Shopping sustainably? Don’t forget about sportswear

Research shows that: “The clothing industry is the second-largest polluter in the world, second only to the oil industry.” It would be fair to say that the clothing industry is disastrous for the environment. It’s responsible for 10% of CO ₂ emissions and produces 20% of the world’s wastewater. And those are just two of the many factors that negatively impact our planet. As long as we continue with our current consumption patterns, it’s unlikely that this situation will improve. That’s a hard pill to swallow...

Fortunately, there are things we can all do to help reduce this impact. Taking a critical look at what goes into your own wardrobe can make a big difference. When you’re shopping for clothes and something catches your eye, take a look at the information on the care label: what sort of material is it made from?

Sportswear is often made of polyester. That’s because it’s easy to enhance it with functional qualities that are essential for work out clothing, like moisture absorption and odour control. Polyester is not a natural product, and making it requires the use of fossil raw materials. This has a negative impact on the environment. However, polyester is easy to recycle, which can make it a very sustainable choice.

Redmax Sportswear’s new sustainable collection has been developed as part of its commitment to caring for the environment. What makes Redmax sustainable? Redmax adds functional features to its sportswear using natural materials instead of chemicals. It does this by carbonising coffee grounds, coconut shells, and bamboo and using these to treat fabrics and yarns. Redmax also prioritises solutions that are better for the environment, like recycling polyester and adding colour to clothes using the dope dye technique.

Coconut

When you think of coconuts, you imagine tropical islands, palm trees, and the scents of summer. But coconuts are more than just an exotic plant. Did you know that coconut shells can be recycled into activated carbon? And that activated carbon can be added to yarns or used to treat fabrics? This natural treatment lends the fabric sweat-absorbing and UV-blocking qualities, so it’s ideal for making sportswear.

Coffee

You can enjoy the benefits of your daily coffee long after you’ve drained your cup with Redmax Sportswear’s sustainable collection. An interesting thing about coffee grounds is that they can be turned into a treatment that enhances fabric with useful qualities. Sportswear treated with carbonised coffee offers UV protection, dries quickly, wicks away sweat, and dispels unpleasant body odours. This golden combination makes it perfect for activities like running, yoga, and fitness classes.

Dope dye

Dope dye is a new dyeing technique in which colour is added to polyester granules before they’re turned into yarns and woven into fabric. The granules and pigments are combined using heat and melted directly into the yarns during the spinning process. This method is very environmentally friendly, using 90% less water, 60% fewer chemicals, 60% less energy, and producing 60% fewer CO₂ emissions than conventional dyeing methods.

Redmax Sportswear also focuses on the use of recycled polyester in its sustainable collection. This method eliminates the need for large quantities of fossil raw materials. For example, a whole new T-shirt can be made from one recycled T-shirt or 40 plastic bottles. Using recycled polyester reduces waste, CO₂ emissions, and energy consumption.

Has reading this article made you want to expand your own sportswear collection in a more ethical way? Then take a look in our webshop.