LOLZLetter 118 | Running Brands to Support for their Ecofriendly and Sustainable Practices
Welcome!
I know that title is a long one. Spoiler: this is one of my more favorite topics to talk about! While I always appreciate anyone who shares the newsletter, I especially appreciate sharing this week because we all live on this planet!
This week we celebrate Earth Day! Last year I wrote about how sustainability is important to me. One of my 2021 goals is to buy more sustainable products, and that includes running gear.
I recently discovered the website "Good on You," which will tell you how eco-friendly and sustainable your favorite running brands are.
Buying sustainable and eco-friendly products can seem overwhelming at first. Where do you even start? Like a training plan, you start small.
What are a few ways to buy sustainable activewear brands?
Buy used. Except for running shoes, reusing and repurposing gear is the most sustainable. There are dozens of websites from Poshmark to Thredup and eBay that you can find running brands. Heck, you might even score an excellent deal.
Buy high-quality pieces: Don't buy clothing you plan to only use for a season. Yes, high quality is more expensive, but it also lasts a lot longer.
Look for organic cotton or bamboo: Recently, I learned, organic farming avoids using harmful chemicals. They also aim for the use of fewer resources and environmental sustainability.
Recycled Synthetics: Many brands are now using recycled plastics in their products, including shoes!
Look for Bluesign Products: What is that? The Bluesign system ensures products were manufactured with responsible use of resources and the lowest possible impact on people and the environment. They must have 90 % bluesign approved textiles and 30% bluesign approved accessories to be certified. If you buy a Bluesign certified product, you know that the focus of the brand is sustainability.
Here are a Few Running and Athletics Brands Making Sustainable Products:
Outdoor Voices is one of the most sustainable brands out there. Their entire business model is built on sustainability, from the products to the stores to the headquarters. For instance, Outdoor Voices Stores have incorporated recycled rubber flooring. One of the many goals of Outdoor Voices is to make 50% of their products certified by Bluesign by 2021.
Outdoor Voices also raises money for raising awareness around sustainability, conservation, and carbon offsetting if that is not enough. You can read more about their commitment to sustainability here.
Patagonia has taken a lot of action to reduce its environmental impact. All (yes all!) of its cotton is certified organic by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
Many pieces are made from recycled fabrics, including polyester, nylon, and wool. It also belongs to both the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and 1% For The Planet. Patagonia is one of the most environmentally friendly options out there.
Tasc Performance is a new to me brand. Their clothing is made from bamboo. So? Bamboo fabric is made from natural fibers. It's the fastest-growing tree in the world. In fact, for those jeopardy nerds out there, bamboo can grow 1 foot every 24 hours! It's harvested once a year and can grow indefinitely. So farmers don't have to clear more land for it.
Bamboo fabric also doesn’t need to be treated with chemical finishes. So these chemicals don't enter our water systems and environment. Without chemicals, it allows water used in factories to be recycled.
Finally, the power needed to run bamboo fabric factories is generated by solar power and wind. I hope to see more brands use Bamboo!
I've run substantially in their clothing and have never had an issue with chafing or low quality.
REI:
REI is committed to sourcing sustainable materials. They use organically grown cotton and cellulosic fibers made from trees. One of the coolest things about REI is 70% of their profits are invested back into the outdoor community!
Over the last year, it's been clear Saucony has made a push towards trails, trail running, and nature. Nearly all of the apparel styles from Saucony contain either recycled or more sustainable content. Saucony also aims to use up to 100% recycled content for shoe-upper textiles, collar linings, and shoelaces. By this fall, Autumn 2021, every new performance style will include recycled materials.
I've run in some of their gear, and it still maintains the high-quality feel, but you can feel good that it's more environmentally friendly.
One of my favorite trail shoes is made with engineered mesh with recycled polyester fibers. They don't give many details, but Torrent 2 utilizes recycled "Unifi REPREVE" yarn made from post-consumer waste plastic. It's a great trail shoe, and I've gone through two pairs since living in California.
Reebok:
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have watched the 25 part story I did about the Reebok Grow series. Reebok leads the way with an entire (Ree)grow and (Ree)cycled collection, including a couple of running shoes.
I'll have reviews to come, but the two shoes I've tried: The Energy Grow and Forever Floatride Grow, are awesome. They might be contenders for two of my favorite shoes in 2021 based on just the ride of the shoe.
The adidas Parley Collection uses recycled plastics. They partnered with Parley, whose technology turns plastic into high-performance fabrics. The goal for adidas is no new polyester by 2024. They have everything from running shoes to hiking and clothing.
Sustainability doesn't have to be difficult. Like anything, starting small is the best way to make it a lifestyle.
What is interesting me this week:
Shoe Review: New Balance 1080v11 Shoe Review
Gear Review: Asics Nimbus 23 vs Asics Nimbus Lite 2
Athing Mu sets a World Lead in the 800 meters. Athing Mu is only 18 years old (plus she is from Trenton).
Eliud Kipchoge wins the NN Mission Marathon in Twente
What’s It Like to Run Ahead of Des Linden for 50K?
On the Job with Carla Benton, Book Copy Editor & Proofreader, I had no idea of the long process of editing books. (I knew it was long but wow!).
As always, stay healthy and safe. Thank you to everyone who reads, shares, and subscribes.
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