Plastic-free technical sportswear is here. What’s next?

To receive the Vogue Business newsletter, sign up here. As efforts to crack down on plastic pollution grow, sustainability experts have been pushing for fashion brands to use less plastic-based materials. For technical sportswear that requires certain materials for thermal protection, it’s been harder to move the needle. Now, sail racing league SailGP has collaborated with plastic-free apparel startup Mover and grassroots organisation A Plastic Planet to create what they say is “the world’s first plastic-free technical sportswear”. The six-piece capsule collection, which has been in the making for two years, uses materials made of 100 per cent natural fibres. Removing the elastane from technical sportswear — the biggest challenge in going plastic-free — means going back to past manufacturing methods, using lightweight merino wool and cotton, which are knit to specific tensions and patterns to provide elasticity and compression. There’s demand for plastic-free sportswear that is as yet unmet: SailGP commissioned a survey of 1,500 people in the US, UK and Switzerland earlier this year and found that 72 per cent of people would prefer plastic-free sportswear if it was available. The survey also found 54 per cent of respondents were unaware or unsure of the health and environmental impacts of chemicals used in synthetic technical clothing. In fact, some were even unaware that the clothing they wear was made of plastic at all. “We are on a joint mission to prove that sportswear made with natural materials will give you better performance, better breathability, with a wonderful feeling on your skin than anything synthetic,” says Siân Sutherland, co-founder of A Plastic Planet, which collaborated on the project. “If we can prove performance in a demanding sport like sailing, imagine what we can do for all other sports.” Since the 1960s, elastane has been used to make underwear, socks and sportswear. Technical sportswear in particular has relied on synthetic fibres such as nylon, polyester and acrylic to deliver breathability, stretch, thermal protection, waterproof and quick-drying qualities and sturdiness. Some attempts have been made to make sportswear more sustainable by using recycled fibres, but experts say harmful microplastics are still emitted into water and soil systems. “There is plastic in our water, our air, our soil and now in our own bodies. That plastic is carrying toxic chemicals — regardless of whether it is recycled or virgin,” explains Sutherland. “I’m afraid those fleeces and leggings made using plastic bottles are never going to fix the problem of plastic. In reality, it simply delays the pace of genuine change and innovation into better materials.” Finisterre, which uses merino wool for its base layers; Lululemon, which invested in Genomatica’s plant-based nylon solution; and Allbirds, which has shifted towards using natural fibres, have been making efforts to crack down on plastic use in the sportswear category. The biggest challenge was to change the way sportswear suppliers work. “We first had to convince our fabric suppliers to eliminate elastane from their fabrics, as most add it out of habit,” says Nicolas Rochat, founder and CEO of Mover. “It’s not a performance or physical problem, it’s a habit problem, so it takes time to change mentalities.” Until this launch, Mover itself has been using recycled plastics for its garments. “Skiing and sailing are two of the most difficult sports to [create garments for] with 100 per cent natural fibres, because of the resistance to water or extreme temperatures,” says Rochat. The cotton used in the new collection originates from Turkey (approved by textile supply chain certification Global Organic Textile Standard or GOTS) and is purchased and dyed in Portugal, while the merino wool originates from New Zealand and Australia (from sheep who are certified as not having been mulesed, a procedure without anaesthesia where skin from a lamb’s rear is cut to make it less susceptible to infection), knitted in Denmark and dyed in Poland. In the end, Mover hasn’t had to compromise on performance — in fact, Rochat says the natural fibres are even more effective in meeting technical specifications. “In terms of performance, what we gain by not using elastane is odour control, antistatic, thermo-regulation, natural dirt and stain resistance and comfort under various temperature ranges. In terms of pollution, it is a no-brainer,” says Rochat. A Plastic Planet’s Sutherland agrees: “We have been duped into thinking that fossil fuel plastic textiles give better performance than natural materials. And yet, imagine running or practising yoga wearing a plastic bag — that is what we are doing.” SailGP chief purpose officer Fiona Morgan says this is the only start, and she’s hoping the launch will inspire the wider sportswear industry to speak to their suppliers about developing plastic-free garments. “We also know billions of fans support sports, so can we actually ignite change and shift that mindset [to reduce waste]?” she says. “What we’re going to show with these products is that [sustainability] can create demand. Hopefully, we’ll inspire other sports to look at their merchandise and think through their role in creating waste and the materials they use.” On an industry-wide scale, Sutherland says transparency is still lacking. “Imagine if every brand had to declare the fossil fuel content of their clothing ranges? That would be a great start, so shoppers can choose better materials,” she says. In addition, Sutherland is calling for full extended producer responsibility and a ban of exporting clothing waste to countries in the Global South like Ghana. “As policy starts to restrict the use of fossil fuels in fashion, we will see tremendous innovation in new materials that can go back to nature (as everything does eventually) safely.” Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@voguebusiness.com. More from this author: The Vogue Business Spring/Summer 2024 size inclusivity report How Balmain set the tone for luxury haircare Prada is designing Nasa spacesuits. Will luxury customers wear them next?

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