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Pants: Naja (made with transparency) | Shirt: A Beautiful Refuge (fair trade, survivor-made) (similar)
When Naja debuted basic black pants as part of their activewear line, I couldn’t wait to give them a try. I’ve been a long-time fan of Naja’s lingerie as an ethical option for t-shirt bras and beautiful undies; I love that their manufacturing process places an emphasis on single mothers and women heads of household as well as environmentally-friendly printing practices. I felt sure they would apply the same quality and ethics to workout wear.
When I first saw the pants (they were a Christmas gift — thank you, in-laws!), my heart fell a little bit. I was sure there was no way my curvy, size-10 body was going to fit into those teeny, tiny pants. I’m happy to say I was pleasantly surprised.
Not only did I fit into the pants — the compression fabric added an extra smoothing factor I didn’t expect. No awkward bulges or panty lines in sight! I do wish the waistband was a little higher to help tuck my tummy a bit more, but overall I am pleased with the fit and quality. I’ve tested the pants with yoga classes and hip-hop dance classes, and they hold up well for both.
I paired my Naja pants with a tunic tank from A Beautiful Refuge. Remember that little start-up workshop you guys helped me fund last year? They are thriving and creating new designs. In fact, they are hoping to add more sewing capacity to their process soon, and my friend Hannah is moving to the Philippines to help the workshop continue their development.
This tank is just the right length for me to wear over leggings when I’m working out at my neighborhood gym. Since I often go straight from exercising to grocery shopping or picking up the kids, I love having a shirt that gives me a bit of extra coverage.
This particular shirt is sold out (woohoo! good job, y’all!), but you can find similar designs here and here.
Check back later this week for even more ethical activewear brands! I can’t wait to tell you about more of my favorites.
