How to choose sustainable fitness clothing
Which brands are the most ethical and sustainable? For the answer, see our Activewear Ethical Comparison Table to compare brands’ ethical scores.
Why is it important to buy ethical activewear?
Staying fit and healthy through exercise is an important goal for many of us. Whether our chosen activity is running, cycling or hitting the gym, most of us will need to purchase new activewear at some stage. But how do we ensure that our fitness clothing is ethical and sustainable? This guide, alongside our Activewear Ethical Comparison Table, will show you how to do just that.
The use of unsustainable materials in activewear
The clothing we wear when working out serves a different function than ordinary fashion products – it must be stretchy, breathable and resistant to sweat. Hence, activewear is typically made with synthetic materials that suit this purpose, such as nylon, spandex and polyester.
Unfortunately, these materials are generally considered to be unsustainable. The production process is energy-intensive and often requires significant amounts of water and harsh chemicals. Synthetic fibres, such as those used in fitness clothing, are also not biodegradable and contribute to microplastic pollution when they inevitably end up in landfill.
It is therefore important to opt for activewear made with more sustainable options. BAM products are made with bamboo fibres, which are not only biodegradable, but also require significantly less water and energy to produce. Other Activewear brands are moving towards recycled materials as an alternative. For instance, Gymshark has set a goal to ensure that 100% of its polyester comes from recycled sources by 2025.
Fitness clothing and human rights
The Activewear sector comes with the same human rights concerns as the rest of the Fashion industry, which you can read more about here. Sourcing cheap labour from developing countries means that garment workers making your fitness clothing may be subjected to low wages and poor working conditions. In more extreme cases, activewear brands have been found using forced or child labour to manufacture their products.
To avoid contributing to these issues when purchasing new fitness clothing, we recommend choosing brands which show a clear commitment to ethical labour practices. Brands can demonstrate this through signing up to initiatives such as the Fair Labor Association or Ethical Trading Initiative. You can also look for brands which are transparent about where they source their ingredients and which factories they use to manufacture their clothing.
However, the best and easiest way to check is by seeing which brands receive a top rating (tick) in the Human Rights category in our Activewear ratings. A top rating in this category indicates that our research did not find any human rights abuses within a brand’s supply chain.
Our latest research on the most and least ethical activewear brands
The Good Shopping Guide’s brand-new research into the activewear sector reveals the scores out of 100 for many leading brands. This can help you decide which ethical and sustainable brands to choose from, as well as which brands should be avoided.
The worst offenders
The three lowest-scoring brands were Reebok, Nike and Sweaty Betty. Reebok received a low rating in almost every category, including Environmental Report, Animal Welfare, Political Donations, Human Rights and Other Criticisms. Reebok’s poor rating is primarily a result of its ownership by BlackRock, an investment company known for its involvement in unethical activities such as deforestation, fossil fuel expansion and human rights abuses.
Sweaty Betty, owned by Wolverine World Wide, received a bottom rating in the Other Criticisms category for its poor environmental practices. For instance, Wolverine World Wide was sued in the U.S. state of Michigan for allegedly contaminating drinking water with chemicals that may increase the risk of cancer and agreed to pay $54 million to settle the case.
Nike is well-known for its human rights issues. The company receives a bottom rating for both Human Rights and Human Rights+, which indicates that it has been linked to more than 5 serious cases of human rights abuse, either directly or through its supply chain. This includes issues relating to unpaid or illegally low wages, gender discrimination, forced labour, poor working conditions and more.
Given the importance of workers’ rights within the activewear sector (and the Fashion industry as a whole), we were disappointed to find that only 59% of brands have published a clear Supplier Code of Conduct. Supplier Codes of Conduct set out expectations for the ethical treatment of workers in a company’s supply chains, based on widely approved standards set by the International Labor Organization. You can see which companies received a top rating in the Code of Conduct category by looking at the Activewear Ethical Comparison Table.
Ethical activewear brands: progress towards a more sustainable fitness industry
On the bright side, many ethical activewear brands received impressive scores within the research. PLAINANDSIMPLE and HACOY are at the very top of our table thanks to their exemplary business practices and Ethical Accreditation. We encourage other Activewear brands to follow these brands’ example and adopt more ethical policies before applying for Ethical Accreditation to verify their status as ethical brands. Other green brands include BAM, TALA and Gymshark.
We hope this article has shown you how you can help minimise your ethical impact by purchasing sustainable fitness clothing from ethical brands. Another option which you may want to consider is a more minimalist approach – only purchase activewear if you really need it! One of the best ways to be an ethical consumer is to consume less overall.
However, if you do need new fitness clothes, purchasing from the top-rated brands in our Activewear Table is your best bet!
The Good Shopping Guide has researched some of the world’s most popular activewear brands. Click on any brand name for a full breakdown of its score, as well as our own analysis.
PLAINANDSIMPLE, HACOY, BAM, TALA, Gym King, Gymshark, Patagonia, Aybl, Lazuli Label, Organic Basics, Alphalete, CRZ YOGA, Myprotein, Oner Active, Women’s Best, Puma, New Balance, lululemon, Umbro, Under Armour, Adidas, Sweaty Betty, Nike, Dare 2b, USA Pro, Vuori and Reebok.
Why is it important to choose ethical activewear?
Activewear production carries significant environmental and human rights costs that are often overlooked. Synthetic materials used in fitness clothing are energy-intensive to produce, release harmful microplastics, and contribute to landfill waste. Meanwhile, garment workers across global supply chains frequently face poor pay and conditions. Selecting brands with strong ethical credentials helps ensure your purchasing choices support both environmental sustainability and fair treatment of people.
What makes conventional activewear environmentally harmful?
Most fitness clothing relies on synthetic fibres such as polyester, nylon, and spandex — materials that demand significant energy and water to manufacture. These fabrics shed microplastics when washed and do not biodegrade when discarded. Brands are increasingly responding by introducing more sustainable alternatives, including bamboo-based fibres and recycled polyester, which carry a considerably lighter environmental footprint than conventional synthetic activewear.
Are workers in the activewear industry fairly treated?
Not consistently. The activewear sector shares the broader fashion industry’s track record of poor labour conditions, including low wages, inadequate safety standards, and in some instances, child or forced labour. Ethical brands address these concerns by publishing transparent Supplier Codes of Conduct and engaging with recognised schemes such as the Fair Labor Association or the Ethical Trading Initiative to uphold workers’ rights.
Which activewear brands have the lowest ethical ratings?
Based on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s research, Reebok, Nike, and Sweaty Betty received the lowest ethical scores. Reebok’s rating is significantly affected by its parent company BlackRock’s involvement in environmentally harmful activities. Nike has been linked to numerous serious human rights abuses, while Sweaty Betty’s parent company, Wolverine World Wide, has faced legal proceedings over environmental contamination of local drinking water.
Which activewear brands are the most ethical?
PLAINANDSIMPLE and HACOY lead The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table, achieving top marks across all assessed categories and earning Ethical Accreditation in recognition of their exemplary practices. Other high-performing brands include BAM, which uses sustainable bamboo-based materials, alongside TALA and Gymshark, both of which have made meaningful strides toward more responsible environmental and labour practices within the activewear sector.
How can I reduce my ethical impact when buying activewear?
The most reliable approach is to consult The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table, which rates leading brands across environmental, human rights, and animal welfare criteria. Prioritising brands that hold Ethical Accreditation or score above the benchmark ensures purchases align with responsible values. Where possible, reducing overall consumption by only buying what is genuinely needed remains one of the most impactful choices a consumer can make.
Is HACOY an ethical activewear brand?
HACOY sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table, performing strongly across all assessed categories, including Environmental Report, Animal Welfare, Human Rights, and Code of Conduct. HACOY holds Ethical Accreditation from The GOOD Shopping Guide, reflecting a verified commitment to ethical and sustainable business practices. The brand has also earned Ethical Innovator Status and features on the Top 200 Ethical Businesses list.
Is PLAINANDSIMPLE an ethical activewear brand?
PLAINANDSIMPLE sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table, achieving top marks across every assessed category, including Environmental Report, Human Rights, Animal Welfare, and Code of Conduct. Its Ethical Accreditation reflects a verified dedication to ethical and sustainable business practices, and the brand has further earned Ethical Innovator Status alongside a place on the Top 200 Ethical Businesses list.
Is BAM an ethical activewear brand?
BAM sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Environmental Report, Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare, Human Rights, and Code of Conduct, although falls short in its Organic rating. Were BAM to apply for Ethical Accreditation, this could serve to further demonstrate its commitment to ethical and sustainable business practices.
Is TALA an ethical activewear brand?
TALA sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas including Organic, Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare, Human Rights, and Political Donations, although falls short in its Environmental Report and Code of Conduct ratings. Should TALA choose to apply for Ethical Accreditation, this would further affirm its commitment to ethical and sustainable business practices.
Is Gymshark an ethical activewear brand?
Gymshark sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas including Environmental Report, Better Cotton Initiative, Fossil Fuels, Human Rights, and Ethical Trading Schemes, although falls short in its Organic rating and receives a middling mark for Other Criticisms. Pursuing Ethical Accreditation could give Gymshark an opportunity to further demonstrate its commitment to responsible business practices.
Is Aybl an ethical activewear brand?
Aybl sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare, Human Rights, and Political Donations, although falls short in its Environmental Report, Organic, and Code of Conduct ratings. If Aybl were to apply for Ethical Accreditation, this could further demonstrate its commitment to ethical and sustainable business practices.
Is Dare 2b an ethical activewear brand?
Dare 2b sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas including Environmental Report, Fossil Fuels, and Human Rights, though falls short in its Organic and Political Donations ratings, with mixed marks for Animal Welfare and Code of Conduct. Applying for Ethical Accreditation could provide Dare 2b with an opportunity to further affirm its commitment to responsible business practices.
Is Gym King an ethical activewear brand?
Gym King sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare, Human Rights, and Political Donations, though falls short in its Environmental Report, Organic, and Code of Conduct ratings. Applying for Ethical Accreditation would offer Gym King an opportunity to further demonstrate its commitment to ethical and sustainable business practices.
Is Lazuli Label an ethical activewear brand?
Lazuli Label sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare, Human Rights, and Political Donations, though falls short in its Environmental Report, Organic, and Code of Conduct ratings. Were Lazuli Label to pursue Ethical Accreditation, this could serve to further demonstrate its commitment to responsible and sustainable business practices.
Is Patagonia Activewear an ethical activewear brand?
Patagonia meets the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Environmental Report, Organic, Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare, and Ethical Trading Schemes, though falls short in Better Cotton Initiative, Political Donations, and Human Rights. Were Patagonia to apply for Ethical Accreditation, this could help further substantiate its widely recognised commitment to sustainable and ethical business practices.
Is Myprotein an ethical activewear brand?
Myprotein sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Environmental Report, Fossil Fuels, and Animal Welfare, although falls short in Better Cotton Initiative, Code of Conduct, and Ethical Trading Schemes. Consumers seeking activewear brands that do meet the ethical benchmark can find suitable alternatives by consulting The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is Puma an ethical activewear brand?
Puma sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Environmental Report, Better Cotton Initiative, Fossil Fuels, and Code of Conduct, although falls short in its Organic, Animal Welfare, and Human Rights ratings. Those seeking activewear brands that do meet the ethical benchmark can find alternatives by consulting The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is Organic Basics an ethical activewear brand?
Organic Basics sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Environmental Report and Organic materials, though falls short in Better Cotton Initiative and Ethical Trading Schemes, with mixed marks for Code of Conduct and Human Rights. Consumers seeking higher-rated alternatives can find brands that do meet the ethical benchmark in The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is Vuori an ethical activewear brand?
Vuori sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Fossil Fuels, Code of Conduct, Human Rights, and Political Donations, though falls short in Environmental Report, Organic, Better Cotton Initiative, and Ethical Trading Schemes. Those looking for activewear brands that do reach the ethical benchmark can find them within The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is Alphalete an ethical activewear brand?
Alphalete sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare, and Human Rights, although falls short in Environmental Report, Organic, Better Cotton Initiative, Code of Conduct, and Ethical Trading Schemes. Consumers seeking more responsible alternatives can find brands that meet the benchmark within The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is CRZ Yoga an ethical activewear brand?
CRZ YOGA sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare, and Political Donations, although falls short in Environmental Report, Organic, Better Cotton Initiative, Code of Conduct, and Ethical Trading Schemes. Those looking for activewear brands that do meet the ethical benchmark can find them in The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is Oner Active an ethical activewear brand?
Oner Active sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare, Human Rights, and Political Donations, although falls short in Environmental Report, Organic, Better Cotton Initiative, and Ethical Trading Schemes. Consumers seeking activewear brands that do meet the ethical benchmark can find suitable alternatives in The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is Women’s Best an ethical activewear brand?
Women’s Best sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare, Human Rights, and Political Donations, although falls short in Environmental Report, Organic, Better Cotton Initiative, and Ethical Trading Schemes. Those seeking activewear brands that do meet the ethical benchmark can find them in The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is Umbro an ethical activewear brand?
Umbro sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Fossil Fuels, Human Rights, and Code of Conduct, although falls short in Environmental Report, Organic, Animal Welfare, Better Cotton Initiative, and Ethical Trading Schemes. Consumers seeking activewear brands that do meet the ethical benchmark can find alternatives within The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is New Balance an ethical activewear brand?
New Balance sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Environmental Report, Better Cotton Initiative, and Fossil Fuels, although falls short in Animal Welfare, Political Donations, Human Rights, and Other Criticisms. Consumers seeking activewear brands that do reach the ethical benchmark can find suitable alternatives in The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is Adidas an ethical activewear brand?
Adidas sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Environmental Report, Better Cotton Initiative, and Fossil Fuels, though falls short in Organic, Animal Welfare, Political Donations, Human Rights, and Other Criticisms. Those seeking activewear brands that do meet the ethical benchmark can find more responsible alternatives within The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is Lululemon an ethical activewear brand?
Lululemon sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Environmental Report and Fossil Fuels, though falls short in Organic, Better Cotton Initiative, Animal Welfare, Political Donations, Human Rights, and Other Criticisms. Consumers looking for activewear brands that do meet the ethical benchmark can find them by consulting The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is Under Armour an ethical activewear brand?
Under Armour sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Environmental Report, Fossil Fuels, and Code of Conduct, though falls short in Organic, Better Cotton Initiative, Political Donations, Human Rights, and Other Criticisms. Those seeking activewear brands that do reach the ethical benchmark can find suitable alternatives in The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is Nike an ethical activewear brand?
Nike sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Environmental Report, Better Cotton Initiative, and Fossil Fuels, though falls short in Organic, Animal Welfare, Political Donations, Human Rights, and Other Criticisms. Consumers looking for activewear brands that do meet the ethical benchmark can find more responsible alternatives in The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is Sweaty Betty an ethical activewear brand?
Sweaty Betty sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs well in areas such as Environmental Report and Fossil Fuels, though falls short in Organic, Better Cotton Initiative, Ethical Trading Schemes, Human Rights, and Other Criticisms. Those wishing to find activewear brands that do meet the ethical benchmark can do so via The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is USA Pro an ethical activewear brand?
USA Pro sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. It performs reasonably well in areas such as Better Cotton Initiative, Fossil Fuels, and Political Donations, though falls short in Environmental Report, Organic, Code of Conduct, Ethical Trading Schemes, Human Rights, and Other Criticisms. Consumers seeking activewear brands that do meet the ethical benchmark can find them in The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
Is Reebok an ethical activewear brand?
Reebok sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table. The brand falls short across almost all assessed areas, including Environmental Report, Animal Welfare, Human Rights, Political Donations, and Other Criticisms, with only its Armaments rating providing a positive mark. Those wishing to support more ethical activewear brands can find alternatives that do meet the benchmark within The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Activewear Ethical Ratings Table.
How does The GOOD Shopping Guide's Ethical Accreditation complement other accreditations?
The GOOD Shopping Guide doesn’t replace existing certifications, it ensures your ethical credentials are clearly recognised so they are trusted by consumers. By appearing in our comparison tables, your brand reaches an audience that is actively seeking genuinely ethical options, while also being referenced by Google and AI search tools to enhance credibility and discoverability.
How is The GOOD Shopping Guide's Ethical Accreditation different from other accreditations?
Unlike many accreditations that focus mainly on compliance or internal audits, The GOOD Shopping Guide provides scored, research-led assessments across environment, people and animals. Our tables are consumer-facing and freely accessible, making it easy for shoppers and AI tools to compare brands based on verified performance, not just promises.
How does The GOOD Shopping Guide choose who is eligible for accreditation?
The GOOD Shopping Guide audits brands for their ethical impact across a variety of criteria in the human, animal and environment categories. We research the records of brands and their parent companies, and rate them across those criteria. If they are found to be above our benchmark, they are eligible to apply for Ethical Accreditation.
How can I apply for Ethical Accreditation?
You can apply for Ethical Accreditation if your brand is assessed as above our benchmark. Click on this link to fill out our online form, and our researchers will assess your brand’s viability for Ethical Accreditation.