We have two similar but different black leggings in our shop. Both are made from sustainable fabric and have the same fit. What’s the difference between them and how to choose the right yoga leggings for you?
Recycled Nylon: Black Flamingo Yoga Leggings
Our Black Flamingo leggings have been in our selection since end of 2018. They are made from ECONYL® regenerated nylon mixed with elastane (Lycra® XtraLife™). What are the most important features of this material and why did we choose this fabric?
• It has great coverage – No more showing your undergarments in downward dog!
• It feels silky soft on the skin and the relatively thin (though, after all, thickness is subjective!), smooth material lies completely flat against the skin
• It’s great for water activities because it is highly UV protective, is resistant to sun creams and oil, and is ultra chlorine resistant.
The reason why most of activewear today is made of synthetic fabric is, that when done right, the fabric helps dry sweat faster by pulling the sweat away from the skin, out of the clothing, and into the environment. It means that during and after a sweaty yoga lesson your Black Flamingo leggings dry fast and keep your comfortably fresh.
Cons of recycled nylon:
• Can feel cold against the skin in cold weather
• It can release microplastics when washing (always use Guppyfriend washing bag for washing all your synthetic clothing!)
• At the end of their life, the waste produced by synthetic fibres is generally not very good for the environment. When burnt, they can produce poisonous gases. When landfilled, they take a long time to degenerate as they are non-biodegradable and the chemicals used in their manufacture can leach out into the environment. On the other hand, if taken care properly, our Black Flamingos last for a very long time as the fabric is very durable! Remember also that Arctic Flamingo takes your old Arctic Flamingo leggings back, and repair and clean them in order to sell in them in our second hand online shop. Read here more!
Our Black Flamingo leggings are ideal for yogis who love to do very physical sweaty practice and value opaque, quick-drying, moisture wicking yoga clothes.
You can buy them HERE!
Black Tencel™ lyocell yoga leggings
Our Black lyocell leggings are made with Tencel™ lyocell fibers produced by the Austrian company Lenzing AG. These leggings are new product in our shop, but we have high expectations for them! Tencel™ is arguably one of the most eco-friendly fibres on the market and we think it is important to bring an alternative to synthetic leggings to our shop. So why did we choose Tencel™ as a material and not for example organic cotton? What are the most important features of our Tencel™ leggings?
• They are made of plant based material. It feels and looks like cotton, but has a significantly smaller environmental impact, requiring 10 to 20 times less water and no pesticides whatsoever.
• Tencel™ lyocell fabric that we use, is manufactured in Germany
• Leggings have great coverage
• They feel warm against the skin also in cold weather.
• Tencel™ lyocell fabric helps wick moisture from the skin
• Tencel™ lyocell has antibacterial properties – Meaning your leggings won’t start to stink after sweating!
Cons of using Tencel™ lyocell in yoga leggings
• Tencel™ is currently much more expensive to produce than cotton. Our leggings are more pricey compared to organic cotton leggings available out there.
• Plant based material like Tencel™ Lyocell is not as durable as synthetic fabrics used in yoga wear.
• We wanted to make the leggings opaque, so the fabric needs to be heavy. For hot weather the leggings might be too thick!
• As a plant based material Tencel itself is biodegradable fiber, but as we need to mix it with elastan to make the leggings stretchy, the thing gets more complicated and we can’t say that our leggings are biodegradable.
Our Black Tencel™ leggings have our signature tummy-hugging, high-rise waistband. We didn’t sew an elastic in the waistband as the fabric is not slippery and in our opinion stays up during your practice also without it.
For whom are our Black Tencel™ leggings a great choice? For yogis who prefer to wear natural, cotton-like fabric against their skin.
You can buy them HERE!
We hope this article helps you to decide which yoga leggings work for you the best! If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact us!
Posted by Inkeri, the founder of Arctic Flamingo