I’m not a huge exercise junky, so ethically made workout clothing was never something that was high on my list when I made the switch to fair trade and ethically made fashion. I honestly didn’t think about it at all until my sweet sister gifted me these high-rise leggings from Girlfriend Collective.
The leggings are made from recycled water bottles and spandex in a SA8000 certified factory in Vietnam. Workers are provided fair wages and a safe and happy workplace. I love that the materials are eco-friendly and that the labor is people-friendly!
To be honest, I wasn’t sure how I’d like these at first because I had never tried high-waisted leggings before. They also have high compression, which is supposed to aid in muscle recovery, but it was a tight feeling that I wasn’t used to.
The verdict? I LOVE them. It actually makes a lot of sense to have your waistband hitting at your actual waist, because that’s where you bend from. These leggings really move with me when I’m doing yoga. Another slightly weird thing that I love about them? Dog hair doesn’t stick to them! Let’s be real, that’s a MAJOR win in my house.
The only complaint I have is that my deodorant sticks to the pants when I’m doing yoga poses that bring my armpits to my knees or thighs, leaving white smears on the pants. All in all, I think the positives definitely outweigh this one negative, which could also be the fault of my deodorant and not so much the pants.
Looking for other ethically-produced athletic apparel to try? I recommend checking out:
- Albion Fit (I haven’t actually tried this brand yet but have been hard core crushing on their swimsuits).
- PACT (I have some of their socks and underwear and really like them! Use this link for 20% off your first purchase.)
- Patagonia
- Prana
- Threads 4 Thought (never tried their athletic apparel but have several other pieces from them that I love.)
xoxo Laura
P.S. – I was not compensated for this post in any way. All opinions are my own! This post does contain referral links, which means that if you click on a link and purchase a product, I may receive compensation.
I’ve not heard of this brand, but I need to check them out. I love PACT though. I’m actually wearing PACT leggings today!
That’s awesome!! I haven’t tried PACT’s leggings before, but that may be where I go for my next pair!
I remember seeing Girlfriend Collective all over Facebook when they first came out! With the price though, I was waiting to see what others thought of them. I’m glad to know such environmentally and ethically fair leggings exist!
Wait wait wait…they’re ethically made and dog hair doesn’t stick to them?! What is this magic?! Seriously though, trying to find ethically made workout clothes is a royal PITA. I like to purchase Patagonia and Prana, and there are a couple other companies that have lines that are made in USA or made out of recycled/sustainable materials, or have living wage, etc. but those options are still limited. I’ll have to check out this Girlfriend Collective 🙂
Oh wow.. I need these in my life right now. I am definitely going to check out this brand!