15 Sustainable Leggings to Adore for Workouts and Relaxing

Ethical Leggings

03/10/2022

Danielle Alvarado

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Looking for super comfortable and durable sustainable leggings for all those daily activities? One of these  affordable sustainable leggings below deserve a place in your all-year-round rotation!

This post is about ethical and sustainable leggings.

sustainable leggings

Regardless of your aesthetic, size, or shape, finding the best sustainable leggings is not an easy task. You need your fitness ensembles to be sweat-absorbing, stretchy, flattering, durable and most importantly, ethically made. Luckily for us, the sustainable activewear market is only growing bigger and bigger. Think plain black pairs, fleece options, eco-friendly leggings with pockets, and everything in between.

What material is best for sustainable leggings?

Some of the most popular sustainable leggings are as follows: organic cotton leggings, recycled plastic leggings, Tencel leggings, and sustainably sourced hemp or bamboo leggings. Our favorite here at SKL are the Tencel leggings!

Are recycled plastic leggings sustainable?

While recycled plastic is always better than virgin plastic, the microplastics problem still stays the same. To keep your clothes from releasing microplastics into the waterways, please wash your synthetic leggings in a washing bag or with a microplastic filter. 

Whether you are into yoga, running, low and high-impact workouts, or simply need a stretchy pair of ethical black leggings to run errands in, we rounded up the best sustainable workout leggings for women of all shapes and sizes below.

This post is about sustainable workout leggings.

Best Sustainable Leggings on the Eco Market

Wolven is on a mission to make sustainable activewear sexy. With OEKO-Tex Certified Recycled P.E.T. and an array of enviable colors and prints to choose from, the options are endless. Think bold, eco-friendly leggings with pockets as well as crossover waistband styles. The brand also uses Carbon Neutral Modal fabric from wood-pulp fibers. Even their packaging is a 100% recycled poly mailer or a bio-degradable paper box.

Price: $88 – $104

Discount Code: SKL20 for 20% off 

Ethics: OEKO-TEX certified part of Intertek’s Workplace Conditions Assessment. ethically made in China and LA ,pre-loved category

Location/Shipping: Sold from the US

Size Range: XS-XL

Ethical, sustainable, and utterly stylish; Tripulse definitely deserves a place in our best sustainable leggings list. The Climate Neutral Certified brand offers a unique eucalyptus fiber blend that’s equal parts breathable and sturdy. The Sweden-based company has an array of sustainable workout leggings free from harmful plastics and toxins. They also carry the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® and GOTS certifications.

Price: $119 – $124

Ethics: Climate Neutral Certified,  GOTS certified, STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX certification. Fair labor, sustainable and recycled materials

Location/Shipping: Sold From Sweden, worldwide shipping available

Size Range: XS – 3XL

Girlfriend Collective is touted as one of the most coveted ethical leggings brands with hundreds of cult followers. Their affordable sustainable leggings are manufactured with recycled plastic from consumer waste that was once dumped in the landfills. In fact, up to 25 plastic water bottles are turned into fabric per item in fair-labor certified factories in Vietnam. If you are on the hunt for size-inclusive eco-friendly leggings with pockets, they are the brand for you.

Price: $68-$92

Ethics: Premium Sustainable & recycled materials, SA8000  Fair Trade Certified, upcycling/recycling, donations program

Location/Shipping: Sold to the United States, Canada, the UK, and Australia

Size Range: XXS TO 6XL

As the name suggests, Organic Basics is ready to enhance your future workouts with fitness wardrobe staples designed to last. The Danish company offers sustainable activewear made from SilverTech and BLUESIGN-approved recycled silver salt. The Polygienne finish will be your best ally against bacteria growth and odor. Every style is seamless, durable, and breathable. Thus far, the brand saved 2.43 tonnes of waste from entering landfills which is pretty amazing!

Price:  $90

Ethics: Fair wages, Sustainable fabrics, Regenerative Organic Cotton Pilot Project

Location/Shipping: Sold from the US, worldwide shipping available

Size Range: XS-XL

Recognized as one of Canada’s most sustainable leggings brands of 2022, Encircled offers high-quality, comfortable activewear for eco-conscious fitness aficionados. Their collections feature Modal, a super soft fabric made from Beech wood pump, organic cotton, bamboo, and Tencel. Rest assured that your new affordable sustainable leggings come straight from the Canada-based factory of this certified B-Corporation.

Price: $135

Ethics: Sustainable innovative materials, STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certified, fair labor, B-Corporation

Location/Shipping: Sold from Canada, worldwide shipping available

Size Range: XS-2XL

If you are on the lookout for sustainable workout leggings made in LA, LA Relaxed is the brand for you. They use TENCEL and Lyocell, an anti-bacterial and moisture-wicking fiber that’s ideal for fitness-centered lifestyles. You won’t find better ethical black leggings with a high waist and gentle wide waistband design. They work with BLUESIGN-­­ ­certified local dye houses and also adhere to GOTS standards.

Price: $68 (save 20% with code SKL20)

Ethics: Made in LA, sustainable, ethical, small batches, GOTS certified,  pay employees a living wage

Location/Shipping: Sold from the United States

Size Range: XS – XXL

Pact reigns the sustainable activewear game thanks to their wide variety of GOTS-certified organic cotton basics that come straight from Fair Trade Certified factories. From high-performing ethical black leggings to eco-friendly leggings with pockets in a slew of different colors, this brand has all your sartorial needs covered.

Price: $89

Ethics: Eco-friendly materials, Fair Trade Certified factories, sustainably and ethically made

Location/Shipping: Sold from the US, worldwide shipping available

Size Range: XS – XL

Tentree is creeping into every sustainable activewear list for a pretty good reason. Their award-winning technical fabrics and recycled materials certainly separate them from the crowd. Tentree activewear features recycled polyester from landfill waste. Additionally, they are a certified B-Corporation and commit to planting 10 trees for every sale. Every style is designed in Canada and is ethically manufactured around the world.

Price: $40-58

Ethics: Sustainable & recycled fabrics, fair labor, donations

Location/Shipping: Canada, ships to the U.S.A.

Size Range: XS to 3XL

We can’t talk about the best eco-friendly leggings with pockets without mentioning Patagonia. The brand’s Fair Trade Certified activewear is crafted from 87% recycled materials and comes packed with odor-control additives ( HeiQ® ). Plus, 1% of sales go to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment.

Price: $58 – $119

Ethics: Sustainable fabrics, fair labor, circular business model, donations

Location/Shipping: Sold from The United States

Size Range: XXS to 2XL

All Birds’ affordable sustainable leggings are naturally soft, sweat-wicking, and breathable. The highlight of their collections is definitely the carbon-neutral, eco-friendly leggings with pockets made from Tencel, Lyocell, Recycled Nylon, and ZQ Merino Wool. Did you know that Merino Wool is antibacterial and thermoregulating? The brand is also B-certified.

Price: $88-$98

Ethics: Sustainable and recycled materials, carbon-neutral B-Corporation, fair labor, renewable energy

Location/Shipping: Sold from the US

Size Range: XS – 3XL

Seems like Canada is a major player in the sustainable fashion game. Alder Apparel offers sustainable workout leggings for every body size. The inclusive brand carries pants made from renewable Beech wood pump that comes straight from BLUESIGN-certified fabric suppliers. This high-performing fiber offers body temperature regulation thanks to its moisture management abilities. Alder Apparel’s pants can help you bend, stretch, climb or go for a run. These ethical leggings also won a Time Magazine award for best invention!

Price: $155

Ethics: Sustainable & recycled fabrics, fair labor, recyclable tags

Location/Shipping: Sold from The United States, ships to Canada

Size Range: Up to 6X

REI’s Sustainable workout leggings are certified by Fair Trade USA and also carry a BLUESIGN-approved fabric certification. Apart from moisture-wicking styles made from recycled materials, they also carry sustainable fleece leggings for all your cold-weather fitness adventures.

Price: *range or exact price of item*

Ethics: Sustainable fabrics, Fair Trade USA certification, donations

Location/Shipping: Sold from The United States

Size Range: S to XL

Universal Standard crafts sustainable workout leggings from a Pima cotton blend. The brand refuses to adhere to the outdated conventional sizing, and thus they created their own charts. If you opt for Fit Liberty pieces, you will get the chance to return and exchange your worn clothing if your size goes up or down within the first year of purchasing.  

Price: $68

Ethics: Premium materials, Fair Trade Certified, upcycling/recycling, charity

Location/Shipping:  Sold from the United States, international shipping available

Size Range:  4XS – 4XL

Summersalt’s affordable sustainable leggings are ready to meet all your workout demands. They use recycled or eco-friendly materials like TENCEL, TENCEL Modal, and Cupro. Summersalt’s ethical leggings collection includes best-selling neutral-colored pieces featuring CoolCore fibers made from recycled plastic bottles.

Price:  $129

Ethics: Sustainable and  recycled materials,  manufacturing partners with WRAP certification, GOTS and GRS certified

Location/Shipping: Sold from the US, worldwide shipping available

Size Range: 2 – 22

The award-winning slow fashion brand Wildemode promises to fill our wardrobe arsenals with ethical fashion handmade in Scotland. Their impressive size range covers all sizes from 3XS-6XL. All styles feature Oeko-Tex fabric that’s flexible, otherworldly comfy, and stylish. The brand plants one tree for every sale to further help the environment. These are not your basic sustainable workout leggings. On the contrary, they are soaked in prints and unapologetic colors.

Price: $64

Ethics: Size inclusive, OEKO-TEX certified, handmade in Scotland, plant trees with every order

Location/Shipping: Sold from Scotland, worldwide shipping available

Size Range: 3XS-6XL

This post was all about sustainable leggings

Let’s just say that you no longer have to compromise on comfort or style when it comes to the best sustainable leggings of 2022. These top 15 ethical leggings options above are more than capable of meeting all your demands this season and beyond.

Looking for more sustainable fashion help? Checkout our full sustainable directory here!

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