What’s the deal: vegan workout gear

Whenever we hear the word vegan, our minds jump to food. While I have had a good time checking out smoothie shops and snacking on vegan muffins with friends who are vegan, I’m also reminded that veganism isn’t a diet, it’s a lifestyle, expanding to making ethical decisions with regards to animals in other facets of life beyond food.

Vegans forgo wearing any clothing that was made with animal byproducts, as well as from using any cosmetics or shampoos which are tested on animals or include animal ingredients. Runners spend a lot of her time in workout gear, but is any of it vegan appropriate?

Which fabrics and materials are vegan friendly? Which aren’t?

Non-vegan materials include:

• Leather
• Silk
• Down
• Wool
• Cashmere

Vegan materials (that are commonly occurring in athletic wear) include:

• Spandex
• Rayon
• Polyester
• Nylon
• Linen
• Cotton
• Elastic

Sweat-wicking workout gear is mostly polyester – about 90 per cent– with some spandex, meaning it passes as vegan. Sports bras, like other workout gear, generally get a pass: one if mine is 59 per cent polyester, 22 per cent nylon and 19 per cent spandex.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has made figuring out whether or not your running shoes are vegan or not simple with their compiled list. I wear New Balance, so my shoes are vegan, but the company has said that they cannot speak for their glue supplier, meaning part of the process may not be vegan-friendly.

Judging from one outfit, it didn’t seem too hard to outfit oneself as a vegan runner. The only immediate standout are merino wool shirts, which are often used as base layers during winter.

If you’re a runner experimenting with the vegan lifestyle, outfitting yourself with vegan workout gear shouldn’t prove too hard (and we have recipe recommendations too).