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With the COVID-19 pandemic that held us all hostage for many months, we’ve all had to spend more time indoors than was considered normal for us. While we work and pursue our dreams from the comfort of our homes, sweatpants and joggers have proven to be the perfect work-from-home combo. They are casual enough for whatever our days bring and provide us with the degree of optimal comfort we need to work at our best.
Sustainable fashion has naturally gained a lot of ground during this pandemic but while ethical brands for women are popping up on the daily, we acknowledge that sometimes it’s a challenge to find ethical and eco-friendly brands for the conscious man. Well, you can now say goodbye to your lack of options; we’ve curated 10 ethical fashion brands that produce ethical joggers and active wear that every kind of guy will want to wear.
These brands come in a range of price points and styles, and have been voted on by thousands of stylish, dapper, well-dressed men. Familiarizing yourself with some of them can immensely improve your personal style whether or not you are working from home, regardless if you’re old or young. These brands ensure that their employees earn fair wages, the materials are often eco-friendly, made from natural fibres or lower-impact on the environment, and the styles are timeless. Some of them cater exclusively to men while others produce collections for both women and men.
Without further ado, here are the conscious brands producing men’s joggers and sweatpants in no particular order:
1. KOTN
Founded in 2014, KOTN is the idea-child of three friends Rami, Ben, and Mackenzie. The brand has a sustainable range of products from shirts to chinos pants, but they made our list because of their gorgeous men’s sweatpants and joggers.
The sweatpants are all 100% cotton, made from the best cotton in Egypt (Giza cotton) and extremely comfortable to wear. The cotton is sourced directly from family farms in Egypt at set prices which cushions the farmers against seasonal fluctuations while also subsidizing costs of fertilizer and other resources for the farmers. KOTN also collaborates with local partners to stop the cycle of child labor while providing education for children from their cotton farming communities.
They come in really cool colours (red, yellows and blue), and will add much needed colour to your fashion scene. KOTN sizes their tops XS-XXL and their pants range from 29/30 to 38/32 making it quite size-inclusive.
2. Tentree
Canadian label Tentree is a master of the sustainable menswear game. Their very name ‘Tentree’ comes from the company’s earth-first business model; for every item purchased, they plant 10 trees in either Madagascar, Indonesia, Senegal, Nepal, Canada, Mexico, Peru, or Haiti. Currently, they’ve planted over 45 million trees and the ultimate goal is to grow one billion of them by 2030.
Tentree has a wide selection of products such as wallets, scarves, graphic tees, tank tops and soft sweatshirts, hoodies and sweatpants. The sweatpants mostly come in cool shades of deep blue, grey and browns. They are designed for maximum comfort, sizes range from S-XXL and this means that there’s something for everybody.
Tentree makes their clothes from sustainable fabrics including organic cotton, hemp, TENCEL, and REPREVE® recycled polyester. Working with Greenstep, they carry out impact assessments for each product even before production commences. All suppliers are required to sign the Tentree code of conduct.
3. prAna
While it was birthed as a division of sportswear giant Columbia, conscious brand prAna has charted a course of its own and has grown to be a popular name in ethical outdoor apparel. Because of its large inventory and range, not all of the fabrics are fair trade. However, when browsing their website you can filter to shop only fair trade garments. Also, all their clothes are made with the least amount of toxic substance possible thanks to their partnership with bluesign.
PrAna’s current loungewear collection boasts that it will take your work from home wardrobe to the next level with its soft and cozy wears. The collection is made from its Cardiff fabric (the blend of tencel, hemp and recycled poly) and still retains that feeling of comfort from sweats like you have washed them a thousand times.
Shop prAna’s range of joggers and sweatpants for men here.
4. Outerknown
The brainchild of surfing champion Kelly Slater and designer John Moore, Outerknown is founded on sustainability and responsibility to produce clothing that respects the world and its people.
Renowned for its outdoorsy, surf culture nature, this casual vibe cuts across its entire line of jeans, t-shirts, swim trunks and outerwear. The men’s short pants or joggers come in soft organic cotton and cool colours of grey and beige drawstrings that offer true comfort. Tops range from S-XXL, pant waists from 28”-38”, and inseam lengths from 30? to 34?.
Outerknown uses primarily natural fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, alpaca wool, and RDS-certified down. Outerknown believes “sustainability starts with transparency,” so they publish a full list of their suppliers in Peru, Mexico, and China. It’s also important to note that each Outerknown garment is Fair Trade Certified™ sewn.
5. Pact
Pact is a really cool sustainable brand that caters to both women and men, and just happens to make stylish, affordable (starting price US$45) joggers and sweatpants for guys – and all made under fair-trade conditions too! The best word to describe their sweatpants is “cool” because they are made with the kind of super soft 100% organic cotton that provides noticeable softness and a relaxed fit. They are also designed with a midweight jersey, 2-side pockets, drawstring waist, and have a straight leg through hip and thigh.
They come in quite a number options including Essential Sweatpants, Travel Pan, Woven Drawstring Short, Waffle Jogger, Woven Roll Up Pant and the Zip Jogger which offers side ankle vents. The sweatpants come in deep calm colours of oxblood and navy blue with the odd bright yellow thrown in.
Shop Pact fair-trade men’s joggers and sweatpants here.
6. Patagonia
I didn’t really want to talk about the big guys but you can’t talk about men’s sustainable clothing brands without mentioning Patagonia; one of the pioneers of sustainable apparel and continues to lead the way with its R&D investment into low-impact fibres and its marketing (check out its “Vote the Assholes Out” campaign). Its men’s active and outdoor wear is worn across the globe and is seen on adventurers climbing mountains, kayakers drifting through streams, yogis on the beach, and for whatever other physical activity you can think of.
Patagonia’s men’s sweatpants and joggers naturally bear their signature blend of style, sustainability and ruggedity. They are made with super soft organic cotton, and provide great stretches for easy movement. The brand also cautions against buying their products if you don’t need them, a refreshing rarity for an apparel brand.
7. Arms of Andes
Arms of Andes is one of those men’s wear brands that come loaded with a lot of heritage and rich history. Founded by California based siblings Meli and Rensso Hinostroza in 2018, the pair draw on their Peruvian ancestry and heritage to craft outdoors clothes for guys.
Their sweatpants and joggers come in soft Alpaca wool. To ensure that you appreciate this, Alpaca wool is known to regulate temperature and so the joggers are suitable for both the mountains and the cool jog around the park or the coffee and workstation life of these pandemic times. Their colours are mostly black and navy blue but I think the wool makes up for that. Sizes range from small to extra large with snug fits.
The brand sources its wool directly from family herders in Peru where the Alpacas are raised in small free-roaming herds. Production is also done in-country thus cutting carbon emissions and even the wool itself is compostable at the end of its life cycle.
8. Alternative Apparel
As the name implies, this brand provides an alternative to unethical fashion. And they have been around for quite a while; the company was founded in 1995 in the United States. Alternative Apparel is clear in what they want to achieve; their motto is soft, sustainable, and simple.
Their men’s sweatpants will provide you with quite a bit of options and my personal favourites are the animal skin and cargo designs because they offer an eye catching variation from normal men’s sweatpants. True to their motto, the sweatpants boast a simplicity of design while coming with the softness that we all crave.
More than 80% of its garments are made using sustainable materials. From eco-friendly practices, to fair, safe and clean workplace conditions, the brand is mindful to create garments that support, rather than destroy, communities and the planet.
Shop Alternative Apparel here.
9. Olivers
American brand Olivers is one of the brands on this list focused entirely on sustainable athletic gear. The joggers feature a four-way stretch and water repellent, tapered legs and a sleek silhouette “prime for frigid nights and soggy mornings”. Their Classic Sweatpants are made of ultra-soft 100% Japanese Supima cotton,and are inspired by vintage athletic gear but slimmed down for a “wear-anywhere silhouette”.
While their sweatpants are awesome and made in cool monochromatic colours, its their sustainability policies that deserve a big tick. Olivers promises that your clothes will last for at least a year (comes with a guarantee) and the brand will replace or repair any product “with a fault outside of normal wear and tear for up to 12 months” after initial purchase. Its fabrics are sourced from villages in Peru and farms in Australia.
10. Everlane
Founded in 2010, Everlane boasts of one of the biggest ‘ethical’ fashion inventories, everything from suits to sneakers (though there have been some disputes over its ethical claims, which you can learn more about here).
Everlane’s men’s French Terry sweatpants are the stuff of legend. It comes available in 100% cotton with a fit and style that is #stylegoals whether at home or outside the house. They are available in four colours and with the fine detailing including metal capped draw cords and triple-stitching in seams.
This list is not exhaustive of all the conscious fashion brands for men’s joggers and sweatpants but they are some of the best ones we think you should know about. Their pieces are comfortable, stylish and will prove timeless to your collection. So if you need to (avoid clutter and are time-poor), check them out and when you do, we’d love to know what you think.
Disclosure: Details are correct at time of publishing. Opinions are that of the writer’s. This curated list does not fully take into account all the ethical considerations that are unique to each individual. Before making a purchase, we encourage you to do your own research paying particular attention to the supply chain and your own particular set of ethics. You can also check out online tools and apps that provide product reviews and brand ratings here. Click here to read more about our policies. Cover image of KOTN Men’s Sweatpants in Deep Sea colour..
