water.
As for its application to apparel, hemp provides antibacterial and antifungal qualities and natural UV protection. It’s also perfect for year-round wear. From workouts to post-effort recovery, organic hemp offers both performance and comfort.
Pros of Hemp in Sportswear:
After several washes, hemp actually becomes softer than cotton. And it also beats cotton by being breathable, moisture-wicking, and thermal-regulating.
Cons of Hemp in Sportswear:
Like other organic materials, hemp can be expensive.
3. Recycled Wool
Virgin wool is a well-known sustainable material, but recycled wool is even better. Reclaimed wool can be processed on a closed-loop system, returning a garment to its raw-fiber state before converting it back to yarn for fabric again. This process reduces CO2 emissions, saves water resources, and prevents chemicals from being released into local ecosystems.
Wool is excellent as a base layer or as a fleecy mid-layer. It’s famous for its warmth and ability to insulate, even when wet. It's naturally antimicrobial, so it can go longer between washes before developing an odor. This makes it a top choice for outdoor enthusiasts, especially those who venture off the beaten path.
A lightweight wool layer is also great in summer due to its ability to wick moisture away from the skin. This allows the wearer to stay cool and dry. It even boasts a UPF rating between 20 and 50, offering protection from the sun’s UV rays.
Pros of Recycled Wool in Sportswear:
Wool is biodegradable, so if a garment does end up in a landfill at end of its life, it will naturally break down. In the right conditions, tests have shown that wool can fully degrade after six months, unlike its petroleum-based counterparts such as polyester and nylon. These materials do not biodegrade and can stick around for hundreds of years.
Cons of Recycled Wool in Sportswear:
The wool recycling process is labor intensive and requires specialized knowledge, which can drive up the price of the final garment.
4. Man-made Cellulosic Fibers
Man-made cellulosic fibers (MMCFs) are derived from wood pulp. Bamboo and eucalyptus are easy to grow in large quantities, so they are commonly used. These fibers are easy to source and they offer special comfort to sportswear when they're applied to TENCEL™ lyocell fabric.
We’ve covered MMCFs extensively, so check out these additional resources:
TENCEL’s REFIBRA™ technology is another promising option for creating eco-friendly sportswear. It upcycles cotton scraps, transforming them into pulp which is then added to wood pulp and transformed into TENCEL lyocell.
Lyocell fabric is excellent for activewear because it offers temperature and moisture control that keeps the wearer cool and dry. It’s a great replacement for cotton fabrics.
Pros of Man-made Cellulosic Fibers in Sportswear:
Lyocell fabric is manufactured on a closed-loop system, meaning chemicals and water used in the process can be captured and reused. Closed-loop systems have reduced environmental impact because they prevent waste and chemicals from impacting local ecosystems.
Cons of Man-made Cellulosic Fibers in Sportswear:
While the natural cellulosic fibers in lyocell are compostable, athletic garments often include other synthetic fibers that are not compostable and also do not biodegrade easily.
5. Recycled Polyester
Polyester is an excellent fabric for sportswear. However, its recycled counterpart is a slightly more eco-friendly choice. REPREVE® is a brand of recycled performance polyester fabric. Check out the Sports Casuals' guide to REPREVE®.
Producing recycled polyester, also called rPet, generates fewer carbon emissions and requires fewer resources compared to virgin polyester. rPet is made from recycled plastic bottles, and it takes 8-9 bottles to make a single t-shirt.
Pros of Recycled Polyester in Sportswear:
Recycled polyester functions identically to virgin polyester.
Cons of Recycled Polyester in Sportswear:
This fabric does release microplastics during washing, and the process of converting plastic bottles into fabric simply delays the inevitability of that plastic ending up in landfills.
6. Biodegradable Polyester
CiCLO® is a sustainable textile technology applied during the yarn-making process for virgin and recycled polyester. It’s designed to help this synthetic fabric biodegrade at the same rate as wool when in landfills, and it also prevents microplastics from ending up in soil and water.
Biodegradable polyester fabric looks, feels, and performs like traditional polyester, but it's designed with biodegradable hotspots to attract microbes. This means when garments made with CiCLO end up in landfills, the fabric is designed to break down rather than exist for hundreds of years (as its untreated counterparts will).
CiCLO is OEKO-TEX ECO PASSPORT certified, meaning it meets the requirements for sustainable production and is not harmful to human health.
Pros of Biodegradable Polyester in Sportswear:
CiCLO maintains the tenacity, piling resistance, and moisture-wicking typical of polyester fabric.
Cons of Biodegradable Polyester in Sportswear:
CiCLO is considered to be biodegradable, but it is not compostable because it is not made from organic material.
7. Regenerated Nylon
Manufacturing virgin nylon is tough on the planet. However, regenerated nylon (also referred to as recycled nylon) is made from synthetic waste like fishing nets and industrial plastic. It has identical properties to virgin nylon and can be recycled, again and again, eliminating the need for new resources.
ECONYL® is a brand that makes fabric from fishing nets, fabric scraps, and industrial plastic waste. Nylon's great for knits and wovens - thanks to the durability of nylon, it's ideal for outerwear and swimwear. And by going with regenerated nylon, you don't lose a single functional attribute of virgin nylon, while gaining the peace of mind you aren't harming the planet nearly as much.
Pros of Regenerated Nylon in Sportswear:
Regenerated nylon in fabrics creates a closed loop that has the potential to divert nylon waste from landfills indefinitely.
Cons of Regenerated Nylon in Sportswear:
Nylon does emit microplastics, so it’s not ideal for machine washing cycles. If you use a laundry bag that’s designed to catch those microfibers, you can reduce the shedding.
Request Certifications of Your Suppliers
It's important to note that not all sourcing of these fibers and fabrics is done in a sustainable method, which can come with serious consequences if you market your apparel otherwise.
Unfortunately, the textile industry (even at the manufacturing level) is notorious for greenwashing - a marketing strategy employed to make an environmentally conscious consumer believe that a product is more natural, green, or sustainable than it actually is.
If you're new to sportswear or activewear or locating a new supplier, always run inspections and ask for certifications.
Certifications to look for when considering sustainable fabrics and products include Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Organic Content Standard (OCS), USDA Organic, Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), and OEKO-TEX’s variety of certifications.
These organizations evaluate chemical usage, ethical sourcing practices, responsible manufacturing processes, and human safety. These standards need to be followed at all stages of the supply chain - from every seed planted in the ground to the last mile of delivery.
Sustainable Fabrics Matter to Consumers, Here's Why:
A lot of sportswear on the market is made from virgin, synthetic materials such as polyester, spandex, and nylon. These fabrics are designed to perform a certain way, which is why they are popular in athletic apparel.
However, as soon as consumers adopted an eco-conscious mentality and behavior, plastics-based apparel quickly lost its appeal. And in turn, brands and suppliers now need to ask themselves the same questions that consumers ask pre-purchase.
1. Does This Fabric Create Waste or Damage Ecosystems?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the main source of textiles in municipal solid waste (MSW) is discarded clothing, with textiles representing 7.7% of all MSW landfilled. This includes natural and synthetic fabrics, as well as petroleum-based fabrics.
2. Does This Fabric Cause Harm to Humans or Animals?
Petroleum-based fabrics generate a significant amount of waste during production. Not only are they harmful to the environment during the manufacturing process, but they also release microplastics into the air, soil, and waterways after manufacturing, causing harm to humans and animals alike.
3. Does This Fabric Affect Anyone's Health and Safety?
The microplastics and chemical byproducts of garment manufacturing can seep into our skin, causing a variety of health problems. An example of this is a watchdog study about BPA in sports bras sold by prominent athletic brands.
BPA, or Bisphenol A, is a toxic chemical found in a variety of everyday products. According to several studies, BPA has been associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease, reproductive disorder, and breast cancer.
Experts recommend changing out sweaty apparel immediately after a workout to reduce health risks associated with petroleum-based fabrics.
Even the chemicals used on natural-fiber fabrics can cause health issues, given treatments or dyeing processes. This underscores the importance of certified organic fabrics; created from healthier and more eco-friendly options.
Picking sustainable fabrics for your apparel collection not only helps the planet but helps your customers, too.
Seven Sustainable Fabrics Are Ready For Your Brand
While sustainable fabrics may seem daunting, all brands in the sportswear and activewear industries should embrace them.
By understanding the benefits of organic cotton, hemp, recycled wool, man-made cellulosic fibers, recycled or biodegradable polyester, and regenerated nylon, you can make decisions about which sustainable fabrics to use in your own business.
And don’t forget – reach out to us if you want help finding the right sustainable fabric supplier or designing for your needs. We are experts in this field, and offer end-to-end services for the entire supply chain.