7 Organic Cotton Leggings Giving You Conscious Comfort Everyday
When it comes to organic cotton leggings, we can’t think of anything we’d rather wear whether traveling, working from home, doing morning pilates, or running Saturday errands.
That’s because in the debate between regular vs organic cotton, the latter is the clear winner.
Because most activewear—even eco-friendly sportswear—is usually manufactured from some form of chemical-laced plastic (AKA synthetic materials) we’d prefer to get sweaty in something safer.
In support of cleaning up our activewear acts—and our cotton, the world’s “dirtiest’ crop—we’ve rounded up the best organic cotton leggings for women (or men!).
Everything we recommend to you on Sustainable Jungle is independently researched and we ask all brands to confirm their claims. To avoid waste, we test products on an as needed basis. This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission. Learn more about why we do this here.
Our (Cotton) Picks For The Best Organic Leggings
Making entirely organic leggings is tricky; they usually need some degree of elastane to stretch and return to shape.
But that hasn’t stopped Eileen Fisher from making 100% organic cotton leggings that also don’t lose their shape over time.
That said, you can bet your cotton-covered bottom dollar that tentree’s 95% cotton leggings are as fitting for some light exercise as they are for some cozy Netflix and chill.
Curious about how we find these natural leggings?
Naturally, you can find out at the end of the article.
The Full List Of Women’s Organic Leggings
- Eileen Fisher | Visit Store
- tentree | Visit Store
- MATE The Label | Visit Store
- Pact | Visit Store
- Rawganique | Visit Store
- Thought | Visit Store
- People Tree | Visit Store
1. Eileen Fisher
About Eileen Fisher
Price Range: $78–148
New York-based Eileen Fisher is one of our favorite slow fashion brands, but that doesn’t mean you’ll feel slow in their simple, elegant clothing.
This Certified B Corp has a huge line of ethical and sustainable apparel for all functions, activities, and body types, meant to move in tandem with real everyday life.
Run, stretch, exercise, or travel in their women’s organic leggings.
For something a little lighter, check out the Lightweight Cotton Jersey Sleep Leggings in that same pure fabric.
Eileen Fisher’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Eileen Fisher organic cotton leggings are 100% GOTS-certified cotton.
They also offer some cotton blend leggings, which feature TENCEL™ Lyocell and some spandex.
Supply chain & labor practices:
EF aims for supply chain transparency and tells you online where (and who!) grows their materials. The cotton comes from a third-generation farmer named Dosi Alvarez in New Mexico.
The leggings are then made in Vietnam.
EF upholds the highest standards of labor ethics through unannounced factory and farm audits and a strict Code of Conduct
Green business practices:
Between the Renew and Waste No More programs, EF has given second like to over one million garments by either reselling or transforming them into other products
Renewable energy-powered stores, green office buildings, and partnerships with Textile Exchange and bluesign® also help them to achieve their sustainability goals.
Inclusivity:
Representative of this sustainable plus-size clothing brand, Eileen Fisher’s 100% cotton leggings come in an inclusive range of XXS–3XL.
Community & charitable giving:
The Eileen Fisher Foundation awards $200,000 yearly to organizations that help women in the field of environmental justice globally.
Additionally, the label is involved with social initiatives, like the Women’s Business Grant Program, empowering female-owned businesses.
2. tentree
About tentree
Price Range: $30–$68
Canadian B-Corp tentree carries an impressive range of eco-friendly clothing that puts both your wellness and the planet’s first.
In addition to being one of the best sustainable outdoor clothing brands for more technical gear, their men’s and women’s everyday apparel includes hoodies, sweatpants, and of course, organic women’s leggings.
Between sustainable materials and supportive high waists, tentree’s leggings are meant to benefit both your natural curves and the planet’s.
tentree’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
tentree offers two styles of soft, breathable fair trade cotton blend leggings.
The Organic Cotton Leggings are a 95/5 blend with elastane, while their High Rise Organic Cotton Leggings are 91/9.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Both leggings are Fair Trade-certified sewn, with the high waist option also being Cradle2Cradle certified.
tentree features a transparent website with a full Factory Ledger, plus relevant manufacturing certifications—like WRAP, BSCI, and SA8000—in addition to their B Corp status.
Suppliers and factories are regularly inspected and held to an ethical Code of Conduct.
Green business practices:
Each product has an Eco Log to demonstrate how their eco friendly manufacturing approaches reduce waste, save water, and minimize CO2 emissions.
If customers want to impact the planet even better, carbon offsets are for purchase on their website.
Inclusivity:
These organic cotton workout leggings run XS–XL.
Community & charitable giving:
The label’s name comes from the fact that they plant literally ten trees for every garment purchased. By 2030, they will have planted one billion trees!
3. MATE the Label
About MATE the Label
Price Range: $78
Looking for a mate to stretch with?
Look no further than LA-based MATE the Label. They coined the term Dress Clean®, and they mean it with their natural, non-toxic, and affordable ethical clothing.
Whether you’re getting ready to sleep in their sweatpants, or ready to sweat in some organic cotton athletic leggings, they’re a good mate, indeed!
MATE the Label’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Choose between organic black leggings or bone white ones, both made from 92% GOTS cotton and 8% spandex.
All dyes used are non-toxic, low-impact, and free of 49 harmful chemicals.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The material is grown in Maharashtra, India, knitted in the US, and ethically made into clothing at a factory within 17km of MATE’s LA HQ.
What’s the benefit of organic cotton leggings made in the USA?
It means higher labor standards than developing countries. Although not certified, they meet fair trade criteria to ensure they’re safe, fair, comfortable, and compliant with labor laws in California.
Green business practices:
MATE the Label promotes regenerative farming practices through a membership with the California Cotton & Climate Coalition.
The Climate Neutral Certified company also recycles previously loved MATE items through their circularity program called reMATE.
Inclusivity:
MATE is founded and run by women and offers XS–3XL for those seeking organic cotton leggings in plus sizes.
Community & charitable giving:
With a clear mission to clean up the fashion industry, the label is “clean from seed to skin”.
This includes giving back a percentage of profits annually to various sustainability causes through a partnership with Beam, a female-founded social-impact tech company ensuring their donations make the biggest impact.
4. Pact
About Pact
Price Range: $38–58
Love wearing organic cotton leggings with pockets?
Aren’t we all—and fortunately, Pact provides with their colorful Pureactive line—which also includes organic cotton maternity leggings in five colors.
Other offerings include those with stirrups to stop any pesky cuff creeping and more.
If your morning yoga class runs too close to the start of your work day, don their professional-looking Brushed Pintuck Legging and skip the need to change.
That’s just a small sampling of this sustainable activewear brand’s workout wear, which also includes eco-friendly bike shorts, joggers, bra tops, and bodysuits.
Pact’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Pact yoga pants feature either 89 or 92% GOTS-certified organic cotton blended with elastane.
They’re dyed with non-toxic and sustainable dyes.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Pact’s organic leggings come from raw materials sourced from India, which is also where their factories are located.
These factories are Fair Trade-certified, meaning safer working conditions, environmental protection, and zero tolerance for child labor or work abuse.
Their website tracks the number of workers’ lives positively impacted by their supply chain—at the time of writing this, it was 4,816 people.
Green business practices:
Pact is also a member of SimpliZero, to measure the carbon footprint of each item and track their offsetting progress toward becoming zero net carbon.
Orders are shipped carbon neural in packaging made of 98% recycled materials and a biodegradable bag.
They also ensure farming and factory methods that reduce water waste and energy use.
Inclusivity:
These organic leggings with pockets come in XS—XXL sizes.
Community & charitable giving:
Pact has a program called Give Back. Wear Forward. that accepts gently used clothing from anywhere, which is redistributed via non-profits.
5. Rawganique
About Rawganique
Price Range: $29–$69
Founded twenty-plus years ago by off-grid island homesteaders, Rawganique makes natural fiber products from seed to shelf for a toxin and plastic-free lifestyle.
Homewares and footwear aside, the label offers one of the most extensive ranges we’ve seen, from organic cotton capri leggings to those with pockets.
While not exactly organic fleece-lined leggings, the CINDY is entirely fleece—which is arguably better!
Rawganique’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Styles are primarily organic cotton, with styles ranging from 88% to 100% organic cotton (for their long-johns)
The brand also uses biodegradable elastic made from natural rubber.
Other natural fiber leggings by Rawganique feature linen and hemp fabric.
Supply chain & labor practices:
All Rawganique apparel is ethically produced in either the USA, Canada, India, Peru, Europe, in small, “sweat-shop-free” workshops.
Their cotton is grown in the USA or Europe.
Green business practices:
Featured in Rawganique items are no dioxin, formaldehyde, PFAS or PFOA, and no other harmful toxic chemicals.
Says Rawganique, “The answer is yes, our products are really pure. We know this because we grow, comb, spin, weave, knit, and sew them, so we know what goes in (and doesn’t go in) to our organic products.”
Inclusivity:
XS – XXL sizes are available.
Community & charitable giving:
They’ve homesteaded on Denman Island in Canada and lived on raw organic foods for 20+ years.
6. Thought
About Thought
Price Range: $28–$38
If you thought you knew environmentally-friendly basics, wait until you try the super soft and affordable organic cotton leggings from UK-based Thought.
Their legging range is vast, and while not all are organic, you’ll find several styles that are, including the Essential organic cotton cropped leggings and Lavantia “treggings”.
These trousers-meet-leggings are so comfy and chic, they can be worn day or night.
Thought’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
All styles of organic leggings are 95% GOTS-certified organic cotton and 5% elastane jersey.
The treggings are 68% organic cotton, 28% recycled nylon, and 4% elastane jersey.
Other styles blend this mainstay material with bamboo viscose or recycled nylon.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Thought is thoughtful about their supply chain, which must follow their fair trade code of conduct. They make sure it is upheld through Chinese factory visits and reviews.
They’re also founding members of impact initiative Common Objective, as well as the Ethical Trading Initiative, which advocates for worker’s rights.
Green business practices:
They ship over sea using boats rather than air freight to reduce their carbon footprint.
Fabric scraps are turned into new products as much as possible.
Their garment bags are 100% biodegradable, while outer packaging is recyclable.
Inclusivity:
You’ll find XS-XXL styles, which translate to US 2-16 and UK 6-20.
Community & charitable giving:
Thought is in partnership with Traid, allowing people to donate clothes (Thought or not) to be donated to those in need or recycled.
7. People Tree
About People Tree
Price Range: $38–$66
Fun fact: People Tree was the first clothing brand to ever be Fairtrade-certified.
Based in London, these ethical clothing pioneers have created “truly conscious clothing” for more than thirty years.
They offer everything from sustainable denim, dresses, tunics, sweaters, and trousers to modern basics like activewear, loungewear, and of course, a number of organic cotton leggings with pockets and without.
If you prefer your organic cotton yoga pants to be a little looser, their Billie Trousers might be for you.
People Tree’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
All styles are 95% GOTS-certified cotton and 5% elastane.
They’re also certified by Fair Trade, Soil Association, and PETA.
Supply chain & labor practices:
People Tree has led the way for thirty-plus years with transparent, ethical, and responsible labor practices.
More than 90% of their supply chain is Fair Trade-certified, and they’re regularly working to improve this number.
Green business practices:
Using only organic or fabrics made closed-loop, most garments are ethically handmade and/or manufactured using water and chemical-saving methods.
Their Environmental Policy further highlights their many green approaches to business.
Inclusivity:
Whether the sustainable work clothing you’re changing out of or the organic cotton yoga leggings you’re changing into, XS–XL sizes are available.
Community & charitable giving:
Through the People Tree Foundation, they fund small grassroots causes, for example in Kenya.
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How We Chose The Best Women’s Organic Leggings
When it comes to organic leggings, women should be able to don them feeling confident not only in how they make your butt look, but how they benefit the world.
Plus, they should be associated with good health and comfort—yoga and organic gardening in some comfy leggings, anyone?
The fabric covering our bottoms should likewise reflect good health and to find those that do, we used our sustainable and ethical fashion guide to suss out the truly sustainable from the greenwashed.
Materials:
As far as natural fiber leggings go, organic cotton (much like organic cotton sweatpants) is the cream of the literal crop.
Because 100% organic cotton leggings are tricky due to their stretchy needs (especially for the gym) we looked for those with more than 80%.
While sustainability certifications are not 100% fail safe, being certified is a step in the right direction and helps build consumer trust.
We also like to see those with non-toxic dyes and tested for toxic chemicals.
- Certifications: Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), bluesign®, Soil Association, Cradle2Cradle, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
Supply chain & labor practices:
Leggings are essential to a minimalist wardrobe, and so is transparency—though we think they’re essential to ANY wardrobe!
We like an easily accessible code of conduct from brands, and proof they are fulfilling commitments of ethical practices like workers rights protection, environmental protection, living wages, freedom from harassment and child labor, and sweatshop-free manufacturing.
Manufacturing certifications that help navigate this.
- Certifications: Fair trade, B Corporation, Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI), Social Accountability International (SA8000), Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP)
Green business practices:
Creating a quality garment that will last for thousands of wears is the most green practice of all.
After that, we look for things like closed-loop manufacturing and garment disposal processes, carbon offset programs, responsible packaging, regenerative agriculture suppliers, and local supply chains.
Inclusivity:
Advertising makes us think we all need to be blonde and rail thin to be successful and loved–and we’re over it!
We look for thorough size ranges, businesses owned and operated by female or minority groups, and diversity in model casting to fulfill inclusivity criteria.
Community & charitable giving:
Leggings feel even better when you know it helped someone or something.
We’re happy that most brands on this list are providing funds, time, or awareness to effect positive social and environmental change.
Final Thoughts On Organic Cotton Yoga Leggings
We’d love nothing more than to live 24/7 in our favorite pair of leggings—and we love that they let our body breathe as much as they give the planet a breather, too.
Avoiding fast fashion depends (in part) on avoiding synthetic fibers because they are cheap and abundant, which is why slow fashion brands are so important to invest in.
But before you rush to purchase your next pair, remember that the most sustainable option is the clothing already in your wardrobe.
If your most beloved leggings are getting a little threadbare, the next best option is to go for used leggings from online thrift stores.
But if you can’t find them there, purchase any one of these women’s organic leggings to champion a more sustainable garment industry.
We know you all have someone (or everyone) in your life that shares your love of leggings, so please pass this article along.
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