From the highest mountain to the deepest sea – the Irish are getting their feet wet, in terms of outdoorsy exercise. Maybe it’s just the post-lockdown urge to embrace the wide-open outdoors of which we have been deprived for so long – or maybe it’s the introduction of French outdoors and sporting goods retailer, Decathlon, to Ireland, which has been instrumental in democratising the fresh-airy endeavours for us Irish (ie, why everyone owns a paddleboard now). Furthermore, giving into the pressure of ordering fancy foreign tools and clobber for such activities means more international transport and postage, and refocuses buy-local efforts to the benefit of international companies, for the sake of quality – which can’t ever be 100% assured. It’s like we need the product to be made by a major brand in order to trust that it won’t dissolve in the rain, or become misshapen after three big hikes…
Access to wild nature, be it hilly, wavy, or mucky, is also essential to one’s mental health. As was discovered by speaking to Peachylean founder and CFO Sharon Keegan, not just is the physical act of exercise excellent for crucial happy-making hormones, but a regime of getting out and engaging with others is key to maintaining strong personal morale. Keegan found her way out of a difficult period of postnatal depression in part due to such a routine, and this motivated her to provide proper gear for other women in her position. It’s only when you pull on the outfit, do you feel ready to face the workout.
So, ensure your gear is green before heading out to embrace nature’s delights – shop your athleisure and activewear at these 100% Irish vendors …
1. Peachylean
Keegan began Peachylean at age 33, following a sudden and serious commitment to fitness after postnatal depression. She knew from her own experience and from other women who were in similar positions, that one thing holding them back from this lifesaving tool of exercise, was finding the right pair of workout leggings. She couldn’t find the right pair of supportive, comfortable, high-quality leggings on the market, so she invented them herself. After designing and experimenting with multiple products, Keegan released her line, and named it Peachylean. In April 2021 the brand appeared on Dragon’s Den and has since then grown into a global brand.
2. Fad Saoil Saunas
A Dublin rent-a-sauna business might seem mad to those unexposed to the sea-swim obsession, but Fad Saoil Saunas offers far more than just a hot shed to relax in, post-cold-dip. The Irish outfit, that provides 30–45-minute sessions in their rented sauna, is motivated by the physical and mental health benefits that the saunas offer – and also, the wonders of outdoor pursuits like sea swimming. For that reason, the business sells locally designed fleeces and 100% cotton towel robes, as well as acupressure mats, to equip yourself for the cold sea.
www.fadsaoilsaunas.com
3. Holdereight
Irish company Holdereight’s goal is singular: create beautiful, environmentally safe yoga products that will bring joy to the practice of yoga and help the customer to find more of the balance in life. This Irish company creates and sells hand-drawn natural rubber mats, that are 100% biodegradable and machine washable. Holdereight also have a line of stainless-steel water bottles, which come in several unique designs and colours.
4. Organic Movement (OM)
Female-founded small Irish business Organic Movement (OM) creates yoga sets from organic and ethically sourced cotton, as well as a line of stylish, easily-identifiable-at-the-gym yoga mats and bags. Founded by Emylou Hurley in 2018, Organic Movement seeks to sell organic and natural products, made fairly and ethically in Europe and Bali. Hurley claims that after watching the documentary, The True Cost Movie, she was motivated to stop wearing synthetic clothing, and educated herself on the negative aspects of polyester. Organic Movement now also sells fetching towel robes in two colours, for the water-babies.
5. SOMY
For the surfers, skaters, and mass-production haters, SOMY is a wonderful Wexford-based brand. SOMY makes great skate-and-surf high-quality organic cotton T-shirts that prioritise new, young artists’ designs in their Artist series. The Artist Series T-shirts feature a design by a young artist living in Ireland, on the back of the T-shirt, while the front remains plain, save for a small SOMY scribble on the upper left-hand side of the chest. For €30, each T-shirt is brilliant value for money, and by platforming new artistic styles, SOMY goes further than your usual Irish clothing seller. Plus, the sizes are generous in variety, and unisex.
6. RASHR
What’s better than eco-friendly swimwear? Answer: customised eco-friendly swimwear. Irish collective RASHR make rash vests for surfers, swimmers and those frequently donning wetsuits, made from 100% recycled polyester materials, such as fishing nets and carpets. RASHR say they combine the latest technologies in printing to create a well-fitting vest that leads the market. The vest designs on their site – both men’s and women’s – feature bold, fun styles. Going above and beyond in their commitment to reusing materials, RASHR delivers the customised rash vests in pizza boxes.
