7 Affordable and Sustainable Leggings You’ll Never Want to Take Off

February 9, 2021

February 9, 2021

editor's note:

Explore this curated list of our favorite budget-friendly sustainable leggings.

The days of only wearing leggings during workouts are long gone. Now—between working from home, taking Zoom classes, and relaxing—we hardly ever take them off. The next time you’re shopping for sustainable leggings, try one of these picks. They’re ethically produced, shipped in responsible packaging, and made from eco-friendly fabrics and dyes. What more could you want?

1. Boody 3/4 Leggings

Price:

$25

Our Take:

Boody is an EcoCert, OEKO-TEX, and FSC-certified company. It's also PETA-approved vegan, and its clothes are made in certified WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production) factories. All of Boody's products are made from organic bamboo that contains zero chemical pesticides. When compared to traditional yarn, this bamboo yarn has plenty of benefits: It saves water, reduces CO2 and increases oxygen, works to prevent soil erosion, and helps stop deforestation.

2. Pact Go To Leggings

Price:

$35

Our Take:

Pact houses certified Fair Trade factories that use organic cotton—aka, according to the Pact business model, Earth’s Favorite Fiber. Pact also allows customers to opt for carbon offsetting of their orders by calculating how far the shipment is, the carbon footprint it creates, and how much it costs to locally offset that footprint. There's even a donation program that allows customers to return used clothing items and have them sent to nonprofits. Extra bonus: Pact reuses its boxes (which are made with 98% post-consumer recycled materials) and the packaging is either recyclable or biodegradable.

3. Satva Reflection Highwaisted Legging

Price:

$58

Our Take:

Satva is a Fair Trade-certified company that strives to use recycled materials like recycled polyester, when applicable. It follows the Organic 100 Cotton Standard, using no pesticides or fertilizers in its hypoallergenic cotton. The company also doesn't use any chemicals in its products, including its non-toxic, plant-based dyes. Another perk of buying from Satva is that the company doesn't shy away from using its platform to empower women, fighting hard to improve women's educational opportunities.

4. Tentree inMotion High Rise Legging

Price:

$58

Our Take:

For every purchase made with Tentree, ten trees are planted. (Get it?) Tentree is a certified B-Corp that makes conscious choices about the materials used in its products, ranging from TENCEL to recycled polyester to organic cotton to hemp. This conscious decision-making can be illustrated with the fact that a Tentree sweatshirt uses an average of 75% less water than other sweatshirts on the market. Plus, Tentree's products are made under ethical and safe working conditions.

5. LA Relaxed Classic Rib Legging

Price:

$64

Our Take:

LA Relaxed only uses vegan and cruelty-free materials in its products, and everything is produced in small doses in an effort to minimize waste and maximize quality. The company uses local factories employed with fairly paid workers, making sure all of its suppliers are also treated and paid equally. Moreover, its fabric mills are all Bluesign-certified. In addition, LA Relaxed uses a multitude of eco-friendly fabrics including organic cotton, TENCEL (modal and lyocell), linen, hemp, and EcoViscose.

6. Girlfriend Collective High-Rise Legging

Price:

$68

Our Take:

Girlfriend Collective often uses eco-friendly or recycled materials (like its own offcuts!) to reduce waste. It has a clear layout regarding how it manages its wastewater and limits chemical usage in its products. The company also runs a Social Accountability International-certified factory, which guarantees workers living wages, safety, and good health. The brand fully embraces body positivity, carrying a wide range of sizes to accommodate many different body types.

7. Honorable Mention: PrAna Pillar Legging

Price:

$69

Our Take:

PrAna is a Bluesign and Fair Trade-certified business that embraces the concept of "Clothing for Positive Change," (aka CP4C). CP4C revolves around the idea that we, as consumers, can make a difference by simply questioning where our clothing comes from and how it's made. The brand encourages consumers to post what positive change means to them on their social media, mirroring what PrAna views as positive change: clothes made with respect and responsibility. PrAna practices this view by making its clothes with organic cotton, recycled wool, and RDS-certified down, all while distributing them in responsible packaging.