Turn your leggings inside out and check the fabric label.
If polyester or nylon appears first, you’re wearing a garment made predominantly from plastic-based synthetic fibres. Add elastane for stretch, and suddenly the activewear you spend hours sweating, walking and living in looks very different.
Most of us check the ingredients in our skincare, food and household products. But how often do we check the label on the clothing sitting directly against our skin?
The plastic truth
Polyester and nylon are synthetic fibres generally produced from fossil-fuel resources such as oil and natural gas. They’re essentially plastic engineered into fine threads and woven or knitted into fabric.
There’s a reason they’re widely used in activewear. They can be durable, stretchy, lightweight and quick-drying. But they also create that familiar slick, shiny and synthetic feeling many of us have simply accepted as normal.
Many mainstream leggings are made predominantly from polyester or nylon, with elastane added for stretch. The exact composition differs between products, which is why the most powerful thing you can do is check the label for yourself.
Polyester is plastic. Nylon is plastic. Once you see it, it’s difficult to unsee.
Why fabric choice matters against your skin
Activewear sits directly against your body for hours, often while you’re moving, sweating and creating friction.
Not every synthetic fabric performs in the same way. Breathability and moisture management are also affected by the fabric’s knit, thickness, fit and chemical finishes. Some synthetic performance fabrics are specifically engineered to wick moisture and dry quickly.
However, dense synthetic fabrics can also feel slick, clingy and uncomfortable—particularly for people who prefer something softer and more natural-feeling against their skin.
If you have sensitive or easily irritated skin, comfort matters. Fabric isn’t a medical treatment, but choosing something that feels soft, breathable and comfortable can make an enormous difference to how you feel while wearing it.
You shouldn’t have to choose between activewear that performs and activewear that feels incredible against your body.
What about microplastics?
Synthetic textiles can shed tiny plastic fibres during manufacturing, wearing, washing and disposal. These fibres are known as microplastics.
The European Environment Agency estimates that between 200,000 and 500,000 tonnes of microplastics from textiles enter the marine environment globally each year. The amount released varies depending on the fabric, garment construction, age and how it is washed, with significant shedding often occurring during the first few washes. You can read more in the European Environment Agency’s report on plastic in textiles.
Natural fabrics shed fibres too, but fibres shed from polyester, nylon and elastane are plastic-based and can persist in the environment.
This isn’t about throwing away everything you already own. That would create even more waste. It’s about checking labels, caring for the clothing you have and making more informed choices the next time you buy.
The cotton-rich alternative
I created EKO Active because I couldn’t find activewear that felt soft and natural against my skin while still providing the support and performance I needed.
Our signature activewear fabric is:
94.2% cotton
5.8% elastane
EKO Active isn’t completely synthetic-free, and we won’t pretend it is. The small amount of elastane gives our fabric its stretch, shape and recovery. The difference is that cotton, not polyester or nylon, makes up the overwhelming majority of the fabric.
The result is cotton-rich activewear designed to feel soft and breathable against your skin, without that shiny, slippery plastic feel.
Our fabric is also OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified and tested against a comprehensive list of harmful substances. This provides independent testing against established safety limits. You can learn more directly from OEKO-TEX®.
We also use azo-free dyes and produce in smaller, intentional quantities.
Because choosing better materials shouldn’t mean sacrificing style or performance. Your activewear should still be squat-proof, supportive, flattering and capable of keeping up with your life.
It should just feel better while doing it.
Want to understand why we chose cotton? Read our Why Cotton guide to learn how cotton-rich fabric feels, performs and differs from polyester and nylon.
Start checking your labels
You already check what goes on your skin.
Now check what sits on it all day.
SHOP COTTON-RICH ACTIVEWEAR →