This story is part of Glossy’s “Earth Week” series, highlighting how fashion and beauty companies are conquering challenges and driving industry progress around sustainability.
For years, content creator Tessa Smith’s health content focused on what went into her body. Her “What I Eat in a Day” videos, built around nutrition protocols, low-tox living and gut healing, have racked up more than 12.5 million views. But it wasn’t until she got pregnant that she started thinking seriously about what went on her body — specifically, her daily uniform of Lululemon leggings.
“I was so careful with food and supplements,” Smith told Glossy. “But I never questioned what was in my clothes. Then I realized I was putting PFAS-covered synthetics right over my belly and milk supply. That’s when it hit me.”
Smith, now a leading voice in the non-toxic lifestyle space with more than 363,000 Instagram followers and a growing Substack called “More Salt,” is part of a growing wave of wellness creators reframing fashion as a health conversation. For her audience, athleticwear is both the most essential and the most anxiety-inducing category to overhaul. Synthetic leggings dominate the market, but questions around microplastic shedding, PFAS exposure and long-term toxicity are making people rethink what stretch really costs.
That tension is reshaping how the athleticwear industry approaches innovation. At Milan Design Week in April, Under Armour took the stage with a plant-based reset. The brand unveiled its first regenerative sportswear capsule, made in partnership with Unless Collective, the zero-plastic label it acquired in August 2024. Designed to decompose after use, the capsule includes gender-neutral T-shirts, hoodies and shorts made entirely from natural materials like organic cotton, corozo nut buttons and natural latex. Prices range from $30-$160, with pieces hitting retail today, April 22.
“By using only plant-based materials, this collection is designed to decompose rather than pollute. Stretch is melted plastic. It works, but it doesn’t go away. And now we’re seeing it show up everywhere — our water, our food, even our bodies,” said Eric Liedtke, Under Armour’s brand president. “This is a shift away from these plastics that are built to last but never die.”
Presented inside an immersive installation showing products breaking down into soil, the capsule marked a public debut for the brand’s acquisition strategy, and a bigger pivot into material science as performance wear comes under pressure to clean up.
“Unless marks a bold move toward redefining what products can become when innovation is guided by regeneration,” said Kyle Blakely, Under Armour’s svp of innovation, development and testing. “Together, we’re pushing boundaries and opening doors to a more sustainable future.”
While Under Armour is focused on scaling regenerative design, Lululemon is taking a different approach. On its March 27 earnings call, CEO Calvin McDonald announced the upcoming launch of LuluLinen, a proprietary fabric that combines the aesthetic of linen with the sweat-wicking performance the brand is known for. The line will debut in the next couple of months and signals Lululemon’s move toward more natural fiber solutions.
Beyond big players, smaller brands like Mate the Label are becoming go-to names in the non-toxic fashion space. Los Angeles-based Mate the Label has built loyalty through its use of GOTS-certified organic cotton and low-impact dyes and is now an eight-figure brand. According to founder Kayti O’Connell Carr, activewear is its biggest growth category and the brand is constantly hearing from customers that they have recently made the switch from conventional synthetic activewear to cleaner options. Its minimalist sets, priced between $38 and $168, are regularly featured in Smith’s videos.
“Mate is amazing, but it’s expensive,” she said. “So I also show [in my Instagram try-on videos] Pact or even Old Navy. They’re not perfect, but they give people an entry point.”
Smith’s pivot to fashion is resonating because of how seamlessly it connects to the wellness narrative. Microplastics shed most aggressively from high-friction, tight-fitting synthetic garments, precisely what performance wear is designed for. Studies have shown these microfibers end up in lungs, livers and bloodstreams. PFAS, the “forever chemicals” found in many technical finishes, have been linked to cancer, immune dysfunction and reproductive harm.
And while consumers are increasingly aware, regulatory protections remain inconsistent, especially under the new administration that has shown reluctance toward sustainability-focused decision-making.
In March 2025, the Trump administration’s EPA proposed rolling back planned PFAS restrictions. A month later, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed autism rates were being driven by an “environmental toxin.” The statement was condemned by scientists and advocacy groups, but it tapped into growing consumer skepticism around chemical exposure and government oversight.
“If the government won’t regulate this stuff, consumers will,” said Smith. “People are learning to read tags the way they read ingredient labels.” Smith looks out for certifications like the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and Organic Content Standard (OCS) when she is shopping.
That scrutiny is pushing suppliers to act. On April 14, recycled fiber leader Unifi, maker of Repreve launched a partnership with Ciclo, a biodegradable additive that allows synthetic fibers to behave more like natural ones. The resulting yarns are designed to break down more easily after disposal and shed less harmful microplastics.
“We’re not just innovating for climate anymore,” said Meredith Boyd, chief product officer at Unifi, the makers of Repreve, which works with brands like Patagonia and Reformation. “Innovating for sustainability goes beyond recycled materials.”
“Textiles are responsible for 35 percent of microplastics in the ocean,” said Cheryl Smyre, vp at material innovation company Parkdale Advanced Materials that makes Ciclo. “Ciclo doesn’t compromise durability, but it changes what happens to those fibers after use. People want more from their clothes now — not just how they wear, but also how they behave after they leave your closet.”
While she appreciates the effort, Smith says she’s sticking with natural fibers, for now. “Even if it breaks down later, polyester is still plastic,” she said. “For my body and my daughter, I’d rather stick to cotton.”
That pragmatism defines much of Smith’s content. Rather than preach perfection, she focuses on slow transitions and accessible alternatives. “Start with your underwear,” she said. “Then maybe swap your sports bra. You don’t have to overhaul everything at once.”
