Guide to Activewear Fabrics

According to the World Economic Forum, fashion production makes up 10 percent of global greenhouse emissions. Buying new clothes that are more sustainable isn’t the first answer to combat this. Instead, the focus can be on repairing old clothes and buying used. That being said, sometimes you need new gear.

Unfortunately fabrics that are used for activewear tend to be particularly damaging to the environment. The fabrics that give your yoga pants their stretch or your rain jacket its water resistance are made from synthetic plastics, that are damaging to the environment. For example, in 2015 polyester production released about 1.5 trillion pounds of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These fabrics also take up to 200 years to decompose.

Here’s a guide to what’s in your gear — the bad and the better:

There are also several certifications that can help guide you towards more sustainable options.