Our industry is rapidly evolving, as players from across bicycles, parts and apparel continue to push its boundaries.
For this month’s RETHINK, we are featuring five bicycle clothing brands that use recycled materials to make their clothes.
The concept is simple - to take old clothes and other products and upcycle them into some of the most cutting-edge bike apparel brands in the market.
Here is a list of our favourite five brands, but there are more out there doing something similar, so the next time you’re looking to buy something to cycle in, why not consider something truly ‘green’.
OORR
This online bicycle clothing store from Australia makes bibs, jerseys and accessories out of used coffee grounds and other recycled materials. They donate 50% of their profit to environmental causes, and plant 5 trees for every garment sold.
So far they have planted 10,000 trees, rescued 260 square metres of rainforest, and diverted 540kg of harmful landfill, all through selling OORR apparel. They also have a B Corp certification - a certificate that guarantees that all fabric manufacturing meets the highest environmental standards.
Pactimo
The motto at Pactimo is to “wow” you with “a less is more way of thinking”. They put the emphasis on the unboxing experience, using only recyclable packaging, with smaller hang tags made from recycled paper.
Credit: Pactimo
They also produce a range of their products using recycled fabrics - you can check those out here.
MAAP
MAAP currently makes the majority of their fabrics out of Green Soul technology, which combines 100% sustainable recycled fibres with the most environmentally friendly dyeing and finishing processes possible. The resultant products are high-quality, stylish blends of post-consumer polyester and pre-consumer sustainable premium elastane recycled from industrial waste.
Credit: maap.cc
By 2022 they aim to ramp sustainability up to 100%, sourcing all of their bike apparel fabrics from Bluesign® certified corporations - a certification that ensures that the full production process is eco-friendly.
Presca
This minimalistic bicycle apparel company uses only recycled fabrics and fibres and sends their products in recyclable or biodegradable packaging. Their clothes are made from waste resources such as recycled plastic bottles and old fishing nets, so when you wear Presca you’re not only investing in something sustainably made, you are literally clearing up waste.
Credit: Presca
Presca is also clear that their bike clothes are built to last, and are easily repairable. They make high-performance garments that you will enjoy wearing, out of everyday waste products that would otherwise end up in the environment.
Isadore
Isadore is embracing recycled chamois and polyester in a number of their clothing ranges. Their Alternative line for men and women is made of 100% recycled materials, and all their products are made locally, according to bluesign® international standards - standards that ensure that a product is eco-friendly.
They also produce their goods locally, very close to their warehouses in Europe, reducing the carbon footprint of their shipping process.
Other Isadore lines that embrace sustainability are Eco-Knit accessories (100% recycled Polyamide and Polypropylene yarns), bib shorts (recycled chamois), Movesta x Isadore Marathon shoes (100% recycled insole made from recycled polyurethane), and the Urban Shirt (organic cotton and recycled polyester fabric).
Credit: Isadore