Activewear isn't cheap!
You love your smooth-as-butter yoga pants and easy breezy running shorts. You love the way they empower you to move your body. You’re gonna love them for a long time. (You even made vows to each other). Just like any relationship, workout clothes need tender love and care. They deserve to be pampered.
When you spend precious time selecting your athletic wear for maximum comfort and performability, you want them to stick around. Most people keep their active wear garments in use from 6 months to 2 years (that timeline is even shorter for things like sports bras) and studies have shown that most folks spend between $100-$300 a year on these garments. Moral of the story: It’s expensive to keep replacing activewear every few months, and it definitely contributes negatively to clothing waste. The volume of clothing Americans throw away each year has doubled in the last 20 years, from 7 million to 14 million tons. (A bit grim, no?). In 2018, 17 million tons of textile waste ended up in landfills, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency, making up 5.8 percent of the total MSW generation that year.
We decided it was time to step up to the plate and develop something that helps preserve and protect the elasticity and tech properties of performance fabrics like yoga pants, sports bras, uniforms, and your favorite athleisure wear — so they keep their shape, stay stretchy, wick-able and breathable til death do you part.
Looking good and feeling good is easy. But smelling good in these clothes without using the right detergent for them? Fat chance.
It’s not you, it’s your detergent that stinks
As you know, clothes made specifically for working out are typically made with stretchy materials like Lycra or Spandex. (We see you and your impressive middle splits, Droppers!). Unfortunately, nature doesn’t stretch like that. That means these fibers are synthetic, and can’t be washed the same way you’d wash any ol’ cotton tee.
According to Rachel McQueen, a textile scientist at the University of Alberta, polyester is hydrophobic. She clarifies that this means it hates water and is great at soaking up sweat and immediately evaporating it, which is a victory! Those magical dry-fit tops make us ALL dance. However polyester is also oleophilic, a.k.a. oil-loving. So while it wicks away plenty of watery eccrine sweat and helps you stay dry, it can be a bit of a mirage. Your oily apocalyptic-- oops, we mean apocrine-- sweat compounds while you aren’t looking and will cling to polyester fibers for dear life. Over time they develop into a one of a kind, ultra-foul scent. (Charming.)
Regular laundry detergent just isn’t cut out for this task, we hate to say it. It isn’t designed to cut through these tightly woven fibers and break down permastink. Instead, it’ll coat your clothes in a nice, temporary scent that quickly exits the scene once you start stretching for a run. As soon as you start to sweat (even just a little) it will moisten the odors trapped inside and the compounds will evaporate into the air, like unwanted memories from middle school creeping into your nightly dreams. (Gym class….. Not always a favorite, is it?)
Don’t blush (you know we aren’t!). There’s no shame in working up a stink while you work up a sweat. We’ve all been there! And now we’ve got the detergent to wash it out before it takes up permanent residence in your fibers.
It’s all about the enzymes, baby.
Try Dropps Active Wash, Available in Fresh Start, Rose Energy, and Unscented
Kick "Permastink" to the curb like a pro
We add enzymes to our detergents to fight stubborn stains. Enzymes are molecules that target the removal of traces of proteins or starch. We use a blend of powerful enzymes including subtilisin, alpha amylase, mannanase, lipase, and pectate lyase targeting every type of stain. But, not all enzymes are created equal. In fact, the cellulase enzyme causes natural cotton and linen fabrics to break down. (And not in the fun, disco-dancing way). That’s why it’s not welcome in our special enzyme blend.
Blast away sweat, odors and stains that get trapped in the tight-weave of performance fabrics like you really mean it. With our big 5 active enzymes, our Active Wash detergent cleans every type of stain from grass to blood and mud. (Because we’re confident that your exercise routines get more adventurous than just the gym!) Our anti-permastink formula with Odor Control technology helps eliminate and prevent even week-old odors, so they don’t linger or reactivate with body heat. Which is maybe the best news of the summer.
No more “kind of fresh” clothes coming out of the wash. No more lingering “what the heck is that?!” scents reminding you of the mystery meat your granny used to serve at family dinners. Fresh and clean pants, ready for yoga, as if you just pulled them off of the rack.
Let’s show you the money
As we’ve mentioned before, it is important to us that extending the lifespan of your clothes saves you money both up front and overtime, which is why we’ve worked hard to make this power packed detergent as affordable as possible.
Did you know that most detergent pod brands require you to use an average of 3 pods per load, while our pods are only 1 per load? This is because our formula is highly concentrated and not watered down. When it comes to liquid detergent, the cost per load advertised is always based on the bottom line in a detergent lid cup. We find that most people use the full cap, which is 3X the advertised price as well!
With all of that in mind, it goes to show that the leading brands with eco-friendly active wash end up costing $0.44-$1.19 per load, while washing with our Active Wash Detergent comes in at $0.37 per load when you subscribe and save. Not bad, huh? Save your wallet, save your gym clothes!
Enough chatter, let’s get to washing
The first and most important thing to note about activewear items, is that you don’t want to let them sit too long after you take them off. It’s not always sustainable to wash them right away (especially if you don’t have enough laundry for a full load) but the longer you wait, the deeper the stink will settle in! Here’s what you’ll want to do when you’re ready to wash:
Step 1:
Pretreat stains
If those fibers are really trapping some stink, let them soak in the sink in a solution of cool water and 1 cup baking soda for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Step 2:
Prep the washer
Toss an Active Wash Laundry Pod into the bottom of the machine. Place the spandex clothing in a Large Mesh Laundry Bag before adding it to the washing machine to protect the elastane fibers from snagging.
Step 3:
Wash
Set the washing machine’s settings so it runs on the gentle cycle and uses cold or cool water.
Step 4:
Dry
The heat of a clothes dryer can damage elastane fibers. Opt to air-dry if you can! If you must use a machine, set it as low as possible, and remove the clothing while still slightly damp.
EXTRA TIPS
If you’ve got the stinkiest gym clothes on the block (it’s okay, you can brag about it) and have let some time pass between washes, throw those items in the freezer! This will help break down the permastink to a certain degree before washing, so our enzymes can get in there and crush them into smithereens!
Wash on, Droppers
Your active wear clothes should be supportive and breathe easy so you can too. This clothing is rarely worn just for exercise. It’s become part of your daily life! Most of the time you’re wearing these items out and about as well, running errands, picking up kids, traveling on trains or planes. Let's give them the pampering of a lifetime so you, your wallet, and your closet stay happy and healthy.