Introducing Sportland

Hi! Welcome to Sportland!

I’m Sonal, and I founded Sportland to solve a very specific problem I face: getting plastic out of my workout drawer without sacrificing design or functionality.

As a mom, a distance runner and a New Yorker, I’ve spent years searching for the perfect workout apparel to fit my busy lifestyle. Like many others, I train wherever I can find a free moment between school drop off, work and social engagements – but I almost never have time to shower and change throughout the day. Tired of wafting L’eau de Polyester wherever I went after my workout, I swapped my yogi-chic spandex for odor-resistant, quick drying merino wool hiking gear.  While the merino gets 5 stars for functionality and sustainability, the crunchy, backcountry look doesn’t fit my NYC aesthetic.

I wanted to see if people like me shared this problem, so I spoke with dozens of athletes who lead demanding, multi-faceted, fast-paced lives. The overarching theme is clear: modern active folks are spending the majority of our days in workout gear and we want more from it: more elevated design, more sustainable and natural materials and a more streamlined, modular layering system.

The athletic apparel market is oversaturated with low- to mid-quality polyester gear with a mass market, athleisure aesthetic. This means an overwhelming and frustrating shopping experience for consumers, the vast majority of whom want to align our buying habits with our environmental values.

Since we couldn’t find a brand already doing beautiful, minimal natural fiber workout gear in trend-adjacent styles and colorways: we’re taking matters into our own hands :)

Our team is currently developing our first line of premium athletic apparel—created from sustainable materials like seaweed, merino wool, wood pulp and even castor beans—that functions as well during your workout as it looks paired with your favorite street- and office-wear.

From time to time, we’ll be updating our site with progress on production, interviews and other musings. In the meantime, help us out by taking our first 5 minute survey and following us on Instagram!

Thank you — we’re excited to share our start up adventures and involve you in the build!

Much love,

Sonal & the Sportland team