Home → Blog → Resources → A Guide to Sustainable Sportswear – Eco-Friendly Activewear
Over the past decade, activewear brands have looked to enhance product performance while also taking steps towards improved sustainability. Striking the right balance can be challenging. Fortunately, a new generation of additive textile technologies is enabling activewear brands to create sustainable sportswear products and tackle both problems.
As our understanding of textiles’ environmental impact has improved, brands and consumers have begun to place a greater emphasis on sustainable products. Whether it’s using organic cotton or making products more durable, activewear manufacturers are constantly seeking new ways to reduce their environmental footprint, appeal to eco-aware consumers, and meet new regulatory requirements.
At the same time, activewear apparel has become an increasingly common wardrobe staple. Whereas activewear was often only worn during exercise, more and more consumers have adopted it as everyday wear. You’re now just as likely to see moisture-wicking training tops and running leggings in your local supermarket as you are at the gym.
This shift has forced activewear brands to alter their approach. Today, sportswear needs to be more functionally and aesthetically versatile, and capable of performing in diverse contexts and environments. By enhancing textile performance, additive technologies like those in Polygiene’s Freshness portfolio enable brands to develop and manufacture activewear apparel that does exactly that. The result is high-performance clothing that also reflects consumers’ sustainability concerns.
Sustainable sportswear refers to clothing that is primarily designed for higher-intensity activities and is designed, produced, and used in ways that minimize environmental impact. As such, it emphasizes performance, durability, and environmental awareness.
Historically, activewear has been produced in line with the prevailing fast fashion business model, focusing on low-cost, short-life consumables. Sustainable gym and activewear moves away from this model and prioritizes responsible production practices, high-quality materials, and longer product lifespan.
Ultimately, sustainable sportswear aims to minimize products’ environmental impact while still delivering the functionality and performance required by athletes and necessary for active lifestyles. This includes qualities like breathability, comfort, moisture management, and flexibility. Of course, aesthetics also remain a core concern.
When it comes to activewear, improved sustainability requires manufacturers to consider several factors, including material choice, manufacturing processes, and technology innovation.
Sourcing responsible materials
Material choice has arguably the single biggest impact on a product’s environmental impact. As synthetic fibers are polymers manufactured from non-renewable petrochemicals, making them a form of plastic, many brands are switching to recycled synthetics. Recycled polyester is a fantastic example. Partially made from discarded plastic bottles, it diverts plastic waste away from landfills and also reduces manufacturing energy requirements.
Natural fiber alternatives are also increasingly popular, with bamboo-based fabrics and merino wool being used more frequently in particular. However, with activewear, there is always athletic performance to consider. Consequently, some more sustainable materials, including organic cotton, which tends to absorb moisture, are used less frequently.
Manufacturing processes
Sustainable activewear brands often focus on improving their production processes to reduce water consumption, energy use, and chemical pollution. Dyeing and finishing fabrics traditionally require large quantities of water and chemicals, but newer technologies allow manufacturers to minimise these impacts.
Many brands aim to reduce waste through efficient pattern cutting, recycling textile scraps, and developing circular manufacturing systems in which old garments are repurposed for new ones. Digital technology is also making new approaches to manufacturing possible. For instance, on-demand manufacturing sees businesses produce items to order, reducing waste and allowing brands to refresh their product lines more frequently.
Reduced maintenance requirements
Maintaining clothing also contributes to environmental impact, with frequent washing resulting in greater energy, water, and detergent consumption, as well as more microfiber shedding. This is especially relevant for activewear, as clothing is more likely to get sweaty and dirty and require regular washing. Anything that reduces washing requirements, such as Polygiene odor control technology, will improve product sustainability.
Product durability
Product durability has an enormous impact on its environmental footprint. Fast-fashion business models that emphasize short-life, low-cost, high-volume manufacturing come at considerable environmental cost, and the ongoing transition to longer-lasting products that offer consumers more value for money is a step in the right direction. Polygiene odor control technologies are assisting with this process by reducing products’ exposure to the premature wear and tear associated with machine washing.
For manufacturers, there are several benefits to making sportswear more sustainable:
Sustainable sportswear is a broad term and encompasses a wide range of products and technologies. As such, there are many types of sustainable activewear.
Antibacterial sportswear
Additive antibacterial odor control technologies like Polygiene StayFresh are becoming more common in contemporary activewear. Accumulated during physical activity, sweat and moisture provide bacteria with all the nutrients and conditions required to thrive. In turn, this results in a significant increase in unpleasant bacterial odors in clothing.
Most consumers deal with this by washing their clothes after a single wear. However, this drastically increases water, energy, and detergent consumption while also causing premature wear and tear on fabrics. Antibacterial-treated sportswear is a more sustainable alternative. By preventing bacteria from multiplying, the treatment helps clothing stay fresher for longer and reduces the need for frequent washing. This means consumers use less water and energy, while also decreasing the amount of detergent entering waterways and improving product longevity.
Recycled synthetic sportswear
Synthetic materials have long been favored by manufacturers for their performance benefits and the way they can be engineered to emphasize certain performance characteristics. However, they are more environmentally costly. One way manufacturers are overcoming this challenge is through the use of recycled synthetic fibers.
Recycled fibers retain all the performance benefits of virgin synthetics, including their durability, lightweight feel, and moisture-wicking capabilities. However, they make use of waste materials and require less energy to produce.
Today, both recycled polyester and recycled nylon are popular and important materials for eco-friendly activewear apparel. By reducing reliance on virgin synthetics and attempting to address the growing problem of plastic waste, they represent a significant improvement on traditional synthetics.
Natural and bio-based eco-friendly activewear
Natural and bio-based fibres offer brands another means of improving the sustainability of their sportswear. These materials are derived from renewable sources and can often be produced with lower environmental impact than conventional synthetics. Materials regularly used in activewear include hemp, bamboo-derived textiles, and merino wool. Regenerated cellulose fibres such as lyocell and modal are also becoming increasingly popular due to their softness, breathability, and sustainable production processes.
Currently, merino wool is arguably the best-known and widely used natural fiber for activewear. It benefits from natural temperature-regulating and odor-resistant properties, making it particularly well-suited to outdoor clothing and hiking and camping apparel.
While they may not provide the same elasticity as synthetics, natural fibers deliver excellent performance in most other respects and are constantly being refined and improved.
Zero-waste activewear
With a greater focus on circularity and waste reduction across all manufacturing industries, some sportswear brands are steadily moving towards zero-waste manufacturing. As traditional garment production generates large amounts of textile waste, both during the cutting and sewing process and through the accumulation of surplus unsold stock, a move to minimize waste will have a profound environmental impact.
The zero-waste approach attempts to tackle the problem of textile waste in several ways. Innovative design and production techniques enable designers to employ intelligent pattern layouts that maximize textile use and minimize waste. Advances in manufacturing technology mean seamless and 3D-knit designs are becoming increasingly common, reducing the need for cutting and stitching while enhancing comfort. Finally, on-demand manufacturing approaches eliminate the issue of surplus stock by ensuring products are only manufactured once an order is placed.
Polygiene’s odor control technologies are used by a wide range of activewear brands, including The North Face, Adidas, Arc’teryx, O’Neill, FORLOH, and Montane, among others. While all our odor control solutions work to reduce unpleasant smells in textiles, they do so in different ways. While Polygiene StayFresh tackles bacterial odors and is used in antibacterial sportswear, Polygiene OdorCrunch2.0 attacks odor molecules and is suited to all types of activewear.
Polygiene StayFresh in activewear
Polygiene’s industry-leading antibacterial textile technology inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria. As bacteria are responsible for many of the smells associated with body odor, this dramatically reduces the unpleasant sweat smell we often experience after intense physical exertion.
Polygiene StayFresh utilizes silver chloride as an active ingredient. Found naturally in soil and water and used as a skin-safe antibacterial for centuries, silver chloride prevents bacterial growth in three distinct ways:
By preventing bacterial growth, the technology keeps fabrics smelling fresher for longer, ensuring users can wash their clothes less frequently. This has clear environmental benefits and can extend a product’s expected lifespan.
Polygiene StayFresh is integrated into textiles at the point of manufacture and provides long-lasting, around-the-clock protection. As it’s added during the finishing stage, no additional energy or water is required during the application, minimizing environmental impact.
Polygiene OdorCrunch2.0 in activewear
Polygiene OdorCrunch2.0 is our brand new, next-gen odor capture technology. Designed to significantly reduce odors in apparel and textiles, it works by capturing odorous particles, encasing them, and preventing the release of bad smells. In doing so, it maintains freshness between wash cycles. This elevated odor control enhances wearer comfort and confidence, while also improving product durability by reducing the frequency of machine washing.
Building on the success of the original OdorCrunch solution, Polygiene OdorCrunch2.0 has been optimized for reliable performance when integrated into traditionally challenging fabrics, such as lightweight 100% polyester, along with blended and natural fiber constructions. It includes no heavy metals or PFAs and benefits from easy application and compatibility with standard textile finishing processes, including padding and exhaust application.
Finally, Polygiene OdorCrunch2.0 provides long-lasting odor protection for up to 50 washes, without impacting fabric feel, breathability, or appearance. This ensures it can be integrated into premium products and alongside other textile technologies.
Polygiene technology is already present in many activewear products. For instance, you’ll find our odor control solutions in apparel made by the following brands:
Arc’teryx
One of the world’s most iconic outdoor brands, Arc’teryx leverages Polygiene technologies to keep its premium outdoor apparel smelling and feeling fresh when users are out adventuring. The Arc’teryx Rho LT Thermal Bottoms are a great example.
Bunker Mentality
A popular choice among dedicated golfers, Bunker Mentality boasts an innovative on-demand manufacturing model and incorporates Polygiene StayFresh into its custom fit polo shirts. This includes the excellent Cmax Geo Palm Polo.
O’Neill
One of the world’s most famous surf brands, California-based O’Neill uses Polygiene treatments in several products. As well as enhancing performance for users, this complements O’Neill’s commitment to ocean conservation and sustainability. O’Neill’s UPF 50+ Women’s T-Shirt uses Polygiene StayFresh.
If you are interested in enhancing your products with Polygiene technology, our experienced team is always on hand to discuss our solutions. Get in touch today to discuss our odor control solutions, how we assist with integrating Polygiene tech into manufacturing processes, and the ongoing marketing support we provide all customers. Take your sustainable sportswear to the next level.
Learn more about Polygiene StayFresh and Polygiene OdorCrunch2.0.
Check out our dedicated Sports and Outdoor page.
