Sustainable Q&A

• What are some concrete measures that you have taken as a company to reduce fashion’s harmful impact on the environment?

  Material mindfulness - we try to use as many eco-friendly textiles as possible, either recycled or natural fabrics.

  Long lasting products - we strive to produce the highest quality, timeless pieces that are a real investment to your athleisure wardrobe.

  Limited production runs - We only produce small batch quantities, and in turn limit our waste.

  Sustainable factories - We only use EU factories that are certified in sustainable practice.

  Mindful packaging - Our boxes are made from 70% recycled material and are fully recyclable and themselves. 

• How ethical are your factories?

  In line with our French heritage, we have taken the decision to make 100% of our production in the EU. This gives us the comfort that our suppliers adhere to EU guidelines and government rules regarding environmental and social practices, including a fair minimum wage, good working conditions and chemical and waste management. We have been extremely strict in the selection process of our factory partners, having visited each and every one of them and having developed long standing relationships with them. European manufacturing also allows us to limit shipping miles to our European consumer and reduce the carbon footprint.

• How do you go about choosing your materials?

  In line with our French heritage, we have taken the decision to make 100% of our production in the EU. This gives us the comfort that our suppliers adhere to EU guidelines and government rules regarding environmental and social practices, including a fair minimum wage, good working conditions and chemical and waste management. We have been extremely strict in the selection process of our factory partners, having visited each and every one of them and having developed long standing relationships with them. European manufacturing also allows us to limit shipping miles to our European consumer and reduce the carbon footprint.

• What sustainable materials do you use? 

  We use recycled polyamide yarns in the form Q-Nova and RenewPrime, and natural fibres, including Merino, Modal and Tencel.

  RenewPrime is a 65% recycled bi-elastic and sustainable ECONYL®.  ECONYL® is a fiber made from recycled fishing nets and other waste that would otherwise be discarded into oceans and landfills.

  Q-NOVA®, which makes up 87% of our basic Technical Knit range, and 73% of our Design Technical Knit range, is an environmentally sustainable nylon obtained from regenerated raw materials and which meets given traceability requirements. Q-NOVA® is a highly ecological product which aims to reduce CO2 emissions,

• Why are you sometimes out of stock?

  As we grow as a young company and increase our production each year, we’re extremely careful to avoid overstocking and wastage by limiting our production runs and producing small batches of product. Striking the balance between overstocking and understocking is not easy, but we listen closely to the needs and wishes of our customers and do our best to ensure their favourite activewear pieces come back in stock as quickly as possible.

• How sustainable is your packaging? What are you doing to make it more sustainable?

  When you receive your Leoty order, know that the box is made from 70% recycled materials and is fully recyclable in itself. Our e-commerce boxes and thank-you cards come from FSC suppliers, which use FSC controlled wood for their paper production. Although our poly bags are not recycled, this is something that we are working towards.

• How can we make take care of our activewear to make it last as long as possible?

  We believe the secret to sustainable fashion lies in maximising the durability of garments, with a focus on high quality investment pieces. This being said, we always encourage our customers to take care of their clothes in order to further increase the longevity of our products. Each product page has detailed instructions on how to treat and clean our activewear, and feel free to email our customer service if you need more specific information.

• How can you improve your sustainability?

  Our increased use of recycled materials and 100% European manufacturing makes us far more responsible than many competitor activewear brands in terms of sustainability. This being said, we humbly accept that there are many ways we can improve and are working on it.

  Unfortunately, as a small brand, we are often constrained by factors that will impact how sustainable we can be. For example, when working with a new fabric, we are often faced with  the choice of a recycled fabric, which often have very high minimums orders and inevitable wastage for a small company such as ourselves, or a non-recycled fabric with much lower minimums, yet a greater impact on the environment. In other cases, a non-recycled fabric may embody the qualities we require for the highest quality activewear, such as a perfect soft feel. A similar recycled fabric on the other hand, may not have the technical properties that we require, but is a far more sustainable option. As we grow as a company, and as activewear fabrics available to us develop, these challenges will reduce. We are extremely mindful of these dilemmas and do our best to choose the sustainable solution. We will always try to work around limitations and focus on the production of long-lasting, investment pieces that are developed along as conscientious a production chain as possible.

• Can a fully sustainable fashion brand actually exist?

  Sustainability does not just refer to the carbon footprint - many other issues arise when it comes to producing garments, including water pollution and the use of natural resources. Unfortunately, there’s no single solution for all the environmental problems that the fashion industry poses. Sustainable fashion involves weighing the pros and cons and coming up with the best possible solutions. In our case, we try to work around limitations and focus on the production of long-lasting, investment pieces that are developed along as conscientious a production chain as possible.