Old Navy sells more activewear than most people realise. The brand's leggings and performance tops are among the most purchased in the US by volume, driven by accessible price points and broad retail distribution. The question of what those garments are made of, beyond the fiber composition listed on the tag, is one most buyers have never thought to ask.
What Old Navy Activewear Is Made Of
Old Navy's activewear line is built primarily from polyester and spandex blends, with some nylon-spandex pieces in the performance range. These are synthetic polymer fabrics. At this price point, fabric finishing chemistry, including treatments for moisture management, anti-odor properties, and shape retention, is common and often not disclosed on the product label.
Polyester and nylon do not inherently contain PFAS. The concern at the budget end of the market is the chemical finishing applied to achieve performance characteristics. Moisture-wicking finishes, water-resistant treatments, and anti-odor applications involve chemistry that is not always subject to the same scrutiny at lower price points as it is in brands with published sustainability frameworks.
What the Budget Activewear Supply Chain Looks Like
Price drives sourcing decisions. At Old Navy's price points, fabric is sourced from mills that compete aggressively on cost. The chemical finishing processes used in high-volume, low-cost fabric production are not always subject to the testing and verification that more expensive supply chains require.
This is not an accusation. It is how supply chains work at scale. Gap Inc., Old Navy's parent company, publishes a sustainability report and has made public commitments around responsible sourcing. Those commitments operate at a corporate and supply chain level. They are not the same as product-level independent chemical testing on finished garments.
What the Certification Record Shows
As of the most recent publicly available information, Old Navy activewear does not carry OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification on its finished products. This is the independent certification that tests finished garments against a defined list of harmful substances, including PFAS, heavy metals, formaldehyde, and pesticide residues.
The absence of this certification does not confirm the presence of harmful substances. It means there is no independently verified, publicly accessible chemical profile for the finished product. Buyers are relying on brand disclosure and corporate sustainability commitments rather than third-party product testing.
The Price-Per-Wear Question
Budget activewear is appealing because the upfront cost is low. The calculation changes when you factor in how frequently activewear is worn, how long it lasts, and what the full cost of frequent replacement looks like.
Research on synthetic textile degradation has documented that polyester and nylon fabrics lose structural integrity faster than natural fiber alternatives under repeated washing and high-heat conditions. A legging purchased at a low price point and replaced twice a year carries a different cost-per-wear profile than a higher-priced piece that lasts significantly longer.
A Different Starting Point
The Sempre Leggings are made from 92% TENCEL Lyocell and 8% spandex. TENCEL Lyocell is produced by Lenzing AG under OEKO-TEX certification at the fiber level. There are no chemical surface treatments. The performance properties come from the physical structure of the fiber itself. At $118, the Sempre Leggings are priced to reflect the cost of the fiber, the manufacturing quality, and the durability that reduces the frequency of replacement.
The Honest Assessment
Old Navy activewear serves a real need in the market and the brand has a large, loyal customer base. The price is the point for many buyers, and that is a legitimate purchasing priority.
For buyers who are thinking about what their activewear is made of at a chemical level, the publicly available record for Old Navy does not provide independent verification of the finished product's chemical profile. You are buying on price and brand familiarity rather than verified material data. That is a trade-off worth being aware of, not a reason to panic, but a reason to know what you are choosing.
Sources
- Kotthoff, M., et al. (2015). Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in consumer products. Environmental Science and Pollution Research.
- Gap Inc. (2024). Sustainability Report. gapinc.com.
- OEKO-TEX Association. (2024). OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Public Certification Database. oeko-tex.com.
- Lenzing AG. (2024). TENCEL Lyocell Fiber Certification and Production. lenzing.com.
