What's Really in Your Sportswear? Organic Cotton & Recycled Nylon — The Honest Material Guide
Share
Most brands will tell you their clothing is "sustainable" or "eco-friendly." We won't. Instead, we'll tell you exactly which materials are in M23 products, where they come from, and why we chose them — not for PR reasons, but because they work when you actually train in them.
Why Material Actually Matters in Activewear
Not for marketing. For you.
Bad materials make themselves known immediately: too heavy, clings to your body, loses its shape after five washes. Good materials you barely notice — they just work. That's the real benchmark.
Organic cotton and recycled nylon are in our products not because they sound good. They're there because they do the job we need them to do — yoga, outdoor fitness, Hyrox, everyday wear, everything in between.
Organic Cotton — What It Actually Means
Organic cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilisers. That's the fundamental difference from conventional cotton, where both are standard practice.
What that means for you when you wear the shirt: softer feel, more skin-friendly, no residual chemical issue for sensitive skin. What it means for the field where it grows: better soil health over time, less impact on surrounding groundwater.
Our organic cotton comes from Turkey — known for naturally long fibres that produce a dense yet soft fabric. That's not an accident. Longer fibres are less likely to break down, the shirt won't pill after three washes, and the shape holds.
Where you'll find organic cotton in M23: Clara, Chloé, Emma, Phil, Clint, Kobe, Zane, Luke, Charlie — the majority of the range, from tank tops to kids' joggers.
What organic cotton is good for: Yoga, light training, everyday wear, anything where breathability and skin feel matter more than quick-drying. Less suited for high-intensity sessions where fast drying is critical — that's what recycled nylon is for.
Recycled Nylon — Where It Comes From and Why It Makes Sense
Recycled nylon is made from existing material — in our case, industrial waste from Italy. No new raw material, no new petrochemistry.
Nylon is naturally more durable than cotton, more elastic, and dries significantly faster. Recycled nylon delivers the same properties — with the difference that no new base material needs to be produced.
Where we use recycled nylon in M23:
As the primary material in Lina (leggings) and Sue (biker shorts). Nylon sits closer to the body than cotton, stretches and returns to shape. For leggings, it's the logical choice.
And as a functional detail — as pocket lining in Emma, Clint, Zane, Chloé and Luke. Cotton pockets absorb sweat and dry slowly. Nylon lining dries fast, stays light, and holds up better. That's not a marketing detail. That's function.
What M23 Does — Concretely
We're a small Berlin label. No corporate structure, no anonymous supply chain.
Our production partners in Berlin and Bulgaria work with certified organic cotton and recycled nylon from Italy. We know them personally — that's the difference from brands that spread their production across three continents and still promise you "transparency."
What we don't claim: that we're perfect. Making sportswear always has a footprint. But we can tell you exactly what's in it, where it comes from, and who made it.
Care — Short and Practical
Good materials last longer when treated properly.
Organic cotton: 30°C, no fabric softener (it coats the fibres and reduces breathability), air dry. No tumble dryer — heat shrinks cotton.
Recycled nylon: Cold or 30°C, delicate cycle, air dry. Nylon doesn't tolerate high temperatures.
Both materials benefit from not being washed after every single training session — as long as you air them out afterwards. It extends their lifespan and protects the fibres.
If you want to know which M23 product suits your training best — check the shop. Every product has a material description that explains exactly that.