The Only Activewear Brands Worth Knowing, According to Our Editors (2024)

When shopping for activewear, you've got a lot of options. In recent years, there seems to be a new activewear brand popping up and gaining devoted fans on the regular. I consider this both a blessing and a curse—maybe you do too. Well, it's a blessing because who doesn't love variety? I for one have my favorite brands, but I'm always willing to try a new pair of leggings or a sports bra. It's a curse because you've got a ton of options. And many of these options aren't the cheapest, so you might be splurging on a piece that you don't love, doesn't suit your style, and/or isn't exactly comfortable or supportive to move in.

This is where the editors of THE/THIRTY and Who What Wear would like to be of assistance. You see, since we write about fitness for a living, we're pretty well-versed in the ins and outs of activewear—and have strong opinions about our favorite brands. So to help you for your next shopping trip, check out the best activewear brands you need to know about below.

1. Adidas

Adidasis one of the veteran activewear brands on this list and it's still going strong. Everything from the shoes to the leggings is made for performance. Plus, any brand that partners with Beyoncé (for her Ivy Park line) is a win in our book.

2. Alala

Alalaputs a high-end, designery spin on activewear. It's a brand beloved by fashion girls. You won't be embarrassed wearing these pieces outside of the gym or fitness studio.

3. Alo

Celebs and non-celebs love Alo's activewear. The pieces are functional yet trendy. "I love Alo yoga pants! The fabric is just so stretchy and buttery," says Shawna Hudson, associate beauty editor at Who What Wear. "Yes, basically every celebrity has the Goddess leggings but I can tell you they are totally worth the extra dollars and are so comfy!"

4. Athleta

Athletamakes some amazing activewear for all different types of movement. And its size offerings are impressive and inclusive. But one of the best things about the brand is its mission and values "to ignite the limitless potential of all women and girls." The company is a certified B corp and committed to making its pieces more sustainable.

5. Beyond Yoga

"I've been wearing Beyond Yoga activewear for years because it's the most comfortable brand I've found and it has a lot of no-frills pieces—in a good way," says Allyson Payer, senior editor at Who What Wear. "I prefer simple black, gray, and white activewear for the most part but when I do want something a little more colorful, they have plenty of options for that too."

6. Core 10

Amazon's in-house activewear brand, Core 10, has all the essentials you need for workouts and then some. The prices are just so good and the activewear itself is both functional and stylish.

7. Fp Movement

Our editors are also huge fans of Free People's activewear line, FP Movement. If you're a fan of Free People's style, you're going to love their activewear because they managed to take that signature style and look and translate it into leggings and sports bras. Co-founder and Chief Content Officer Hillary Kerr has raved about the brand's You're a Peach leggings, saying, "And while I never thought I'd be the kind of person who spent this much on leggings, this style from Free People has been my go-to pair for the last 2.5 years. I'm startled by the fact that they fit me the entire time when my body has changed so much, but whatever—it's magic, I guess. For context, I originally got them in a large, and while I can also wear a medium now, the large still very much fits and looks good."

8. Girlfriend Collective

Every piece of activewear from Girlfriend Collective is made from recycled water bottles. How cool is that? And what's even cooler is that the brand's leggings, shorts, sports bras, etc. are so easy to move in, comfortable, and will make you feel confident. And its inclusive sizing is justicing on the cake.

9. Lululemon

Lululemonlovers, unite. Personally, I didn't really understand the hype, but when I finally did decide to splurge on a pair of Lululemon leggings it all made sense. And the brand isn't just for yoga—it's got so many options for all types of workouts, like HIIT and running.

10. Nike

This can't be an activewear brands list without Nike, right? The brand is a total classic and still has some of the best performance pieces around. You won't regret buying anything from the brand because everything is durable and supportive.

11. Nylora

It's no surprise that Nylora has such unique, chic, and elevated activewear pieces—the founder is Parsons-trained designer Carolyn Jang. This is another brand that fashion girls are sure to love.

12. Outdoor Voices

Outdoor Voicesshook up the activewear game in the best way possible when it was first launched in 2014. It made activewear fun and workouts fun, too, with its motto, "Doing Things," and bright and colorful pieces. The brand is still doing big things in the space, creating durable and eye-catching clothes that will get you through any workout.

13. Splits59

"My activewear drawer is currently spilling over with various brands, but one that I always reach for first is Splits59," says Who What Wear Editor Anna LaPlaca. "Their pieces are made from buttery-soft fabrics that make them easy to wear but that still hold up throughout the hardest of workouts. And trust me, I've ran enough miles in their sets to prove it."

14. Stax

"Stax is definitely my favorite activewear brand!" Hudson says. "The quality of the fabric is just totally unmatched. They always have new drops and they're always selling out so you have to act quickly, but I've gotten some extremely cute sets there that I wear every week. Their best black series is my favorite! The sports bra and leggings in this series hug all the right places but are never overly tight."

15. Sweaty Betty

UK brand Sweaty Betty features leggings, sports bras, track jackets, and more that are definitely performance-ready. Any of their pieces will get you through yoga classes, HIIT workouts, long runs, bootcamp sessions... you name it.

16. Wear One's At

"Wear One's At is my current athleisure obsession," says Natalie Gray Herder, Associate Editor of Branded Content. "The Liberty Unitard is by far the best onsie I've tried since they have become so on-trend. The material is comfortable, flattering, and it has built in sun protection (UV 50 to be exact). They just released a short version that I'm currently eyeing, as well as this pale blue set. The quality is there, the colorways are so fun, but most of all I love supporting a female founder here in NYC."

17. Zella

Zella, IYKYK. And if you don't know, well let me tell you about Nordstrom's in-house activewear brand that is a total editor-favorite. The pieces fit so well, the designs range from basics to trendy, and the price points are pretty good for the high-quality you get.

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