Natural vs Plastics: Why Your Running Kit Deserves an Upgrade
Most runners don't think twice about what their kit is made of. It fits, it wicks, it was on sale, job done. But if you've ever finished a run smelling like a school changing room or thought twice about what you're washing into the water supply, it might be time to look at the label.
Here's the honest comparison.
The Problem with Polyester
Polyester dominates the running market because it's cheap and easy to produce. But it comes with a hidden cost. Every time you wash a synthetic top, it sheds thousands of microplastic fibres that pass straight through water treatment systems and into rivers and oceans. Wear it long enough and you'll also notice the other downside, synthetic fabrics trap odour. Badly. Once that smell sets in, it doesn't really leave.
It is also wholly dependent on our fossil fuel industry, it is all derived for petrochemicals, often from dubious sources….
For a sport that's supposed to connect you with the outdoors, running in plastic feels like a contradiction.
The Case for Natural Fibres
Natural fabrics work with your body rather than against it. They breathe better, feel better against your skin, and don't spend eternity in a landfill when you're done with them. We focus on two natural materials in particular.
Lyocell is made from sustainably sourced wood pulp through a closed-loop process that recycles most of the water and products used in production. It's incredibly soft, naturally odour-resistant, and gets better with every wash rather than worse (it genuinely does!) It's the fabric at the heart of the Fell Original Tee. Once you've run in it, polyester feels like a step backwards.
Merino wool is perhaps the most impressive natural performance fabric on the planet. It regulates your body temperature in a way synthetics simply can't. it keeps you warm when it's cold and cool when it's not. It's also naturally antibacterial, meaning you can wear it run after run without it holding onto odour. Lightweight merino is genuinely one of the best things you can wear on a long day out. It's a fabric we're hugely excited about, and one you'll be seeing from Fell very soon (but not as boring base layer, yawn….).
The Trade-Off (Let's Be Honest)
Natural fabrics do tend to cost more than their synthetic counterparts. Better materials, made in Portugal, lower emissions and smaller batches all add up. But we’d argue it’s worth it. Worth it for you, the hills, beaches and mountains you run on and for anyone that comes within 2 metres of you post run!
Not everyone will want to run in natural kit, and that’s cool, but we believe that everyone should at least have the choice.