Why Non-Toxic Activewear Matters
Most activewear on the market is made with synthetic fibers and chemical finishes designed to repel sweat, resist odor, or increase stretch. While these features are often marketed as "performance," they frequently rely on chemical treatments that remain in contact with your skin for hours at a time - especially during movement and high sweat activities.
For women, this matters more than most brands will ever acknowledge. Your skin is your largest organ, and what you wear during practices like yoga, Pilates, dance, or strength training isn't just about comfort or style - it's about prolonged skin contact, breathibility, and transparency around materials.
ish was created to challenge the idea that performance has to come at the expense of health. We believe that you shouldn't have to choose between feeling strong, feeling sexy, and feeling informed about what stays closest to your body.
PFAS in Activewear: What You Should Know
Many performance workout clothes are treated with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) to make fabrics water-resistant, sweat-repellent, or odor-resistant. These chemicals are often referred to as "forever chemicals" because they do not easily break down in the environment or the human body.
In fact, according to information by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PFAS are persistent compounds commonly used in products to resist moisture, oil, and stains. When used in activewear, these treatments can remain in prolonged contact with your skin- especially during high-movement activities where heat and sweat are involved.
Activewar is unique in that its often worn tightly against the body, in high-contact areas, for extended periods of time. While PFAS are not always disclosed by brands, growing awareness has led women to question whether these chemical finishes are truly necessary for performance or simply a shortcut.
At ish, we believe performance should come from fabric quality and construction - not chemical coatings.
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Chemical Finishes
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Prolonged Skin Contact
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Heat & Sweat
What Makes Activewear Toxic (or Not)
Now we're not here to fear-monger as not all synthetic fabrics are inherently harmful. However, what matters is how the materials are sources, treated, and finished. Concerns in traditional activewear include:
- Chemical coatings applied for moisture or odor resistance
- Heavy dye loads without transparency
- Finishes designed to mask poor fabric quality
- Excessive compression that traps head and moisture
Non-toxic activewear prioritizes breathability, softens, thoughtful construction instead of relying on chemical shortcuts. It focuses on reducing unnecessary treatments and choosing fabrics that perform naturally - without added coatings to compensate for inferior materials.
Transparency matters. Knowing what goes into your clothing - and what doesn't - allows you to make informed choices about what you wear during movement.
Our Approach to Non-Toxic Activewear
ish takes a materials-first appaoch to non-toxic activewear.
Rather than relying on chemical finishes to create performance, we prioritize thoughtfully sourced fabrics that feel soft, breathable, and supportive on the body from the start. Our core pieces are made using a LENZING modal blend with spandex, as well as cotton, selected for comfort, stretch, and durability - without relying on PFAS-based treatments.
PFAS are prohibited in the region where our garaments are manufactured, and ish does not intetionally use PFAS-based finishes or chemical coatings on our products. Instead, we focus on fabric quality, breathability, and construction to achieve performance, naturally.
By combining natural and responsibly sourced fibers with thoughtful design, ish creates non-toxic activewear designed to move with you - whether you're flowing, lifting, dancing, twerking, or living in your clothes.
Designed for Movement, Not Just Aesthetics
ish is rooted in movement - not trends.
Our pieces are designed by women who teach, train, and move daily. In fact, all the models on our site are real-life dance or fitness instructors. That lived experience informs everything from fabric selection to seam placement to rise and fit. We think about how clothing feels during squats, wide stances, dynamic transitions, shakes, and long days spent in and out of movement.
Non-toxic activewear shouldn't feel stiff, restrictive, or overly engineered. It should feel supportive, breathable, and intuitive! Like it's an extension of your body, not something you're constantly adjusting. Our approach to fabric and fit carries through everything we design - including what we believe are the best twerk shorts for real movement.
Non-Toxic Activewear for Real Bodies
Non-toxic doesn't mean fragile. Clean doesn't mean boring. Performance doesn't ahve to mean over-engineered.
ish designs activewear for real women with real bodies - bodies that move, sweat, stretch, soften, and strengthen. Our goal is to create pieces that feel confident, functional, and supportive without unnecessary additives or treatments.
This includes:
- Thoughtful pelvic-floor friendly rise and sculpting waistband
- Comfortable anti-compression yet supportive design that doesn't dig or trap
- Softness that doesn't over-stretch during your workout and holds over time
- Construction meant for repeated wear
| Scroll left to right | ish | Lululemon | Alo Yoga |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFAS-Free Fabrics | |||
| Non-Toxic Skin-Safe Materials | |||
| Designed for Twerk, Pilates, and Dance | |||
| Ultra-Soft Buttery Feel |
Why ish Was Created
ish was founded by a yoga / dance fitness instructor who has lived with endometriosis and spent years teaching yoga, pilates, and dance. Through her work, she became increasingly aware of how often women wear tight, high-contact clothing for long period of time - especially around the pelvis - without ever being told what materials or chemical finishes those garments contain.
That lived experience sparked a deeper curiosity about fabric sourcing, breathibility, and what "performance" in activewear really means. ish was created to offer a more thoughtful alternative: non-toxic activewear deisgned with transparency, comfort, and real mvoement in mind.
ish does not make medical claims. The brand is rooted in a simple belief - that women deserve to feel confident, informed, and supported in what stays closest to their bodies.
Who We're Made For
Choosing Better, Without Compromise
Non-toxic activewear isn't about fear - it's about awareness.
It's about choosing clothes that aligne with how you move, how you feel, and what matters to you. Its about performance that doesn't rely on chemical shortcuts and esign that respects the body.
ish exists for women who want to move freely, feel confident, and make informed choices - without sacricing style, comfort, or performance.