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If you’re like me, you haven’t started your new year’s resolution to stay active. Nevertheless, fortunately for the both of us, there is nothing to get you in the mood to hit the gym than a bit of retail therapy and a cute workout set. In honor of Women’s History Month, here are five of my favorite women’s owned activewear lines able to motivate anyone to get moving, or even lounge around the house. Oops!
With a vision for an athleisure company “connected by our love for all things active, we live to create what you want, because we’re at our best when you feel yours,” Lindsey Carter founded Set Active in 2017. Since then, her brand has thrived, with Hailey Bieber and Miley Cyrus sporting her active sets among other celebrities. Yet, aside from the celebrity fame, Carter herself should be looked up to, making Forbes’ 30 under 30 list in Retail and Commerce.
Although her inspirational and astounding success is reason enough to warrant Set Active’s place on my list, the brand’s material quality, range of colors and seamless fabric have me always anticipating their next drop of limited edition colors. Next drop is March 13th with a 25% discount that I can get behind. Titled, Bloopers, this drop will have you saying “Oops! I just spent way too much money at Set Active.”
2. Solely Fit
Stefania Okolie’s history in broadcast journalism made the revolutionary switch to starting her own activewear company a bold decision, but has proven to be a successful move. Solely Fit, founded by Okolie in 2018, prioritizes putting women’s bodies at the forefront of her designs to bring confidence and power to the women who wear her pieces.
The sporty but effortless pieces are perfect to pair with a coffee or pre-workout. Especially, as summer approaches, the newest launch of matcha-colored tennis skorts matches my warmer weather daydreams. I can already see it– playing an overly competitive pickleball game in July while sporting the cutest tennis outfit in the game!
3. Tala
Her Linkedin could make even your most successful connections pale in comparison. Grace Beverly, is not only the founder of Tala, but also the fitness tech brand Shreddy. But wait… there’s more, as she is also co-founder of AI Company Retrograde and owns a personal organisation brand. Additionally, somehow, she has also found the time to write the Sunday Time Best Selling self-help book Working Hard, Hardly Working and continue discussing women’s representation in media and entrepreneurship.
Success aside, Tala is on my top-5 list for its commendable commitment to sustainability and turning fast fashion into a thing of the past. Tala’s clothing and packaging are made from recycled and natural material but its eco-friendly business does not end there. Additionally, the ReTala website allows you to post sets that you don’t wear anymore for Tala to repurpose and recycle them, ultimately keeping them out of landfills. Newly launched in 2024, you can also buy these pre-loved pieces at a reduced price, helping your budget and the planet one sports bra at a time.
4. Roam Loud
Toyin Omisore is not the CEO, she’s the “Wanderer-in-Chief” of Roam Loud. Her unique and creative title isn’t the only thing that Roam Loud’s Athletic wear does differently. She is a Liberian-Nigerian American who, inspired by her grandmother, created an activewear and athleisure brand that puts “brown skin at the forefront and not an afterthought” of its design. To Roam Loud, means to move “through life with boldness and purpose,” which is exactly how Omisore started her brand with incredible integrity and hard work.
I confidently say there are very few other brands that have created a community the way Roam Loud has. Their new initiative, Take a Breath, partners with a BIPOC yoga studio or instructor every month to offer in-person wellness sessions open to everyone at no cost. Take a Breath has brought spaces of wellness and fitness dispelling financial barriers and encouraging BIPOC participation in California, Florida, and many places to come. Thus, you’ll want to join this community as much as sport its uniform as soon as you see their bold colors and seamless designs.
5. PE Nation
Co-founders Pip Edwards and Claire Greaves met in the Australian fashion industry, together starting PE Nation in 2016. PE Nation has since become a global enterprise working with ASICs, Reebok, Speedo, H&M, and Stanley to create versatile and quality street-wear that will get as many compliments in and outside of the gym. The transparent dedication to an ethical supply chain is also commendable and reflected in the membership to the Ethical Trading Initiative, ensuring good conditions for workers. Furthered by their commitment to the UN Fashion Charter, that aligns their sustainable sourcing with the goals of the Fashion Charter for climate change.
Synthetic activewear, made from polyester and nylon can have a particularly high carbon footprint, but PE Nation’s use of bamboo viscose, organic cotton, and recycled fibre allows conscious consumers to understand the environmental impacts of purchases made at PE Nation. On brand with this article, PE Nation is celebrating Women’s History Month with a marketing campaign that might just convince you to support a women-owned workout line with a few extra purchases!
As I was researching the brands I know and love, the stories of these inspiring women stood out to me. We all know about the gender pay gap, where women make 80 cents to a man’s dollar, but I also learned about the investment gap, where men-owned startups receive an average of 1 million dollars more than women-owned startups. This is despite the fact that women-owned startups earn “more than twice as much per dollar invested,” all the while seeking backers and finding funding remains exponentially more challenging for women.
The Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research records black-owned businesses “start with less money […] and invest money at a slower rate over time”, meaning the disadvantages faced by black-owned businesses go beyond preliminary investing. Furthermore, “evidence of lending discrimination against Black owned businesses” entrenches even more financial challenges for entrepreneurship. Despite evidence showing companies with more diverse leadership report better overall financial performance and outperform less diverse companies in regards to revenue from new products, this is not reflected in the financial backing of black-owned businesses.
Knowing the disparities facing women-owned businesses and intersectional disparities facing black-women-owned businesses at the same time of researching these success stories makes this list a worthy investment beyond Women’s History Month. Taking into account the people and missions that you are supporting with each of your purchases, makes retail therapy that much more cathartic. For me, at least, it motivates me to get off the couch and put on a cute new outfit!