After testing a dozen plastic-free activewear brands for the last three years, I’m sharing my brutally honest thoughts. The best activewear is made with the safest natural fibers and without harmful petroleum-based materials, PFAS, BPA, toxic dyes, or chemical treatments.

I tested across various price points and put them through all types of workouts: walking, running, yoga, pilates, HIIT, hiking and hot yoga.

I’ve found the absolute best nontoxic leggings are Reprise Activewear, Groceries Apparel, and for ultimate luxury, Elastique.

Wait, My Leggings are Toxic?

Conventional athletic wear is made with petroleum-based fibers that can contain BPA, PFAS, pesticides, phthalates, heavy metals, formaldehyde resins, toxic dyes, and chemical finishing agents. They’re sitting tightly on skin while body heat is high, so it’s best to swap them out, along with your bra.

Is Non Toxic Activewear Better?

Yes, in so many ways!

• Switching to healthy workout clothes means you’re no longer sweating in harmful chemicals
• Natural fibers feel more comfortable, softer and breathable. You have to try it to understand how much better they actually feel.
• Better for the earth, air, soil and workers along the supply chain
• Voting with your dollars for quality, sustainability, transparent sourcing, and ethical production

Types of Natural Fiber Leggings

• Organic cotton: soft, breathable, free from synthetic chemicals and pesticides when certified GOTS (best option!)
• Wool: naturally moisture wicking and antimicrobial, but Merino wool may have a chemical coating called “superwash” that includes plastic.
• Bamboo: Super soft but most bamboo undergoes an extreme chemical process to get it super soft. Make sure it’s made with bamboo Tencel, ecovero, lenzing or made in a “closed loop” process for healthier options.
• Tencel / Lyocell: made from wood pulp in a closed loop process that recycles solvents, much cleaner than conventional synthetics

I tried Reprise Activewear Sage Leggings

I feel that Reprise is truly so versatile for any and all workouts, including training and lifting, and has the most satisfying texture of anything I’ve tried. The Sage leggings with pockets are so buttery soft to the touch and don’t trap heat. It isn’t easy to find natural workout clothes that actually feel like athletic gear, and I find Reprise is actually elevated and functional without being insanely overpriced. These have great compression, feel like a second skin and truly move with me. They’ve got enough strength for my hard workouts and flexibility for deep squats during lifting and reformer pilates. Reprise uses a plant-based fabric called TENCEL Lyocell with a small percentage of spandex (still less than most other natural activewear brands) and organic dyes.

Price: $125 Sage Legging
Materials: 93% TENCEL Lyocell and 7% Spandex
How it actually feels: incredibly soft and buttery. Stretch level 3/3
What to know: elevated activewear, wash on cold and in a mesh bag to keep the fibers soft
Fit: runs large so be sure to size down!
Other styles: Shorts (with pockets) 5″ and 7″, capri, flare, cropped flare
✔️ GOTS certified ✔️ OEKO-TEX certified ✔️ Fair Trade certified

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I tried Elastique Athletics L’Original Lymphatic Leggings (Gwyneth Paltrow’s fave!)

Elastique Athletics Lymphatic Leggings are the most luxurious nontoxic leggings I’ve tried hands down (duh, they’re Gwynny approved). I like to call these my biohacking leggings because they’ve got lymphatic drainage support, gradient compression, UPF 50 protection against UV rays. They use OEKO-TEX certified fabrics, so they’re verified to be free of BPA, PFAS, lead, formaldehyde and heavy metals. These look and perform closest to conventional athletic gear but with an interesting twist of having patented MicroPerle technology. There’s a bunch of beads placed inside along the thighs and glutes to follow your lymphatic pathways and provide a massage and drainage effect. It’s pretty cool I can’t feel the beads are there, but when I take off the leggings, I can actually see all the hole indentations where the beads were. I’ve found they’re squat proof, not see through and sooo stretchy. I’m not exaggerating when I say these feel sooo breathable and flexible. They also don’t attract lint and dust like many organic cotton leggings do.

L’Original Lymphatic Leggings also have gradient compression (8-13 mmHg) to support circulation and help with swelling. Elastique is another brand I’ve found that’s flexible enough I actually want to wear them during yoga and functional enough for high impact workouts. As a surprise added bonus, I swear my legs look thinner in these.

Price: $235 L’Original Lymphatic Leggings
How it actually feels: very stretchy, flexible and breathable with great compression. Stretch level 3/3
Best for: all workouts, especially outdoor thanks to UPF 50
Fit: True to size
Other styles: stirrup leggings, biker shorts, jumpsuit
✔️ OEKO-TEX certified ✔️ ethically made in Portugal

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use OBL for $50 off

I tried Pact Organic On The Go-To Legging (budget!)

If you’re looking for a solid pair of affordable organic cotton leggings under 30 bucks that are NOT see through, my recommendation is Pact. They were the first organic workout clothes I switched to eons ago, and I still think they’re a really good affordable choice. Plus they’re easily available on Amazon. On The Go-To leggings are made with 90% organic cotton and 10% elastane. They wear tight and secure with a bit of stretch, and the fabric feels thick and durable. I feel like Pact is good for basics and underwear but not elevated items. There’s really not much selection, just their On The Go-To legging with a cropped version and one with pockets. They also have a snug fit. I’m usually comfortable Medium but theirs is a tad tight on me.

Price: $28
Materials: 90% Organic Cotton and 10% Elastane
How it actually feels: sits tight on my skin. Stretch level 2/3
What to know: good for basics
Fit: I find them slightly snug but mostly true to size.
Other styles: pocket legging, cropped legging
✔️ GOTS certified ✔️ Fair Trade certified

I tried Groceries Apparel Momo Midi Legging

I grabbed my first pair of Groceries Apparel vegetable dyed leggings on major sale after hearing both rave reviews and disappointing ones. I actually find the material is super sturdy and not see through, and the waistband is very generously high waisted. They fit tight and securely with some stretch. They’re the only brand I’ve come across that owns and operates their own downtown LA clothing factory, so they have full control over quality throughout the entire process. I love that they’re dyed with upcycled vegetables and fruits (avocados, onions, coffee grounds, onion skins) from local grocers. My Momo Midi is dyed with pomegranate peels and carrot tops (so cool!). On the downside, I noticed the color of my leggings shifted from a dark gray to chocolate brown. These have a snug fit. I’m usually comfortable Medium but theirs is a tad tight on me.

Price: $98 Momo Midi Legging
Materials: 92% Organic Cotton and 8% Spandex
How it actually feels: sits tight. Stretch level 2/3
Fit: Runs a tad smaller
What to know: sturdy and thick fabric, color can change
Other styles: Biker shorts, capri legging, high waist legging, mini flared legging

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25% Sale

I tried Mate The Label Organic Stretch Full Length Leggings

I like Mate The Label’s Organic Stretch Full Length Leggings for breathability and comfort. They’re VERY high waisted, stretchy and breathable, sit tight on my skin and stay put. I wouldn’t say they’re the sturdiest pair of leggings I own though so I save these for light hikes, walks and low impact workouts. The fit is slightly snug but mostly true to size (medium feels compressive but I wouldn’t mind getting a large). I appreciate that these are NOT see through. The biker short feel even thinner than their full length leggings to me. Mate’s Move collection does offer the entire gamut of activewear – biker shorts, skorts, unitards and sports bras all made with GOTS-certified 92% organic cotton and 8% spandex. Mate is already on the expensive end, so personally, I’d pay a little more for high performance athletic gear type leggings.

Price: $98 Organic Stretch Full Length Legging
Materials: 92% Organic Cotton and 8% Spandex
How it actually feels: thin and breathable. Stretch level 2/3
What to know: made for low impact workouts
Fit: Slightly snug but mostly true to size
Other styles: pocket legging, midi legging, bootcut pant, biker short, unitard
✔️ GOTS certified

I tried Boody Base Layer Leggings

Boody leggings are PFAS free, low-tox, and OEKO-TEX certified and are actually super comfy. They’re healthier than typical leggings but not the best since they’re made with 79% bamboo viscose, 15% nylon, and 6% elastane.These are affordable, really really flexible and definitely squat proof (they almost feel like stockings, but just a tad thicker).

I tried Fair Indigo Organic Leggings (100% organic cotton)

Fair Indigo leggings are not only made of 100% natural fiber without any chemicals, they’re also SO affordable. I bought my Fair Indigo leggings from Amazon and they are the absolute softest truly 100% organic leggings I own. They use Pima cotton interlock fabric which feels sooo buttery – like a warm hug around my legs. Not all cotton is equal and organic Peruvian Pima Cotton is the top 0.05% of cotton available. Sadly, as you can probably tell from the photo, they do NOT look flattering on me at all and kinda drape over my legs. There’s no stretch or compression to them, since there’s no spandex. I’d definitely size down 1-2 sizes. But I have to admit they’re amazingly soft and comfy to lounge around in, go on a coffee run or walk my dog. Fair Indigo’s cotton, yarns, fabrics, and dyes are all GOTS certified and their clothes are fairly made in Peru.

Price: $49
Materials: 100% organic Peruvian Pima cotton
Best for: gentle movement, yoga, pilates, low impact workouts
What to know: doesn’t have compression or stretch
Fit: Runs large, so be sure to size down.
✔️ GOTS certified ✔️ fairly made in Peru