Movement has always been part of my lifestyle — from strength training to Pilates, running, mobility work and recovery sessions. I live in activewear. So when I started developing painful rashes after certain workouts, I began a long trial-and-error process trying to find the cause.

Eventually, I discovered something I would never have expected:

the irritation was coming from the activewear itself.

That realisation changed everything.

I started researching what performance fabrics are made from, and what I found was deeply worrying. Many leading activewear brands — even the ones marketed as premium — contain PFAS, BPA, phthalates, and many other harmful chemical additives. These substances are commonly used in synthetic sportswear to improve stretch, sweat-wicking, and durability… but they come with serious concerns.

New research shows that when you exercise, your skin heats up, your pores open, and your sweat mixes with oils naturally produced by your body. This combination helps chemicals in synthetic fabrics leach out and become available for skin absorption. In fact, experts note:

The more you sweat, the more chemicals you could absorb.

Studies have found:

• Bisphenols (like BPA) in sportswear at up to 40× the recognised safe limits
• PFAS (“forever chemicals”) in leggings and sports bras
• Links between these additives and hormone disruption, thyroid issues, immune effects, and more

It became clear to me:

We train to get healthier — but the clothes we sweat in might be silently working against us.