Local activewear brands worth the dosh

Posted on 1 August, 2018

They say summer bodies are made in the winter, but did you know that year-round active wear can be made in Canberra?

Give your Lululemons and Gymshark a break and check out these locally made and managed activewear brands that give the big names a run for their money (pun intended) while keeping you looking fit and fashionable.

ROYAL APPAREL

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You may have seen him toying with hearts on Love Island the past few weeks, but what you may not have noticed was Canberra-based Grant Crapp repping his own clothing line on TV. Royal Apparel is for those serious fitness enthusiasts, and if Grant’s eight-pack is anything to go by, the line can definitely hold up well during some hardcore workouts.

You can get classic full-length leggings in colours ranging from bright bubblegum blue to Instagram favourite, peach, as well as muscle singlets, hoodies, t-shirts and even duffel baGs. And if there’s a Grant to your Tayla, Royal Apparel also has a men’s line that covers everything from trackpants to compression shirts and swim shorts.

Get that ready-for-my-close up look at royalapparel.com.au.

WE ARE FOUND ACTIVE

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From the creative mind of Canberra stylist and photographer Deejay Jukic, We Are Found Active is for the stylishly inclined gym junkie. Inspired by a rough period of Deejay’s life and the physical and mental endurance that got her through, We Are Found Active reflects that health and happiness are an ongoing pursuit – and that we need the clothes to match.

Featuring a line of ten Instagram-friendly items, expect tights, booty shorts and crop tops in everything from bright florals, to dark mesh and trendy camo print. Everything is reasonably priced too, so you can look like you’ve just stepped right off the runway into your gym.

Get fit and look fashionable with wearefoundactive.com

FUERZA

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If you like to wear your gym gear everywhere, this is the brand for you. Meaning “strength” in Spanish, Fuerza is all about getting women to embrace colour and takes its inspiration from all the way across the Pacific Ocean with bold prints and colours to liven up even the most boring gym. Their performance tights feature double stitching in all the right places, so if you spent the night before a workout eating pizza and watching Love Island, no one’s going to be any the wiser.

Founder Kiki has been in the fitness industry for 16 years so knows a thing or two about being comfortable in compression gear. All tights are squat proof and, since there’s strength in numbers, come in a wide range of colours and patterns. Once they sell out, they’re gone to make way for new stock, so vamanos!

Bring a little South America down under with www.fuerzaapparel.com.

GIRLS SWEAT TOO

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Fitness goes beyond having a good body. Psychologist Louise Huggett knows that outward confidence can be a mask for inner turmoil, and that a healthy life comes with effort and a little sweat – hence, Girls Sweat Too.

If you need an excuse to get up at the crack of dawn for that early morning workout, there’s the rainbow tights and capris, or the bamboo singlet tops that absorb like nothing else. A quick scroll of Louise’s Instagram will give you all the motivation you need to work out: Girls Sweat Too is less apparel and more a community of supportive and inspiring people trying to make a healthy, balanced life the next big fitness trend for all ages.

Work your mind and your body with girlssweattoo.com.au.

THAT MAT IS MINE

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Don’t think staying stylish while getting fit is limited to the clothes on your back: looking good while working to feel good starts from the ground up with That Mat. Whether you’re doing Pilates, yoga, or trying to find a spot to relax at the end of a long day, take the time to work it out with That Mat you’ve had your eye on.

There’s the blue-hued Bondi Mat that’ll remind you of an early morning swim in the ocean and leave you feeling as cool as an iceberg before you know it. Or maybe you’ll pinky-promise to get your ten minutes of stretching in every day with the Pinky? And if you love your exercise gear to make a statement, the Shake-It Mat will have you embracing the clash of your pants’ print with its fund design.

There are limited quantities of each exclusive design, so when they sell out, they’re off the market for good. The eco-friendly mats are of natural tree rubber and suede microfiber, so you can feel even better knowing you’re not harming the environment.

Stretch in style and save the environment at thatmatismine.com.