[ THE ]
Problem with Plastic
Modern activewear relies on a century-old formula:
Petroleum-Based Synthetics
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Chemical Finishing
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“Performance”
of all textiles produced globally now contain plastic-based fibers
Source: UNEP — Beat Plastic Pollution
of microplastics in the ocean come from synthetic clothing
unregulated chemicals are used to achieve the “athletic feel” of modern sportswear
The apparel industry wants you to believe that high performance requires synthetic intervention. That moisture-wicking demands PFAS. That stretch requires petroleum-based elastane. That softness needs formaldehyde-leaching resins.
These materials accumulate.
Typical workout clothes, underwear, and basics have the capacity to contribute to what scientists call the “body burden” — an accumulation of microplastics and other blood-barrier-crossing chemicals that disrupt hormones, impact fertility, and impair cognition.
The damage is compounded by the very conditions these clothes are designed for — prolonged heat, friction against skin, repeated washing. Every wash cycle releases thousands of plastic microfibers into waterways. Every wear pushes chemical residues closer to your body.
The Substances
What’s actually in your clothes?
Most brands don’t test. The ones that do often test at the minimum legal requirement — not the standard designed to protect the most vulnerable skin.
Common substances found in conventional underwear and activewear include formaldehyde (a known carcinogen used as a wrinkle-resistant finish), heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and chromium (from dyes and pigments), alkyl phenols (endocrine-disrupting surfactant residues from manufacturing), and chlorinated phenols including PCP (used as preservatives during storage and shipping).
These aren’t edge cases. They’re standard industry practice. The question isn’t whether your clothes contain chemicals — it’s whether anyone bothered to check.
The Proof
We checked.
We submitted our organic cotton to Hohenstein Laboratories in Germany — one of the world’s leading textile testing institutions — and tested for over 100 substances across all four of our fabrics.
The standard: OEKO-TEX Standard 100, Class I — the certification level designed for baby and infant products. Most underwear brands test at Class II. We test at the strictest level available, because what touches your most intimate skin should meet the same bar as what touches a baby’s.
The result: zero harmful detections. Every substance. Every fabric. Every colorway.
Our mission is to create clothing that works with your biology, not against it.
[ THE ]
EDN Standard
Health-Enabled Clothing
Clothes free of harmful materials, chemicals, and manufacturing processes. Every EDN product is made from 100% organic cotton — no polyester, no nylon, no spandex, no elastane. No plastic of any kind. Our fabrics are independently tested for over 100 substances and certified safe at the Class I infant standard.
Performance Through Innovation
Expert construction that never compromises on performance. We engineer fit, breathability, and durability through material selection and construction technique — not chemical shortcuts. The result is clothing that regulates temperature, manages moisture, and moves with your body, all from a single natural fiber.
Complete Transparency
Every material source. Every technical process. Every third-party verification — published and available for anyone to review. Our lab results are not behind a login nor summarized in a marketing claim. They’re the raw data, fabric by fabric, substance by substance, from Hohenstein Laboratories in Germany.
We’re pioneering the next generation of wellness wear — where human health and material excellence align.
EDN’s mission is to bring clothing into a healthy, toxic-free future, combining old-world techniques and new-world technologies.
Join us on our mission