Wool. You either love it or you can’t stand it.
There are those among us who can put on the thickest, most natural wool sweater and not even blink. And then there are those who look at a wool sweater and immediately start to itch. Like my brother-in-law — simply talking about a sheep wool sweater makes his hands sweat and his neck itch. Wool. It’s a vibe.
So when I saw the BOF (Business of Fashion) headline, “Wool Workout Clothes? The Demand Is Growing”… I won’t lie. I had to pause for a second…..
Listen, I know, the synthetic stuff is really not great. It’s like white sugar. If we had to invent that solution today, we’d do better.
Then I read the second line following that headline, that really made me roll my eyes. And again, allow me to quote: “The consumer base for activewear made of natural materials like cotton and wool is growing, as more people on the political right join progressives in worrying about the health effects of polyester and other synthetics.”
Did you catch it too?
So apparently, wanting to swap your polyester workout wear for something more natural is now a progressive political move. Ugh. Do we really have to politicize everything?
Let me be the one to leave politics out of this for a moment and actually look at the issue.
First of all, are polyester (and other synthetic fibres) really bad in workout clothes?
To answer that, we need to start with an uncomfortable truth.
Polyester, and other synthetic fibres like nylon and elastane, are not “bad” in some simplistic way. In fact, they’re there for a reason. They’re lightweight, strong, flexible, moisture-wicking, quick-drying, and relatively inexpensive. From a pure performance perspective, they do their job very well. There’s a reason most high-performance sportswear, from mass market to luxury activewear, relies heavily on synthetics.
In case you didn’t know, polyester is derived from fossil fuels. According to Textile Exchange’s Preferred Fiber & Materials Market Report, polyester remains the most widely used fibre globally, accounting for more than half of total fibre production.
And I know what you want to ask: what about microplastics, Donna? Yes. There’s the microplastic issue. Here we go.
When synthetic garments are washed, they shed microfibres. These microfibres are a form of microplastic that enters waterways and, eventually, marine ecosystems. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has highlighted synthetic textiles as a major contributor to primary microplastics entering the ocean. The issue is not visible in your gym bag. It’s visible downstream.
And can microplastics enter your body? There is growing research into how microplastics enter the human system, through ingestion and inhalation, primarily.
And it doesn’t stop there, there’s an article on GOOP exploring whether workout clothes contain endocrine-disrupting microplastics and how exposure might occur. You can read it here: https://goop.com/wellness/health/do-your-workout-clothes-contain-endocrine-disrupting-microplastics/
It can be quite daunting knowing how synthetic fibres can affect our bodies. Wanting to switch to natural materials is not irrational.
So how about those wool workout clothes? Of course I had to test that.
Being a fan of Scandinavian brands, and being married to a Norwegian fella, I can tell you my wardrobe contains more than a few wool pieces. I have everything from “is this even wool or some kind of magic cashmere blend?” to “how can anyone wear this without getting a rash?” And yes, I also own athletic wool pieces that I genuinely swear by.
One thing about Scandinavian brands: they still tend to make things that feel built to last. Or at least that’s the impression. Devold of Norway has excellent athletic wear and is transparent about their farmers and production. Norrøna produces serious outdoor athletic wear. If you’re ever in Bergen NO, visit their store, the service is genuinely great. Bergans and Helly Hansen are also worth mentioning. They both offer strong merino wool assortments, and their base layers in particular work really well for running or gym sessions.
For me, most wool is not that itchy. But I fully realise that’s personal. Merino wool, especially in athletic wear, doesn’t itch at all for me. That said, this is very individual. Try it. And if you find great merino athletic wear you love, let me know.
In the end, this isn’t about panicking over your running leggings. It’s about whether the industry can redesign performance fabrics in a way that decouples athletic excellence from fossil dependency and microplastic leakage. That’s a systems question, not a wardrobe guilt trip.
The future of activewear won’t be decided by comfort alone. It will be decided by whether we can engineer performance within planetary boundaries.
