16 Smart Health and Fitness Buys to Help Minimise Your Environmental Footprint

Aug 22, 2023

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Brands at the sharp end of performance are investing time and energy into crafting sustainable, durable products that are as good for your goals as they are for the planet

The fitness industry and environmentalism may seem like strange bedfellows. The former concerns itself with progression – quicker times, bigger lifts, newer kit, smarter metrics – while the latter is about conservation. We wear out our trainers and bin them; we switch our smartwatches for newer models. Races leave behind discarded water bottles.

But things are changing. Today, cutting-edge brands are working to ensure that high performance and a competitive mindset are no longer at odds with eco-friendliness. “It’s evolved far beyond an afterthought to satisfy a tick box,” says Roxy Rocks-Engelman, a sustainability consultant working with the food and clothing industries. “There are exciting innovations at play that incorporate sustainability right from conception through to final design. What’s more, consumers are increasingly critical of brands that are unable to share information about provenance and company values.”

Eco-aware companies are furiously funnelling money and resources into improving their offerings, crafting products that are built for life – not the landfill – while ensuring that packaging is less of a faff to recycle. “The result is a better-quality product,” says Rocks-Engelman. She uses the example of outdoorwear brand Patagonia, which not only sources Fairtrade materials for its jackets but will fix them for free should something snag – not that it’s likely to, mind.

Spending your money on brands whose values align with yours pays back: if they’re unwilling to exploit the people working within their supply chain, they’re unlikely to flog you a sub-par product that will fall to bits two months into your fitness programme. Because if you can keep up with your workouts, the gear you’re using should certainly be able to keep pace. Unsure where to start? We’ve compiled a kit list that’s as good for the planet as it is for your gains.

This is the official machine of British rowing, so you know it’s good. The body is handcrafted from ash and solid oak. The wood is harvested from sustainably managed forests (where growth exceeds removal by 229%), then shipped by sea rather than airfreight for a lower carbon footprint. There are other imperatives to trade up from plastic: wood also absorbs sound and vibrations, resulting in a smoother, quieter cardio session – and it will look considerably slicker in your living room. Stored upright, the rower is not much bigger than a dining-room chair, so you can live with it easily instead of stashing it in the garage.

A literal interpretation of “reducing your footprint”, Vivobarefoot’s minimalist shoes allow your feet to mimic the way they move without shoes, making your muscles work harder. The Primus Lite II Bio is the brand’s new, plant-based performance shoe. It’s made with more than 30% natural materials, including corn, rubber and algae foam, as a step towards using 100% sustainable materials in 2021. It’s also the brand’s lightest shoe and has impressive ventilation. Vivo is so confident in its kicks that it offers a full refund within the first 100 days.

If you want to soak up the benefits of cold-water immersion but aren’t sold on the “cold water” bit, here’s your workaround. Finisterre’s wetsuit is geared for water temperatures of 14-18°C – making it suitable for Britain’s south coast in October – and is flexible around the upper body for easy paddling. It’s made from Yulex natural rubber, whose performance matches neoprene, and the lining is fused from recycled polyester. The suit is “double-needle blind-stitched” – which means less wear and tear, a longer lifespan and better value.

Returning to work, many have traded public transport for an open-air commute. But just because you’re not pressed against strangers on a train, that doesn’t mean your safety is covered. Dashel’s stylish helmets are hand-made from sturdy, recylable ABS. They’re well ventilated and lightweight, so you’ll have one less distraction, and can be tailored to your head shape with a range of fit pads. If yours takes a knock, you can return it to the company in exchange for a discount.

Headphones have a habit of disappearing when you need them. But when you don’t, those non-recyclable wires and pods, mostly made from virgin plastic, can linger for hundreds of years. These wireless phones are made from Rewind, a fabric that uses 99% post-consumer plastic waste, while the wooden in-ear pieces are FSC certified. They’re also perfect for workouts – Bluetooth, sweatproof, quick-charge and comfortable – so they’ll keep you jamming through the toughest session.

We’ll spare you the speech about disposable razors, but we’ll point you towards a sharper alternative. Despite the brand name, these double-edged safety razors are made in the UK, with the handle crafted from recycled plastic and the steel sourced from Sheffield. Multi-blade razors might deliver a close shave, but they can also lead to painful ingrown hairs – a problem that using this ultra-sharp single blade eliminates. Plus, replacement blades average at just 10p each: a good deal, whichever way you cut it.

Part of Puma’s collaboration with First Mile, this range of trainers is made from recycled plastic. First Mile’s network sources plastic bottles from communities in Haiti, Honduras and Taiwan, where they are traded in at local collection centres. Once ground down, the plastic pellets are then transformed into a soft fibre that is then woven into each pair of high-performance kicks. Though they’re gentle on the environment, they’re not soft on tech: the patented Liquid Cell cushioning will keep you light on your feet throughout the toughest workouts.

These swimming shorts, inspired by 1970s basketball kits, have zip flies, three pockets and a soft mesh lining. But Che has substance as well as style: the main body has been developed using Econyl, regenerated nylon yarn made from waste (such as fishing nets, scrap textiles and carpets) that has been dumped in oceans and landfills, while the mesh inside is made from 97% recycled polyester. All good talking points at the pool bar. They’re also quick-drying and resistant to chlorine, salt and UV, so they won’t look washed-out after a few wears.

The green face of horology, Sequent has created what has been dubbed “the world’s most sustainable hybrid smartwatch”. By turning kinetic energy into electrical power, it charges as you move, negating the need to plug it in every few days, while also giving you the option to control how much data you receive. But this is not a compromise of flashy tech for worthy ethics: the Sport model has connected GPS and activity/sleep tracking; plus, it’s waterproof to 50m. Its Swiss design means it won’t look out of place with a suit, either.

Made from ocean-bound plastic, this bottle carries 500ml of hot or cold liquid. It’s insulated, which means your oat-milk flat white won’t go cold on the train, and anti-leak, so your BCAA blend won’t drip onto your gym shorts – which is probably why it won this year’s Green Product Award. Every sale funds the collection of 11.4kg of plastic, picked up by locals in coastal communities, who can then exchange it for money, health care or tuition. By 2025, the company hopes to have spared the ocean seven billion plastic bottles.

Good for more than plugging wine bottles, cork is one of the world’s most sustainable materials, because you don’t have to cut down cork trees to harvest it – you simply strip the bark, letting the rest of the tree grow. But that’s not the only reason to buy this mat: it’s also naturally antimicrobial (eliminating germs and odours), hard-wearing and non-sticky, which is why it’s perfectly suited to yoga. The wetter cork gets, the grippier it becomes, so you won’t end up going glutes-over-pecs when practising your new callisthenics moves.

Founded by all-round outdoorsman Yvon Chouinard, this unapologetically rugged brand crafts clothes that are both indestructible and Fairtrade-certified. The windproof, water-repellent Nano is made from ultra-lightweight and compressible materials, so it’ll take up minimal space in your rucksack, and its polyester shell is 100% recycled. Patagonia cared about the planet before it was cool (or too warm, rather), and its proceeds help to fund climate initiatives to ensure you’ll actually have a winter to wear this in.

This new “conscious clothing” line from the Myprotein supplements brand makes its kit entirely from renewable materials. The name is a play on words, highlighting the need for brands to be “aware” of the perils of fast fashion. This tracksuit is made from unbleached, organic cotton, using a process that requires 50% less water, while the packaging it arrives in is made from recycled plastic. Compared to synthetic materials, cotton is naturally breathable and moisture-wicking, so you can throw it on for the walk home from the gym.

This year, Adidas set a new PB by increasing its use of recycled polyester; in 2024, it plans to smash this target by eliminating virgin plastics altogether. The brand is currently working on a fully recyclable running shoe, the Futurecraft Loop. But while you wait, its Primegreen collection spins recycled ingredients into high performance materials: these eco-friendly gloves provide a solid grip for lifting, dragging and pulling, while the stretchy, ventilated backhand will ensure you barely know you’re wearing them. Call it impact minimisation.

Not content with being surfing’s GOAT, Kelly Slater partnered with eco-minded engineering company Aquafil to champion Econyl, a nylon made from reclaimed fishing nets. Breitling’s sporty Endurance Pro can be paired with a colourful Econyl strap from Slater’s Outerknown brand – but in terms of features, that’s just a drop in the ocean. The 100% Swiss-made sports watch is cased in Breitlight, a non-magnetic, scratch-resistant material that’s almost six times lighter than stainless steel. It’s tough, too.

Though a duffel by name, this 20L bag has zip-away backpack straps, so you can lug your kit around comfortably, along with an AirScape ventilated back panel to reduce sweating. Plus, there are secure pockets for your laptop and phone or sunglasses, so they don’t risk getting scratched (or coming into contact with sweaty gym clothes). Impressively, it is also made with 100% recycled fabrics, while its weather-resistant coating is free from PFC: an ecologically harmful chemical. It’s also small enough to fit into a plane’s overhead storage compartment, if you plan to take your training regimen overseas.

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