Conceptualised by Pip Edwards and Claire Tregoning in Sydney Australia back in March 2016, P.E Nation is an extremely contemporary activewear brand that keeps sustainability at the forefront of their practices. Featuring a vivid selection of styles from nostalgic 90s streetwear to technical sportswear, there’s something for everyone to love here.
Designed to ‘perform all day, every day’, the brand’s sustainable workout clothes are at once fashion-forward and functional by nature. Whether you’re heading out to meet your friends or hitting the gym after work, there’s certain to be a style that suits your vibe. Let’s take a deep dive into the ethos of this modern brand.
WHAT MAKES AND ACTIVEWEAR BRAND ECO-FRIENDLY AND SUSTAINABLE
First things first, let’s talk about the facts. You might have come across the term ‘fast fashion’. Put simply, 'fast fashion' describes clothing that is cheaply manufactured and may boast a load of issues when it comes to sustainability. For example, the companies producing these products may not ensure that workers are paid fairly, avoid chemical toxins, or use recyclable materials.
Frankly, that’s just the tip of the iceberg—there are plenty of ways that these businesses could be damaging the planet and hindering human rights.
What makes an activewear brand eco-friendly and sustainable? Sustainable activewear brands commit themselves to making a positive change in all of these areas. For instance, they may partner with sustainable organisations and ensure that they align with global human rights guidelines. Whenever you’re researching a sustainable activewear brand, it’s worth looking into the company’s existing practices as well as any future commitments or goals.
IS P.E NATION ACTIVEWEAR SUSTAINABLE?
Finding attractive and sustainable activewear shouldn’t be hard. Before you buy a brand new pair of leggings, trainers or even a sports top, you may want to understand how eco-friendly and sustainable they are. As the world gets more conscious of these pressing issues, it’s only natural that you want your clothes to look good while doing good for the planet. So, where does P.E Nation fit into this picture?
Despite not currently being rated on the Good On You index, the leading sportswear company has launched ‘Our Conscious Nation’ as a commitment to its ongoing sustainability. According to the sportswear brand itself, the new initiative aims to “raise awareness and offer transparency around our commitment to holistically implementing meaningful and sustainable business practices, in order to reduce our impact on the environment, across every aspect of production, right through to packaging and delivery.”
Of course, actions speak louder than words. That’s why P.E Nation released a line of 100% organic cotton tees and tanks and the STRIKE SET recently. The latter boasts the Vita Power by Carvico, a fabric consisting of ECONYL® regenerated Nylon. Over the last 12 months, a massive 72% of P.E Nation's designs were made from sustainable fabrics or natural yarns, which was double the amount of the previous year.
It’s important to recognise that no company is perfect—not yet, anyway. However, it’s clear that P.E Nation is making moves in the right direction. The company says that they are continually changing its practices to become more sustainable and keep up with the ever-changing world of fabric development.
IS P.E NATION ACTIVEWEAR ETHICAL?
Next up, let’s address another important question: that of ethics. Modern-day companies have a responsibility to ensure that the products they produce don’t come with a hefty price tag when it comes to international human rights. Fortunately, this is an area in which P.E Nation is more than well-versed.
“P.E Nation recognises our role and responsibilities in protecting human rights across our supply chain thru (sic) ethical and sustainable business engagement with our supply chain partners whilst incorporating a commitment to upholding the United Nations Guiding Principles on business and human rights,” states the company website.
Additionally, the brand is an official member of SEDEX, an international organisation pioneering improvements in ethical and responsible business practices throughout global supply chains. The company website states that P.E Nation is committed to ensuring the well-being of workers across its entire supply chain. The company also follows the ETI Base code, meaning that all workers have access to both proper rights and a living wage.
IS P.E NATION'S PACKAGING SUSTAINABLE?
P.E Nation has certainly taken some giant steps towards boasting sustainable packaging and has yet more plans for the future. The company has transitioned to full-recyclable packaging, which is great news for the planet. Thanks to a partnership with The Better Packaging Co, the materials used to pack the brand’s products can be recycled. The company ships items in compostable envelopes and satchels as well as P.E Nation drawstring bags, which are made entirely from recycled rPET (post-Consumer waste plastics) materials.
Aside from that, the company has redesigned all of its swing tags and labels to include recycled cupboards. Soon enough, the brand also plans to use rPET for all its swing tags and 100% recycled polyester yarns for its woken and care labels.
To help decrease any environmental impact, the company has a plan to introduce new recyclable cardboard boxes as well as a compostable black roll-down bag to its extensive range. Finally, P.E Nation has made a promise to use heat press printing and ensure that its well-known branded patches are always made from recycled materials in the future.
WHAT ARE P.E NATION'S SUSTAINABILITY GOALS FOR THE FUTURE?
As we have already covered, the brand already offers a robust range of eco-friendly sportswear as part of its Sustainability Edit. We can expect this varied selection of sustainable workout clothes to continue to expand in the months and years to come. Since the work is never fully done, P.E Nation also recently partnered with i=Change and are now supporting an alliance with Restore The Reef.
While the brand has come a long way in recent years, there’s always room for improvement. That’s why, from June 2021, they will be embarking on a new partnership with Seabin to support their work when it comes to cleaning the oceans and getting rid of manmade rubbish, debris and, of course, the dreaded microplastics.
THE TAKEAWAY
P.E Nation is one of the brands that is truly leading the way when it comes to ethics, sustainability, and eco-friendliness. Like most companies, this one still has some way to go to reach its goals. However, it’s clear to see that the brand’s founders are more than dedicated to the challenge. So, if you’re in the market for some sustainable workout clothes that look as good as they are for the planet, look no further.
