A Run in My Athletic Gear + Ethical Gifts for Your Favorite Athlete

I am currently nose-deep in shopping land, but I knew I needed to hop on here and talk about my newest ethical finds – athletic gear. I’ve been eyeing these shoes and leggings for the longest time and I finally decided to bite the bullet after I joined Orangetheory. I’m trying to up my fitness level and that requires some cute gear… or at least I think it should.

Both Girlfriend Collective and Allbirds have been on my radar for about a year. Each company manufactures their products out of sustainable materials that are cute on you without negatively effecting our environment – talk about a win-win.

Allbirds’ Tree Runners

What are they made of? Besides joy and happiness, these shoes are made out of eucalyptus tree fiber, post-consumer recycled polyester, and bio-based TPU. Put this all together and it makes a shoe that is both breathable and durable. My favorite part about the shoe is that you can actually wash them in your machine (just remove the insole). I expected the eucalyptus fiber to make the shoe a little bit tough but it is very soft and bendable.

How do they feel? I’m not even being dramatic when I say these shoes are the comfiest things I’ve ever put on. I ran through the Dusseldorf airport and even slept in them on the plane. They’re even comfy enough to wear without socks! Bottom line, Allbirds was not kidding when they said they were going to make the comfiest shoe on earth.

What is something fun about the company? The boxes they come in have adorable drawings that explain why they decided to manufacture shoes out of sustainable materials. They also create these amazing videos on how their shoes are made. Definitely worth a wash! (Also, I received the most questions on Instagram about these shoes so you’ll definitely get a million compliments).

Shop here.

Girlfriend Collective High Rise Leggings

What are they made of? The particular ones I’m wearing are made out of 79% RPET (recycled water bottle plastic) and 21% spandex. For every legging made they use 25 water bottles, prevent 18.61 pounds of CO2 from being released into the air, and save 3.11 gallons of water. The LITE leggings are made out of their  ECONYL® fiber which uses 83% recycled nylon, 17% spandex.

How do they feel? I’m not going to lie, I had my doubts before I received them in the mail. I’m a huge fan of Lulu Lemon and thought nothing could compare to their silky leggings. Boy, was I W-R-O-N-G! These leggings are not only just as silky but they’re also incredibly high waisted and super comfy. I’m already eyeing a few new colors!

What is something fun about the company? They use real sized women in all of their website and social media photos. They also list everything you need to know about their company from how they recycle water bottles to where they manufacture.

Shop here. 

Since it is the shopping season, I figured I’d list a few incredibly companies for athletic clothes and shoes:

Athleta.

I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that Athleta is ranked so highly on Good on You. They are a B Corp which means they meet high standards of social and environmental responsibility, transparency, and accountability. They also recently came out with their “Empower Bra” which aids women who are going through breast cancer recovery. Shout out to them for empowering women!

Girlfriend Collective

I’m officially obsessed with these leggings. They’re soft, silky, and cheaper than my normal Lulu Lemons (note: Lulu Lemon is making strides to being a more sustainable company but they still have a few more steps in the process. Check out Good on You for more information).

Pact

If you’re looking for organic cotton clothes you came to the right place. Pact makes incredible pieces that are made out of organic cotton.

Brooks

My mom swears by Brooks and luckily they’ve not only come out with some pretty cute styles but they also produce shoes ethically. Since my current shoes are currently in shambles, I’ve been eyeing a few pairs. (I’ve had my Nike Free Runs since freshman year of college and they’re literally falling to shreds. Nike: Not sustainable or ethical). Right now I’m between this pair and this pair.

Adidas

Whether it is soccer shoes or sweatpants, Adidas has it all. Just like the Brooks, I’ve been eyeing a few different pairs. If you have any shoe recommendations, please don’t hesitate to let me know what you think!

Allbirds

These aren’t necessarily workout sneakers but they are great for walking around. If you’re slowly easing yourself into working out again these are a great pair of sneakers. They’re also great if you want to walk around in town.

Some of my top athletic picks: 

[shopr collection=”eco-workout”]

Do you know of any other sustainable athletic wear companies? Have you ever worn Girlfriend Collective or Allbirds? Please let me know in the comments down below! 

As always,

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