Finding a supportive sports bra that fits comfortably is already a tough job for people with bigger breasts like myself. Add to that wanting to use natural fibers and non-toxic fabrics and the task can feel nearly impossible.
But that’s why we’re here! To find the best non-toxic products, try & test them, and give you an honest review. I hope reading about my experiences will save you quite a bit of time, energy, money, and frustration.
Personally, I was very excited to try different organic sports bras and find the best-fitting one. I’m a pretty active person. I love working out, but sports bras have always been an issue for me. In my sports bra quest, some of my main struggles are:
- Most sports bras give me back pain
- They’re too tight, even when I measure myself and order the “right” size
- They’re not supportive enough for running, jumping, or high-intensity workouts
- The fit is hardly ever flattering
- My boobs slip out of the bra
- The cups or coverage is too small, even on bigger sizes
Clearly, lots of struggles in this area. 😩 But that means lots of opportunities to try and find something that actually works!
Before ordering each of these bras, I measured myself and ensured I was ordering the right size according to each brand’s size guide.
What this article covers:
This guide contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase (though not all links are affiliate!). Some of these bras were gifted and some we bought at full-price. As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine. Featured image credit: Reprise (which we’ll be adding to this review soon!).
Why use natural fabrics for athletic wear?
Most activewear uses petroleum-based fabrics such as polyester. Since man-made synthetic fabrics tend to be very cheap and durable (they’re plastic after all), they’re the go-to option for most brands—not only fast fashion but also more ‘high-quality’ activewear brands, too.
From many perspectives, these fabrics are harmful.
Fabrics such as polyester are likely to contain PFAS, BPA, solvents, phthalates, and other toxic chemicals. Plus, studies show that polyester clothing sheds microplastics not only when you wash them, but simply by wearing them.
Outdoor gear and sportswear are more likely to have PFAS since they’re added to make fabrics waterproof. In fact, known brands such as Lululemon and Old Navy have tested positive for PFAS (aka “forever chemicals”) in their leggings. We have a whole guide to PFAS and outdoor gear.
So what are our options?
Sportswear doesn’t have to rely solely on synthetic fabrics. Organic cotton and merino wool are natural, long-lasting, and reliable options. For this article, we chose to use brands using mostly organic cotton, with small percentages of spandex or elastane. (Honestly, using a small percentage of spandex is unavoidable at this time.)
But, we also have an option for TENCEL, and some new, innovative fabrics like bio-based nylon and Roica V550. These types of semi-synthetics are a good “middle ground”… They have more of the ‘performance’ features that conventional synthetics give us, but they’re a little healthier and more eco-friendly.
A quick look into TENCEL
TENCEL is a semi-synthetic fabric made from eucalyptus wood. It’s mostly natural since it’s made from wood cellulose, but those require a chemical process in order to soften the wood and turn it into fabric.
Most TENCEL is created in a closed-loop process, which means the chemicals and water used are continuously recycled and not dumped into waterways. It’s one of the best semi-synthetics on the market, in my opinion.
A quick look into bio-based nylon
This fabric is newish in the market, and holds a lot of promise. Nylon is usually made from petrochemicals—and most workout clothes use it. But this bio-based nylon is made from castor beans. There’s not a lot of information as to how exactly the fabric is made, but it’s OEKO-TEX 100 certified.
From the little information I could gather online, to make this fabric they turn castor bean oil into a PA11 polymer—a non-biodegradable thermoplastic. From this, they make it into a yarn. If I had to guess, there are likely some harsh chemicals required to turn castor beans into a stretchy, high-performance fabric… So while I doubt this option is perfect, it does seem like a good alternative to petroleum-based nylon (at least for now) when it comes to sports bras that can really provide adequate support.
A quick look into ROICA V550
Another new & innovative fabric, ROICA V550 is a yarn used as an alternative to elastane. It’s part of a family of yarns called ROICA Eco-Smart. There’s virtually no information about how or what it is made from—and I looked— but it does have a Cradle to Cradle certified Material Health Certificate. That’s a good thing!
What’s mostly mentioned about this fabric is its ability to biodegrade without releasing toxic chemicals into the environment. Hopefully, more information about the actual fabric will be available in the future!
Okay, now let’s dive into my reviews.
How I tested the support & fit for 7 non-toxic sports bras and tops
For these reviews, I focused a lot on support. I really wanted to find a supportive top that’s also natural and fits well. No easy task—but doable!
For years, I’ve used brands like Nike, Adidas, and similar ones and honestly, I’ve never found a sports bra I loved. They seem to always be too tight in all the wrong places—even when I measure myself to buy the “right” size. Plus, most of them are made from plastic-based fabrics.
The ones that offered good support would give me a lot of back pain, and the ones that didn’t give me back pain were not supportive enough. I was excited to try healthier, non-toxic brands, see what the fit and feel are like, and hopefully find a forever sports bra!
A quick note from Abbie (a smaller-chested person!):
I have tried all of these brands’ sports bras as well (with the exception of Aktiivwear). I can say that I really like all of them and I have had no issues with support.
As you’ll see in a minute, the semi-synthetic bras worked the best for Ana. But if you don’t need as much support, I recommend going with the more organic/natural options, like MATE, Happy Earth, Pact, or Bleuet.
Pangaia (My favorite overall)
I tried: Storm Blue Plant-Stretch Compressive Sports Bra – $60
Support: 4/5
Fit: 5/5
Fabric: 95% Polyamide Biobased EVO®, 5% Part Biobased Creora® Elastane
I was really excited about this one and I’m happy to share that it didn’t disappoint. First, the fit is amazing. I love how the elastic at the bottom hugs my body but it’s not in any way suffocating or too tight. The color is stunning and it looks so good.
The cleavage cut has a beautiful square design that looks great. I thought for a minute it would be too low but my boobs stayed in place the whole time.
In terms of support, I gave it a 4 out of 5 because it is still not supportive enough for jogging or continuous jumping, but it keeps things in place for less intense workouts. It was supportive enough for a circuit training workout that included jump squats and mountain climbers.
Overall, I think this is the winner for me. It’s supportive enough to use regularly and the best in terms of fabric. Totally worth it!
Aktiivwear (runner up)
I tried: Black Proterra Sports Bra – $64
Support: 4/5
Fit: 5/5
Fabric: Body: 42% Bio-Based Nylon 40% bio-nylon 18% Roica V550 (treated with a 100% bio-based micro-algae wicking treatment) | Mesh (4% of entire garment): 83% nylon 17% spandex | Elastic Band (8% of entire garment): 63% Recycled Polyester 17% Polyester 20% Elastane
This is one of my favorites in terms of fit, feel, and support. I used it for weight training that also involved jump squats, jumping jacks, and other high-intensity exercises. First, the fabric is absolutely amazing. It feels very high-quality, it’s very soft, and it has a luxurious feel to it.
The fit is perfect too—it’s supportive but not too tight or compressed. It looks great, my boobs stay in place, and it didn’t give me any back pain.
In terms of support, I wouldn’t call this a “high-support” bra, but it’s definitely a solid “medium support.” It worked well for mountain climbers and jump squats, but I did feel like my boobs were bouncing around a bit. For the jumping jacks, I felt like I could’ve used more support for my boobs not to hurt with the bouncing.
I’m definitely going to be using this for weight training and exercises that don’t have intense bouncing like running.
One thing to note is that the fabrics of this bra aren’t all natural. It has polyester, nylon, and spandex—but only in about 12% of the bra. And part of it is the elastic band, which doesn’t have direct contact with your skin. Most of the bra uses bio-based nylon made from castor beans.
Reprise
I tried: Black Stratos Bra – $89
Support: 3/5
Fit: 4/5
Fabric: 93% TENCEL™ Lyocell, 7% Spandex
I’m going to start by saying the look and feel of this one is amazing. The fabric is super soft and I love the way it looks—not only for a workout but also as a top. It fits so well and the back is really cute.
I usually steer away from bras with such thin straps, as they aren’t always very supportive, but this one is supportive enough to work out with. However, it’s definitely not friendly for high-impact workouts, especially jumping.
I wore this for a strength training gym session—weightlifting and stretching mostly. Although it holds my boobs in place, even in upside down poses like downward facing dog, when I tried jumping I felt very little support. Lots of bouncing which is painful when you have bigger boobs.
I think for yoga classes, no-jump strength training, and a cute workout outfit, this bra is perfect! I’ll definitely be using it for the gym, just not for jumping.
For such thin straps and no elastic under the boobs, this offers great support. I do recommend checking the size chart as it feels a big on the bigger side. I’m wearing an XL and I think the L could’ve fit me a bit better.
Abbie’s take: I have their Aspen Bra and I really like it! The fabric is suuuper soft. It’s on the longer side, so for a smaller-chested person like me, it can double as a tank top. It provides the support I need for the gym, and I have no issues wearing it while I run (but I don’t need a ton of support!).
MATE
I tried: Black Organic Stretch Sports Bra – $58
Support: 1/5
Fit: 3/5
Fabric: 92% Organic Cotton and 8% Spandex.
I was really excited to try this bra. It states that it’s low impact, so I didn’t have high expectations in terms of support for high-impact workouts. But finding a good low-impact workout bra is tough, too.
As much as I wanted to love this bra, I feel like it’s better fitted for people with smaller breasts.
I used this bra for a full-body weight training since I knew I wasn’t going to be jumping or doing anything that required lots of support.
For moves like squats and lunges, it works just fine. It’s very comfortable, doesn’t give me back pain, and it isn’t too tight. It also looks and feels really good!
However, when doing planks, or stretching in a downward-facing dog, my boobs would slip out from the top of the bra. If you have big boobs, you might know of this struggle! Luckily, I was home, so no biggie. But I wouldn’t use this to go to a yoga class or anything that risks my boobs sliding out of their safe container.
Plus, the underelastic wasn’t very supportive either. It wouldn’t quite stay in place. My boobs wouldn’t reach the point of slipping under, but it definitely crawled up a bit.
This issue is a pretty common thing for me. I think for this one, the cleavage is a bit too low and it can’t hold my boobs in place. It’s true to size and comfy, just not the right support for bigger breasts. I would give it a 5-star rating for running errands, but not working out!
Happy Earth
I tried: Sage PlantTec™ Reversible Tank – $36
Support: 1/5
Fit: 5/5
Fabric: 95% Organic Cotton, 5% Elastane
I know this isn’t quite a sports bra, but we wanted to add some sports tops to the mix and test them out. This one seemed really nice, and in the reviews, some people claimed to be great for gentle workouts such as yoga, so I gave it a go!
First, I have to gush about the fabric and the fit. This top is amazing. The fabric is super soft and buttery. It fits perfectly and it’s very comfy, however, the cleavage is very low and needs a bit of bra support IMO. Still, I am mildly obsessed with it and can’t wait to try more of their clothes.
However, this top is most certainly not workout-friendly for me. I can see how it’s a good workout top for people with smaller boobs, but for me, the cleavage is just too low. A plank is enough for my boobs to slip out of the top. It also shows a bit too much for my comfort level while working out.
I usually wear an XL for tops, but since the description says to order a size smaller for an athletic fit, I got an L. The fit is truly perfect, but still too low and loose to offer any real support for workouts, even gentle ones such as yoga.
For a nice outfit, it’s super cute—for an actual workout, not for me!
P.S. This is also one of Abbie’s favorite brands for “squat-proof” leggings!
Bleuet (best combo of support + natural fabrics)
I tried: Black & Blue Aster Organic Racerback Bra – $28
Support: 3/5
Fit: 4/5
Fabric: 66% TENCEL™ Lyocell, 28% Organic Cotton, 6% Spandex.
There are so many things I love about this bra. First, it’s reversible, so you get two in one (blue + black!). It’s also very affordable and super soft.
It fits really well—not too tight and not too loose which was surprising since this bra is technically made for teens. I’m far from being a teen but it looked really good so we decided to give it a go! Just make sure to check the size chart.
I love that it offers the right amount of support so that my boobs stay in place without giving me back pain—even when doing upside-down poses.
The fit is perfect for workouts that don’t involve jumping. It’s supportive without suffocating me, but not supportive enough for a HIIT class. I did a few jump squats with it and it was fine, but not the best. For weight training or yoga I would 100% recommend it.
A nice plus is that it also feels flattering, which I feel like it’s hard to find in sports bras!
Pact
I tried: Black On The Go-To Rib Crop Tank + Black On The Go-To Crop Tank – $28
Support: 2/5
Fit: 4/5 for the Rib Tank and 2/5 for the Go-To Tank
Fabric: Rib Tank – 91% Organic Cotton 9% Elastane. Go-To Tank – 90% Organic Cotton 10% Elastane.
These aren’t necessarily workout bras, but again, we wanted to add a few more options of workout clothes that might work as organic cotton sports bras. And these tanks didn’t disappoint!
An interesting thing to note is that even though these are basically the same tanks, just slightly different fabric, one fits way better than the other. They’re both the same size, but the Rib Crop Tank fits much better. It’s the right amount of tightness and holds my boobs perfectly. The Go-To Tank is slightly bigger. It doesn’t offer the same support and you can see that the fit isn’t right.
I used both tanks for a yoga class since I already knew this wouldn’t be great for high-impact workouts. Since the Rib Crop fits so much better, it was actually the perfect yoga top. Everything stayed in place and the top is so soft & comfortable. I’m definitely going to be using this for low-impact workouts!
The Go-To Tank also works, but it didn’t feel as supportive as the other one. Maybe a smaller size would fit better and then work for low-impact workouts. With the size that I got (XL for both), it’s more of a running errands kind of top.
Use code THEFILTERY15 for 15% off full-priced items.
Organic Basics
I tried: Vibrant Blue Core Rib Tank Bralette – $28
Support: 2/5
Fit: 5/5
Fabric: Body: 95% organic cotton, 5% elastane – Lining: 100% nylon
This one isn’t quite a workout bra either, but it looked great on the site so I also wanted to give this one a go. And I am so glad I did.
First, the color is stunning! Super vibrant and it looks so good. The fit is just perfect. The underelastic does exactly what it’s supposed to without being too tight. The coverage is perfect in my opinion and it holds my boobs in place so they don’t slip out. The straps are flattering and supportive without giving me back pain.
I used it for a lower body weight workout and it was perfect for just that. I tried some jumping jacks to test out the support and it didn’t quite work. It’s not supportive enough for that. But for low-impact weight training, yoga, or even cardio such as the stair climber machine, it works great.
The fabric also feels super nice. It’s a bit thick with the lining but still fresh and breathable. I would use this as a regular bralette too. It’s very cute!
It’s important to note that the lining in this bra is 100% nylon, which is disappointing. So, so it’s not the most natural option, but still cute and well-fitting!
You may also be interested in:
- Our picks for the best non-toxic yoga & exercise mats
- Where to get non-toxic weights and other exercise equipment
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