Sportswear Fabrics Explored

Here's quick follow-up from my last post (about being turned onto the wonders of merino), exploring a few of the other more-sustainable fibres available for sportswear. Bamboo is quite popular, but there more alternatives:

The Good Fabric Guys

1: Tencel (Lyocell): can be made from a variety of wood fibres. Suppliers like EKO (Earth Kind Originals) use eucalyptus tencel for their T's, leggings, and vest tops. This is a soft, absorbent fabric which is very strong when wet or dry, and the process used to make eucalyptus tencel fabric is relatively low-impact as it is done in a 'closed-loop' way, with any chemicals being recycled. It is also biodegradable. Eucalyptus is fast growing, and can be really beneficial to an environment (e.g. can be used to drain swamps and therefore prevent malaria). I thoroughly recommend EKO garments, especially their simple T's and vests, as they are super soft and really comfortable, allowing for great freedom of movement when doing anything active. They also retain their shape when washing, and a good proportion of their manufacturing is done here in the UK. See here for more on EKO.

Photo Credit: Earth Kind Originals

2: Recycled polyester: companies like My Mantra Active do stock a range of leggings and swimwear made from recycled polyester. I bought a pair of leggings and am pleased to report that they are soft and comfortable, and have washed well. They are not too hot for intensive workouts. It seems there is more choice in recycled polyester garments if you live in the US or Australia, but I am hoping we Brits will catch up on this sometime soon. Most local councils and some charities provide clothing banks where you can donate old polyester for recycling- I have a few wrecked workout outfits which are heading that way! The good news is that polyester can be endlessly recycled. 

Recycled Polyester Leggings from My Mantra Active

3: Coffee. Yes really. We Are Star Seeds are developing fabrics made from coffee fibres, and which are designed for being active in. Although disappointingly there doesn't seem to be anything made from coffee on sale quite yet, I'm sure it will be available soon, and as I find that quite exciting I will be checking in regularly on their website. Great to see exciting new plant-based fibres being developed like this! 

The Not-so-good Guys

Some other sportswear fibres explored: 

I often see sportswear made from modal. This is a manmade fibre classed as semi synthetic, as the fibres do come from beech trees (which is obviously a natural source) but have to be blended with another material to make fabric. This takes a lot of resources to make into fabric. Beech trees are also slow growing.

Polyamide: this term does apply to naturally occurring molecules, but on garment labels it refers to synthetic man-made fibres (natural polyamides include silk). They can feel nice and soft as if natural, but polyamide is basically nylon. Nylon is not biodegradable, and as it is meant to be extremely durable it is also difficult to recycle. 

Something for the Future of Sportswear Fabrics?

As an aside, another fabric you may not have thought about for work-out apparel is linen. My Sweaty Betty 'Wild Thing' T is a linen blend: 83% polyester and 17% linen. Ok, so it isn't the most eco-friendly gym wear, but it is soft, and really light on the skin. I'd love to see more linen used like this- specifically for exercise, as linen is cool to the touch, really hardwearing, and anti-bacterial. The linen garments we tend to think of are cut and sewn from fabric which is woven (like shirts), but I don't know of any reason why linen shouldn't be knitted and made into more stretchy items (like T shirts). Please pursue this, sportswear brands!

Linen Blend Workout T

My First Time Coasteering and Review of Cornish Rock Tors

Continuing my series of 'First Time' posts, my first experience of Coasteering is reviewed here:

What is Coasteering: 

Coasteering is exploring the coastline through swimming, entering caves, climbing rocks, jumping off them, observing the landscape, and engaging with plants and creatures at first hand. And a chance to see such things as seals if you are lucky. 

Cornish Rock Tors:

Endorsed by the National trust, Cornish Rock Tors have been providing beach activities for a decade. Our escapade left from Port Gaverne, close to Port Isaac in the North of Cornwall. 

Add caption

Who is it for?

Although all jumps into the water are optional, I would say this is not an ideal activity for anyone with serious vertigo. Or a jellyfish phobia. Or a fear of entering caves. Or a problem with being in open water. Having said that, a guided excursion like this is a great way to challenge yourself. 

A fair degree of strength and fitness is helpful, and a spirit of adventure is probably an essential for enjoying coasteering. There is a consent form to fill in, with only a small section where you declare any medical conditions, so nothing like standard gym PAR-Q form. If you are unsure whether you are ok medically to do this sort of thing you absolutely should check in advance with your GP. 

Is it safe? 

We were fully equipped with a buoyancy aid and helmet. Very clear instructions were given on how to communicate with simple signs once in the water, and there were three guides the 10 participants in our group. They were all qualified lifeguards, and carried safety equipment. The instructions for climbing and jumping were always clear, and the guides had endless patience with us asking for clarification as we needed it. 

In short, I felt very safe at all times. 

Yep, I'm in that huddle!

Was it Exercise?

I was far too engaged with the experience to notice at the time whether I was physically working hard. However, after two and a half hours I did begin to feel tired and a little cold. I woke up the next day with the tops of my pectoral muscles feeling like they had been worked. Looking back though, with all of the swimming, climbing, and scrambling over rocks we must have used up a lot of calories. 

The cost:

Introduction to Coasteering sessions like this cost £40 per person. If you have a large family this is clearly going to work out as an expensive activity. However, I'd say it is worth every penny, and the chances are that it will be a real highlight of any holiday and something that you won't forget easily. Cornish Rock Tors also offer  vouchers, which would make an amazing present. 

Nauticalia

Top Tips:

My first piece of advice is a more general one: chat to the Cornish Rock Tors staff, and make sure that coasteering is for you. They are very friendly and extremely knowledgeable, and quick to answer email queries. So if you have any questions that might seem silly I would recommend that you put them out there and put your mind at rest. 

But here are my top 3 specific tips:

1. Take the opportunity to borrow a winter-weight wetsuit (included in the price). In my experience and that of the other women in our group, the ladies ones come up a little small, so I would recommend you go up a size. Be aware also that there isn't really anywhere to change. If you are particularly shy or need to put your swimsuit on then there is a public loo close by, but our group all changed into wetsuits in the road outside the office. 

2. Carb load! Ok, that's an exaggeration, but do make sure you have eaten well and kept yourself hydrated before you head off. Coasteering can be a chilly experience, and if you are not used to being active for a few hours at a time, let alone exerting yourself by hauling your own body weight up rocks etc then I imagine this may be a shock to your system. If you haven't eaten then I expect you will start to flag. Ditto hydration.

3. Don't try to park at Port Gaverne. There are public carparks in Port Isaac, which is only a stroll away. 

Port Isaac

In Summary:

Coasteering is a magic experience. It takes you away from all of your comforts and/or millstones, depending on how you see day-to-day essentials like your phone, your handbag, perhaps even your watch. Leaving behind everything like the need to be bothered with how you appear is a liberation which lets you properly relate to the beautiful Cornish landscape around you in way that you otherwise just wouldn't.  

Taking a guided excursion like this gives you the confidence to know that what you are doing is entirely safe, and shows you things that you probably wouldn't notice, from a buoy lodged tight in the top of a cave, to rare anemones. 

The guides clearly love what they do, and that is infectious. Their respect for the Cornish coast is evident. 

Going with a family or partner is a real bonding experience, but joining a group if you are by yourself would also be really fulfilling I think. 

I loved just being out in the water, seeing the coast literally and figuratively from a whole new perspective. I'm also thrilled that I jumped off all of the highest points on offer. I'm naturally cautious, but after a few smaller jumps I really wanted to go for it on this trip. 

So, thank you Cornish Rock Tors, we had a brilliant time and can't recommend you highly enough. We'll be back for Intermediate Coasteering! 

Ethical Sportswear Brand: Silverstick Review & Interview

Ethical Activewear

It's always pleasing to discover a homegrown sportswear brand standing up for their ideals. So I was excited when I came across Silverstick: based in Lewes in East Sussex, working with organic cotton and producing a bijou range of sweats, tees and accessories for ladies and gents.

ethical sportswear 

Adventure Goods

Silverstick refer to their products as adventure goods. Even a quick browse through their site will show you that they mean business: classic shapes and styles with no extraneous details give no concessions to trendy, which is admirable. 

A glimpse at their Outdoor People tab gives you an idea of their market: these tough garments are meant to be put through their paces by serious outdoor types who surf, skate, ski... and let's face it are just cool. Yes, these are ethical products, but they are made to be worn hard. 

organic and fairly traded sweater...

Product Review:

I chose an Arugan Logo Sweat in ash marl to review. I was looking for a simple jumper without a hood to throw on after yoga, for bike rides, or to keep the sometimes chilly Cornish wind at bay.  

Made from organic cotton, fairly produced and individually screen printed with eco friendly inks there is nothing to quibble about, but do these beauties stand up to the test...?

...featuring the Silverstick logo

Product Characteristics 

My first impressions were of a top quality item: feeling plush and squishy in my hands, the jumper promised to be really snuggly and it didn't disappoint! It is nice and warm without being over hot. I guess this might be partly down to the fact that it is 100% cotton- most sweats these days are polyester blend 

It is very nicely made, and the placement and scale of the print are pleasing. 

Priced at £49 this is not a budget buy, but the quality means that I would call it very good value. 

I have washed my jumper (after I wore it for a muddy bike ride- whoops!), and it feels just as new as before. This was a pleasant revelation as often sweats can deteriorate after just one wash. 

My only comment would be on the sizing: this is a unisex item, and so women are advised to go down a size. I stuck with XS, which is described as a 10-12. I usually wear an 8-10 (which would have made me an XXS here), and it is pretty snug. Personally I love the fit, but I wonder how many size 12's would find these dimensions comfortable? 

I particularly like the narrowness of the sleeves, and the length and the neckline are also great. 

lovely quality & fit

Would I buy again?

I would definitely buy from Silverstick again. The supremely lush quality means that although not budget items, their sweats seem to be well worth the money. When I need joggers I will look here first. I'd also be tempted by their t-shirts- I love the tree print, and also some of the gents styles like the bike. 

Moreover, I want to make ethical choices with my purchasing power, and smaller eco-conscious brands like this who are flying the flag for homegrown design and a short (and entirely transparent) supply chain deserve not only our respect but also our cash. It's easy to blame fast fashion for unethical practices and exploitation, but activewear is still part of the garment industry, and if we want anything to change in these businesses we have to vote with our wallets. 

I also want to wear natural fibres which, when they can be repaired/re-used/recycled no longer will eventually biodegrade back into the natural environment, and seeing as most sportswear is made from polyester this is not always easy. 

All credit to Silverstick for everything they have achieved so far. 

still messing around in crow pose...

...and working on my inversions!

Q&A with Sam from Silverstick

I was lucky enough to be able to put a few questions to Sam, co-founder of Silverstick. Enjoy this little window into the world of an independent eco-conscious brand. I particularly love the "buy once, wear often, love forever" attitude:

How long have you been running Silverstick?

The Silverstick journey started in 2010 when a love of adventure and the environment inspired us to create a collection of T-shirts for people who enjoy outdoor sports and activities. We wanted to put the outdoors and sustainability at the foundation of our design. Buy once, wear often, love forever was epitomised by our made for life ethos. Since then we have expanded our mens and women's ranges, continuing to develop products with an active ethos and strong connection to nature. We call them adventure goods as they are perfect for exploring the ocean, the trail and the mountains.

That's an interesting name- where does it and your bird logo come from?

Our bird logo symbolises the freedom of the outdoors and commitment to create clothing in harmony with nature. The name Silverstick is inspired by the sports and activities our customers do in the outdoors. Stick is a general term to denote a surfboard or a skateboard. 

As a brand, what is your primary aim?

Our primary aim is to create clothing for outdoor people in a way that doesn’t harm the environment. This starts at the design phase thinking about the purpose of the garment and how we can optimise comfort, durability and style in each piece. All our garments are constructed from high quality fabrics in accredited factories that go the extra mile to get all the details right. Our customers want clothing that they can rely on and will last a long time, which is obviously better for the environment too. On top of that we only use GOTS certified organic cotton. This is cotton that has been grown naturally without the use of chemicals or pesticides.

Who is your typical shopper?

Our clothing appeals to a broad range of outdoor people, whether you are a keen mountain biker who goes riding every week or you are having a laugh trying to surf for the first time. All our customers are united by a love of adventure and the natural world.  

What's the best part of your job?

Seeing people in our clothing enjoying the outdoors and getting positive reviews from customers. We are very lucky that we are still an independent company owned by our two founders. This means we have complete control over everything we create. We make things based on a set of principles and it is great to see people out there enjoying the outdoors in clothing that doesn’t cost the earth. 

What is your favourite thing that you sell?

If I was to pick out one item it would probably be our logo tee. This was the first style we ever did, so it has an emotional pull for us. It brought together the active, high quality and eco-conscious strands of our design ethos. We sourced high quality organic cotton fabric, created an active fit, flatlocked every seam for greater comfort and hand printed the tees with our bird logo in eco friendly inks. We wanted to make the perfect T shirt for adventures in the great outdoors.

Who is your heroine?

There are many people who have inspired us on our journey so far. We are a small company up against much bigger ones. So anyone who keeps going and overcomes set backs is a particular inspiration to us. One person who is currently doing this is the surfer Bethany Hamilton who survived a shark attack and is now competing on the professional tour.

How would you like to be remembered?

That we left only footprints…

With grateful thanks to Sam at Silverstick

Yoga Bloomers Review & Greenfibres Discount

Ethical Sportswear

As you will know, I am a big fan of ethical things to wear whilst exercising. But finding clothing that fits the bill, and still ticks all the comfort and style boxes is easier said than done! 

Which is why I was thrilled to discover that Greenfibres, based relatively close-by in the South West of England (in Totnes in Devon) have a great little selection. 

Working on my Wild Thing

Yoga Clothing:

I fell in love with their Yoga Bloomers before they even arrived; charcoal grey: my favourite colour, pockets: yippee, high waist: even better, relaxed fit without a harem-style low crotch: bingo!

And when I received them I was not disappointed: they are made from wonderfully soft organic cotton in a great medium weight. I was also delighted by the accompanying handwritten note, the herbal teabag, not to mention the Greenfibres catalogue- what a treasure trove!

A magic little package

Wear the waist turned up or down

Deep waistband and cuffs

Style:

There is no compromise on style with these bloomers: the deep fold-over waist band and matching cuffs give plenty of character and femininity. 

I was impressed with the fit too: it is always difficult when buying online to know if something is appropriate size-wise, but they are true to the size guide which is very helpful. 

Relaxed and Comfortable

To The Test:

Putting these bottoms to the test in my yoga class I was really impressed that they were not too hot, and that they stayed in place, also allowing plenty of flexibility. They are not so loosely cut as to feel like a drag, but loose enough to allow movement. 

I particularly the fact that the Bloomers are the right length to be worn as relaxed joggers, but that if you want to turn them into crops you can just slide them up, and the cuffs keep them in place. 

As you can imagine, this was useful for my post-yoga paddle. I can see that I will be wearing my Bloomers often: they were so comfortable that I couldn't take them off after my yoga class!

Perfect for Paddling

I will buy some other bits from Greenfibres. I have got my eye on some undies, perhaps a yoga bra to wear with my fantastic bloomers. Plus, I just adore their unisex Breton sweatshirt. Their range is so good that it would be worth checking there first to see whether they stock an eco version of whatever it is you're looking for! 

Bloomers for all occasions. 

Discount Code:

And, I'm thrilled to tell you that I have a discount code to share with you! Just quote pixie10 when you buy and get your 10% off! Click the banner below to go straight there. Thank you Greenfibres, it is great to work with you!

Product kindly supplied by Greenfibres, all opinions are my own.

Product Review: Asquith Activewear & Discount Code

Asquith London: ethically made and eco-friendly...

Treats from Asquith

I have been wanting to get an outfit from Asquith for a while now, but none of the colours or styles have been quite what I was after: I don't like too much black, I really don't like cerise pink, and I'm really not a fan of snakeskin. So, when I saw this darling little top in minty turquoise I knew the time was right! 

I plumped for Layering Cami in 'Minty Fresh' and Flow With It Leggings in 'Slate'. 

Labels of Quality

I had expected some kind of special packaging, so at first when I saw that it arrived in a routine-looking poly post bag I was a little disappointed, until I realised that it is biodegradable. The packaging can look as run-of-the-mill as it likes as far as I am concerned, so long as it is not clogging up the world with more plastic!

Inside the outer bag were my two beautiful-looking garments, oozing quality and substance (unfortunately in plastic, but you can't have everything can you?). 

I definitely felt like I was receiving a top quality treat.

...but is it any good? 

Unwrapping my lovely new garments, I fell in love straight away with the feel of the fabrics- so much so that I had to have a try-on right there in the living room. 

The jacquard stars in the top between the contouring style lines are just adorable, and I love the strappy look. The leggings are completely opaque, and are a beautiful thundery shade of grey (I love grey!). 

Luckily, the fit was great: the leggings are the perfect length (I'm 5'5"- that's average- but with long legs, and sometimes leggings are evidently made for supermodels, but too short's no good either), and a great height through the rise. The top was extremely comfortable and I felt supported and hugged-in without feeling constricted. I can't really say too much about the bust support in the built in bra, as I have quite a small bust, but I didn't end up looking completely flat chested either- nobody likes that look!  

In action

Putting it to the test: 

After a few quick stretches in order to get some pictures to show you, I decided to put my outfit to the test in a sweaty Body Blast class. This was definitely in at the deep end, but I got the impression this gym gear was tough enough! 

Stretch!

And I wasn't disappointed: the first thing about the performance of Asquith products that impressed me was that I didn't have to keep pulling the leggings up or the top down. Everything, including the straps stayed just where I wanted it to be throughout the entire class. It is hard to find a top that doesn't ride up at all (trust me, I've tried a few!). 

The only drawback for me was that I ended up with a small unsightly sweat patch on my leggings (blush!), but this was quickly covered by just pulling the top down a little more (it has plenty of length to either ruche up or pull down which proved really useful in this instance). 

The Verdict:

Whilst I perhaps wouldn't wear the leggings for anything where I would expect the sweat to really show, they will be perfect while I can pull the long top down, and also for yoga and Pilates, hiking, bike rides, and just chilling out. They are such nice leggings I would even wear them under a tunic for a casual day out. 

I will be getting a lot of wear from my top, and I may go back for another. It's great to know it will stay in place for even the most active of workouts (and any sort of inversion will be covered). 

Discount Code:

I hope you've found this review useful. To celebrate the fact that I am now an 'Asquith Lover', I am delighted to offer you a discount code: just enter FITPIXIE20 at the checkout on asquithlondon.com and the magic will happen! 

Triceps!