Organic Sportswear: What the Label Actually Means

"Organic" appears on more and more sportswear. Sometimes there's a lot behind it, sometimes not much. This article explains what the term covers in sportswear and when organic cotton is the right choice for training — and when it isn't.

What "Organic" Means in Sportswear

Organic cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilisers. That's the difference from conventional cotton.

What "organic cotton" on a label doesn't tell you: how the fabric was processed and dyed afterwards, and what it's suited for. That's why a second look pays off.

When Organic Cotton Works for Training

Organic cotton isn't the right choice for every sport. Few brands will tell you that.

Where it works: Yoga, light training, mobility work, everyday wear. Anywhere you don't sweat heavily and breathability and skin feel matter more than quick drying. Organic cotton feels soft on the skin, and with a little elastane it moves with you.

Where it reaches its limits: High-intensity training, Hyrox, hard running sessions. Cotton absorbs sweat and stays wet. If you spend an hour in a damp shirt after a hard workout, you're better off with a material like recycled polyamide.

How We Do It at M23

Organic cotton is our main material — but not for every product.

T-shirts, tank tops, shorts, joggers and sweaters are organic cotton with 5–8% elastane. Where stretch and quick drying matter — leggings, biker shorts, pocket lining in joggers — we use recycled polyamide.

That's our answer to "organic sportswear": not a label on everything, but the right material in the right place.

Three Things You Can Check Before Buying

1. Is the exact composition stated? For example "95% organic cotton / 5% elastane" — with full fibre names instead of abbreviations.

2. Is the cultivation certified? "Organic cotton from certified cultivation" says more than a green label.

3. Does the material suit your sport? Cotton for yoga and everyday wear, quick-drying fabrics for intense sessions.

In Short

Organic sportswear is worth it when the material suits the use. Which M23 pieces are organic cotton and which are recycled polyamide is on every product page — no guesswork.