I’ve written extensively about the toxic chemicals that can be hiding in your clothing.
In general, chemical use in textiles is poorly regulated and also poorly studied. But it seems like the more we investigate, the more we find out about the endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, and microplastics that are hiding in our clothes and leaching into our skin.
So if you, like me, want to start transitioning your wardrobe to healthier textiles, check out MATE. It’s one of my favorite brands! 👚🌿
P. S. Now is a great time to buy MATE because now until June 2, they’re having a birthday sale and everything is 30% off! (No code necessary).
This guide contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase. This review is NOT sponsored, but the clothing was gifted. As always, I only make recommendations that are genuine.
Here’s why I like MATE in general
1. Organic, non-toxic, and comfortable clothes
First of all, I love how wearable their stuff is. It’s comfy, but also super cute, so you can wear it out. Most of it is on the more casual side, but they do have a couple of dresses too, which you could wear to slightly more dressed-up events like baby showers.
Plus, while they do release limited edition collections sometimes, the majority of their clothing is timeless and meant to last you years and years. This is great for me because I don’t shop that often and I tend to keep my clothes for a really long time.
MATE’s clothing is primarily made out of GOTS certified organic cotton and non-toxic dyes. Though organic cotton is their key player, they also use other healthy fabrics like linen and TENCEL.
They also have a Restricted Substances list to make sure that carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, and other toxic chemicals are kept out of their clothes and away from your skin.
2. Transparency & ethics
If you’ve followed my work for a while, then you already know how important I believe transparency is when it comes to ingredients and materials used in consumer products. I simply believe consumers deserve to know what’s in the products they’re spending their money on and putting in/on/around their bodies.
MATE publishes an Impact Report each year, where you can look more into the materials used in their products, their carbon footprint, charitable giving, and more.
They’re committed to making sure everyone involved in their supply chain—including garment workers, farmers, and recyclers—are paid fairly and work under safe conditions.
Most of their products are made in the USA, too. They tell you more about each & every one of their factories (most of which are in LA, where they’re based).
3. A few other things to love:
- Lots of great layering options
- Timeless colorways
- Woman-founded
- Local supply chain: they’re based in Los Angeles where almost all of their products are made.
- Zero plastic packaging. (Pretty much the only plastic used in the whole brand is the 8% spandex in the activewear collection.)
- B Corp
Alright, now let’s get to my thoughts on the clothing itself!
Everything is comfortable & high-quality
Since I work from home, I wear a lot of comfortable clothes. So, MATE has definitely become a staple for this reason. I can put on an outfit to work in all day, but then go out and take a walk or run errands or even grab a casual dinner without having to change.
Flowy, everyday basics for the summer
As I mentioned, MATE offers a lot of casual, everyday pieces that are made primarily out of organic cotton and/or linen.
Here I’m wearing the Organic Poplin Short in the Limited Edition Poplin Stripe and the Organic Cotton Classic Tee in Bone.
They are both super comfortable, and I can already tell you that these will be one of my go-to pairs of shorts for the summer. Sometimes denim shorts are just not comfortable, but you still want something a little dressier than athletic shorts. These are great for that. Plus, you can easily slip them on over a bathing suit when you’re headed to the pool or beach.
I’m wearing a size medium in both the shorts and the shirt. I did size up for the shirt; I’d usually get a small, but I wanted something a little more flowy & relaxed.
I lived in this organic sweatsuit all winter
I loooove this sweatsuit, which consists of their Organic Fleece Wide-Leg Pant and their Organic Fleece Half-Zip Sweatshirt.
The fabric is soft, thick, and cozy—but still breathable. These pieces feel really high-quality and I can tell I will be wearing them for many years.
Plus: hello, pockets! The sweatshirt has pockets and the pants have pockets—in front and one in the back, too.
They always have their “Essentials” colors available (black, white, gray, brown, navy, and off-white), but they also usually have a few “Limited Edition” colors available as well.
I’m wearing a size medium in the pants and a small for the sweatshirt.
In the sweats department, they also offer oversized sweatshirts, zip-ups, waffle knits (I really want these!), and joggers.
Plastic-free activewear
I love wearing leggings—not just for workouts but also for lounging around, running errands, etc.
What I don’t love is knowing that my synthetic leggings are leaching toxins like BPA and god-knows-what-else.
Activewear that checks all of my boxes is pretty hard to come by. I want it to be functional (aka stretchy, supportive, and squat-proof), comfortable, organic/non-toxic, and I want to be cute and fit well.
I know that’s a lot to ask for. 😅 But MATE is doing it!
Their Move by MATE collection offers leggings, sports bras, biker shorts, and racer tanks that are made out of 92% GOTS certified organic cotton and 8% spandex, plus (of course) non-toxic dyes.
The leggings are definitely comparable to synthetic ones in terms of fit and function. (They have pockets, too!)
My one recommendation for you with regard to the leggings is to consider sizing up. At first, I got a medium and they do fit, but they are *just barely* not squat-proof. (When I tested them wearing patterned undies, you could just barely see the undies through the leggings when I was squatting.)
When I tried the large, the problem was solved. (I’m still going to wear the mediums for everyday/walking around, I’m just going to wear the large for workouts.)
The leggings keep their shape during workouts/throughout the day, and I personally think they’re more comfortable than regular synthetic leggings because they’re softer.
I also really like this Organic Stretch Racer Tank. It’s very comparable to a synthetic top when it comes to the fit and feel—only softer.
I love a tank like this because of how versatile it is, too. I can wear it as a tank top on a hot day, or I can wear it as a sports bra underneath a tee if I want.
The black sports bra I’m wearing is a small, but it was a little tight, so I ordered a medium for the bone-colored racer tank. And the the leggings are a large.
They have some stuff for men & kids, too!
Although the majority of their collection is focused on womenswear, they do have some great basics for men and kids, too—primarily tees and sweats:
What about the downsides?
There’s really only one down-side I can think of: the cost.
Sometimes, organic & non-toxic stuff is just as affordable as their conventional counterparts… But when it comes to clothing, that’s generally not the case. 😔
MATE’s t-shirts run $48, and the sweatpants are $138. If you’re used to being able to grab a $20 pair of sweatpants from Amazon or Walmart, that’s quite a jump.
I do believe that if you can afford it, MATE’s clothing is worth it. It’s better for everyone involved: it’s healthier for you, for the farmers, for the overall environment, etc. And of course, it’s much more high-quality and durable than the cheaper stuff, too. So theoretically, you’re dollars are going to go a lot further. (They actually have a “cost per wear” on each of their product pages.)
My hope is that as more folks realize how potentially toxic their synthetic clothing is and start investing in fewer, non-toxic pieces, then the prices will become more affordable.
Don’t forget: until June 2, MATE is offering 30% off sitewide for their birthday sale! 🎉