OEKO-TEX® Certified Performance Textiles - Activewear/Sportswear

We’re all wearing more sportswear or activewear than ever before; whether that’s because of New Year’s resolutions to exercise more or because COVID-induced global lockdowns have shifted clothing sales, we’re contributing to the redefinition of the activewear and sportswear clothing categories.

When we’re buying activewear or sportswear; research tells us that we tend to shop for specifics – we want to be comfortable and we want the garment to be functional. After all, comfort is key, and so is the idea that we can trust in a garment to perform when it matters. But do we consider our health before making that purchase?

The entire premise of STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is based on textile ecology. To analyse the safety and sustainability of a textile product we look to this field of study.

The key factor in textile ecology is the use of chemical substances and their effect on man and the environment. Beginning with fibre cultivation but extending to the production of yarns and fabrics, the tanning of leather, and including dying, printing, finishing and surfacing - in every stage the choice to be made is between the use of hazardous or harmless chemicals.

There is a logical connection between the use of chemicals in production and the health threatening substances found in all textile and leather products. Many toxic substances can be removed during production but, unfortunately, not all. Detergents or sweat can leach these toxins out of fibres or leather and they can then enter the body through the skin, through inhalation or as we commonly see in infants, through ingestion. In turn, these hazardous chemicals can also leak into the environment through washing and do significant damage there. On a global scale, 92 million tons of textile waste is created annually, making its way to landfill. So, should a textile containing harmful chemicals be sent to landfill these chemicals then contaminate the land in which they’re buried.

Next time you’re buying activewear, whether that be to play sport or to remain comfortable whilst stuck in the ‘Continue Watching’ category of your Netflix account, think about whether you’re buying textiles tested for hazardous substances and look out for the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® label on the hangtag.

Posted by on 28 January 2021