Wearing synthetic fabrics rather than natural fabrics may be hazardous to your workout and health! Why? Because synthetic fabrics don’t regulate your body temperature like natural fabrics; they can help breed bacteria in those hot sweaty areas causing rashes etc. and you could be absorbing microplastics through your skin. 

All prices are correct at time of publishing.

Performance Activewear brand Airocwear believes wrapping your hot, sweating bodies in plastic just doesn’t make sense. So they turned to bamboo. Bamboo fabrics help regulate the body temperature during workouts. This is due to the tiny pockets in the fibres of the bamboo fabric (‘Nanopores’) allowing your body to breathe naturally. That’s important because the human body needs to maintain its core temperature at safe levels when exercising. Plus if your body overheats during exercise you lose power because more blood is diverted to cooling instead of muscle function. Bamboo fabric is also odour resistant as it doesn’t breed bacteria like synthetic fabrics, keeping your top fresher for longer. 

For men they offer training t-shirts, training vests and cool weather training socks.

The tops fit contours to arms, shoulders, and chest, while staying relaxed around the midsection and have drop-tail hems for full coverage in all movements. Fabric is 93% lyocell bamboo, 7% elastane. Unlike other conventional methods, lyocell bamboo is made using a closed-loop process that conserves water and minimises its environmental impact. Synthetic elastane fibre has been incorporated into the garments to give the stretch you need. However Airoc are searching for a natural alternative. As soon as it exists, they say they will be the first in line to use it. Until then, know that wearing Airoc is still vastly kinder to the environment and your skin than synthetic fabrics (virgin or recycled).

Ether Bamboo Training T-shirt £59.00 Colours available – Atlantic, stone, midnight and a limited edition in salmon at £65

Mode Bamboo Training T-shirt £59.00 Colours available- Burnt olive and midnight

The Classic Bamboo Training T-shirt £69.00 Colours available: Burnt olive and midnight

The Brad Bamboo Training Vest £52.00 Colours available: Burnt olive and midnight

Airocwear training socks are made of soft, antibacterial bamboo. Cushioned and plush for cooler training days. One size fits all. Limited production: 50 pieces. Available in midnight and mist £15.00 a pair.

Men’s Cool Weather Bamboo Training Socks 

Pangaia offers organic cotton with freshness that lasts.

Their 365 Midweight snap button hoodie is made from 100% organic cotton and treated with a peppermint finished developed by Pangaia called  PPRMINT™  It keeps the garment fresh and allows you to go longer between washes, saving water and energy, and lengthening the lifespan of your hoodie. Available in Moss green, twilight black and grey marl

Mens Green 365 Midweight Snap Button Hoodie | PANGAIA

Teamed with 365 mid weight mid-length shorts in 100% organic cotton and treated with their trademark peppermint oil PPRMINT™  Available in various colours

Mens Green 365 Midweight Mid Length Shorts | PANGAIA £85.00

DNA FRUTFIBER™ T-Shirts FRUTFIBER™ is a bamboo lyocell base blended with cellulose fibers sourced from bananas and pineapple leaves. The natural fibres from the pineapple and banana leaves are by-products of the food industry. After the fruits are harvested, these fibrous leaves are typically thrown in landfill or burned, which can harm local ecosystems. Bamboo lyocell is made in a closed-loop production system that reuses solvents while saving water and energy. Available in moss green, scarab teal, black and raisin purple.

Mens DNA Frutfiber T-Shirt—moss green £75.00

Wearing natural fabric in underwear is also important.

Sockshop Lazy Panda boxer shorts are made from pure 95% bamboo fibre that keep your body’s skin fresher, drier and healthier during your day. The three pairs of shorts, which come in a strong tube box, are stretch fit with a convenient right handed keyhole fly. Bamboo is naturally odour-defying because it’s antibacterial (that’s one reason why it’s such a good crop for the planet and for growers, it doesn’t need pesticides!), with smooth fibres that are universally non-irritating, whatever your skin type. Bamboo has built-in moisture and temperature management too, so skin stays dry and comfortably cool, whatever the season.

Mens 3 Pack SOCKSHOP Lazy Panda Bamboo Boxer Shorts from SOCKSHOP £14.99 3 pairs 

Sockshop Lazy Panda also offer bamboo sports socks.The socks encase the foot in a soft, bamboo rich terry loop knitted padding, cushioning you from shocks, knocks and impacts, while also helping keep you dry by absorbing sweat. Besides its gentle feel, bamboo-based yarn is also far more moisture-absorbent than even cotton — up to three times in fact. Their low ankle socks benefit from bamboo’s all-round skin kindness, breathability and ability to regulate temperature to keep feet comfortably cool. The socks have woven-in arch support bands that also assist in keeping the socks in place on the foot during activity, and have flat, smooth toe seams to prevent unwanted rubbing on the toe joints.

Mens and Ladies 3 Pair SOCKSHOP Lazy Panda Full Cushion Bamboo Sports Trainer Socks £7.99 in black or white.