If we ever needed a wake-up call on how we’re destroying the planet, just look at the recent stats that say 40 per cent of the ocean surface is covered in plastic.
While these problems lie far beyond running, it’s time to start thinking more about sustainability and how we can all make small changes to what we buy in order to benefit the environment. Firstly, we should be using the kit we have until is it threadbare and completely worn out. The best way to avoid over-consumption and filling landfill is to avoid fast fashion trends and wear what you have, and if it rips, fix it.
When you do finally need to replace it, ensure you buy your kit from a sustainable and ethical company, such as one of the ones in this list. We’ve found some ethical brands that are doing their best when it comes to sustainability, the environment and ethical production.
1. Dryad
A Welsh company started by two friends Matthew and Joby in 2019, Dryad was created specifically as a 'transparent, community-driven company with integrity' with a mission to create the opposite of fast-fashion clothing.
Dryad's women's activewear is built to last – designed from high-quality recycled fabrics and manufactured with a low environmental and social impact, the clothing will endure, and you can be assured it's been manufactured with as minimal impact on the planet as possible and sold in compostable packaging.
Our pick:
Indra Short-Sleeve Running T-shirt
2. BAM
Super-soft and kind to skin, BAM clothing is made from bamboo cotton, which is moisture-wicking, breathable and antibacterial, while also being good for the environment. In fact, bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world, grows naturally, is 100 percent biodegradable and only needs rainwater to grow. The clothing itself is soft, chafe-free and kind on sweaty long runs.
Our pick:
High Waist 7/8 Enduro Bamboo Leggings
3. Sundried
Beautiful, high-performance running kit, made from used coffee grounds and plastic bottles, but built to last. As a company, it believes in reducing its carbon footprint, and the clothes it creates are manufactured in a way that reduces CO2 emissions. The clothes themselves look beautiful, are high-quality and dry quickly.
Sundried also manufactures certain items from suppliers that have been ethically audited by SMETA, meaning that workers' health and safety has been monitored, with zero tolerance for human-rights abuses such as forced or child labour.
Our picks:
Sundried Men's Compression Shorts
Sundried Escape Sports Bra
4. Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi aims to source non-virgin and alternative fabrics in its bright and bold range of bags and outdoor clothing. Much of the kit is made using other companies' offcuts – for example, the Teca range utilises recycled fleece and DWR-treated polyester taffeta left over from another company. Not only does this save material from landfill, but it also means each item is limited edition as no two are the same.
Our pick:
Cotopaxi Sealskinz run launch: built for outdoor adventures
5. Patagonia
Not only does Patagonia pledge at least 1 percent of sales or 10 percent of pre-tax profits to environmental groups, but it's also constantly auditing the materials it uses and the methods it uses to make its products, to ensure it's doing its best for the environment.
Our picks:
Patagonia Women's Nano Puff Vest
Patagonia Duckbill Cap
6. Zouma
Running clothing company Zouma focuses on ethically produced clothing made from recycled polyester. This means no petroleum is used in production, it recycles ocean plastic, including bottles and nets, and uses 86 percent less water. The company also plants a tree for every item you buy.
Our pick:
Zouma Volt Singlet
7. Vivobarefoot
Pioneering brand Vivobarefoot has released the latest shoe in its sustainable range, the Trail II, made from a recycled all-weather mesh textile. The Primus Bio range uses a plant-based polymer in its sole and upper – a natural by-product of the field corn food industry. The company's founders are firm believers that barefoot shoe-making equates to sustainability – Vivobarefoot has already pioneered shoes made from repurposed algae and recycled plastic, with 17 bottles going into each pair. The brand also takes your old Vivobarefoot shoes and revives them to resell on its Revivo site, keeping the shoes out of landfill.
Our pick:
Primus Trail II All-Weather FG
8. Finisterre
The Cornwall outdoor clothing pioneer is committed to producing clothing in a responsible and transparent manner. Finisterre clothing is built to last, so you won't have to replace it after a couple of years, and when it does tear or unstitch, you can send it to the company for repair. It's breaking new ground with its Biosmock jackets, which are fully circular, biodegradable jackets.
Our pick:
Finisterre Biosmock Insultated Jacket
One-hundred percent carbon-neutral and, as a business, aiming for net-zero emissions by 2030, Allbirds is leading the way in sustainability. The company uses renewable materials to manufacture its gear, including eucalyptus fibre, sugar cane, castor bean oil and recycled plastic bottles. It also prints the carbon footprint of each product on the packaging, something that we'll begin to see more of as more companies get onboard.
Our pick:
Allbirds Tree Dashers
10. Presca
Presca makes running and cycling kit from 100 percent recycled materials, and claim it's the first carbon-positive sportswear company.
It's clothing range is made using state-of-the-art technology, with six recycled plastic bottles going into each garment. This year, Presca aims to ensure each product it makes is fully recyclable, so when it reaches the end of its life you can send it back to the company and it'll be recycled into a new garment.
Our pick:
Presca Forever Tee
