Good Girl Activewear: Meet the UAE’s first organic activewear brand

No plastic, no problem… Organic activewear brand Good Girl Activewear is ditching synthetic fabrics and putting natural fibres to the test. Founded in Dubai by Martyna Sikora, the brand’s collection is made from 95% organic cotton and 5% spandex, proving that natural fibres can have a place in even the sweatiest Dubai gym sessions. To get to know the story behind the brand and what inspired Martyna to create it, I asked her a few questions about the journey, the idea behind Good Girl Activewear and what it took to launch the brand in Dubai this month. What inspired you to launch Good Girl Activewear? It came from trying to solve a problem I had myself – I was searching for activewear made predominantly from natural fibres and couldn’t find it locally. I figured if I was looking for it, other health-conscious women in the UAE were too. Your tagline is provocative. What’s the thinking behind it? It’s cheeky, but there’s a real message underneath. Polyester and nylon are essentially plastic-based synthetic fibres, and most of us don’t think about that when we get dressed. It’s our way of reminding women there are alternatives. What actually makes organic cotton different from the synthetic fabrics normally used in activewear? Cotton is a natural fibre; polyester and nylon are plastic-based, and synthetic textiles can shed tiny plastic microfibres through wear and washing. Cotton is also softer, more breathable and absorbs moisture better. The trade-off is performance – which is why we kept 5% spandex for stretch and recovery. Dubai’s climate isn’t exactly forgiving. How did you make organic cotton work for it? This was the hardest part of development. Some of the fabrics I sampled looked beautiful but were far too heavy for the heat here. It took a lot of trial and error to land on something lightweight enough to be comfortable, but substantial enough that leggings and shorts don’t become see-through when stretched. A post shared by Good Girl Activewear – 95% organic cotton (@goodgirlactivewear) What’s in the launch collection? It’s intentionally small: one colourway, navy blue, with two tops, a jacket, leggings and shorts. Considering the name, it’s exclusively for women.