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Is TALA Activewear Really Worth the Investment?
- Madison Hurst
- Nov 4, 2019
- 4 min read
Looking for a sustainable activewear company that doesn't break the bank? Well, look no further, because a new breakthrough company called TALA is seriously reinventing the game. Created by the Young Entrepreneur winner for 2019, Grace Beverly has designed this collection to mimic all of the latest staple products and trends, whilst keeping their clothing labourers and the environment in mind at every stage of production. TALA specialises in simple athleisure styles, and have five current collections which sell items ranging all the way from tops, leggings, biker shorts, hoodies and joggers. However, today in this review, I will be testing out the trusty plain black legging, putting it to the test inside and outside of the gym. If you're interested in learning more about this brand and my thoughts on TALA, then keep on reading!
TALA's Sustainability Initiatives
Water Usage
All seamless TALA garments are made up of 92% recycled polyamide called Q-NOVA, which cuts down on water usage by 90% compared to non-recycled polyamide yarn. The items made from Recovertex saves over 4817 litres of water per tonne of recycled cotton, due to its recycled properties.
Recycling
ALL TALA seamless and Recovertex garments are made up of 92% recycled raw materials, which are collected from factory offcuts that would otherwise end up in landfills. It is estimated that these materials and practices have saved over 7,272,394 m2 of landfill space and 2.9 million kg of textile waste.
0% Chemicals
One of the most damaging impacts that the garment industry has on the environment is through the use of harmful chemicals and dyes. The Q-NOVA material utilised in the seamless garments uses a process called MCS, which uses a mechanical regeneration system to avoid the use of chemical dyes. Similarly, the hoodies and joggers made of Recovertex do not involve the use of dyes or chemicals whatsoever and have spared the use of approximately 3,213 tonnes of chemical dyes in 2018 alone.
To learn more about TALA's sustainability initiatives, head here.
Some Things I Love About TALA
No Strings Attached
All TALA products are free of sewn-in labels, with an alternative dye-free printed label placed on the inside of the waistband. Not only is this feature great for the comfort side of things, but it also reduces the amount of polyester (which is made up of plastic fibers) that ends up in landfill every year.
Compostable Packaging
One of the main ways that TALA is combatting GHG emissions is through the use of compostable packaging, inclusive of all of their tags and shipping materials. This includes the coolest part of all, their zero-waste seedling tags that can be planted in the ground to grow your own little tree (if that doesn't sell you, I don't know what will).
Size Inclusivity
Even though the sizing inclusivity is fairly average (extra small to extra large), the main thing that really stood out to me was the inclusion of a tall option for each size in their legging range. For a small start-up brand, I think this is a cool option that many brands larger brands neglect, which could be really helpful for many of you tall girls. For your reference, I am 5"5 and fit nicely into the regular length legging.
My Review
Pricing
Although the price initially seemed rather expensive ($75AUD) for a simple pair of black leggings, comparing it to other pairs I own by Gymshark made me feel a lot better about my purchase. For the sustainability and quality of these leggings that Gymshark cannot compete with, I think that the price is highly justifiable, and very reasonable in comparison to other ethical activewear companies who charge upwards of $100AUD per item. For reference, here is a comparison of price between the Gymshark and TALA leggings in the most similar style I could find:
TALA Zinnia Seamless Leggings
AUD: 75
USD: 51 POUNDS: 40
EUROS: 46
Gymshark Energy Seamless Leggings
AUD: 90
USD: 61 POUNDS: 48
EUROS: 55
Quality
I was worried that these leggings would feel scratchy or be transparent because they are made of recycled, non-dyed fabrics. However, I was very pleasantly surprised. Not only do they wash up nicely, but they are completely opaque, breathable and super smooth.
Usability
For me, this is where these leggings really shine. I tried these out in the gym, and they are 100% squat proof, sweat-wicking and high performing in both weight training and cardio. They are easy to move around in and don't start to wiggle their way down when you're jumping around or squatting like other leggings do because of the amazing compression waistband they have used on all of their seamless items.
Shipping
AU Shipping Price (Untracked): $16 AUD
AU Shipping Price (Tracked): $26 AUD
Out of all of TALA's successes, the one area I was disappointed by was the shipping. Not only does the global shipping price make these leggings a lot more unaffordable for the average consumer (it makes the leggings $90), but it also took over three weeks to get to my door. In the future, I would love to see TALA expanding and exploring better shipping options.
Final Thoughts
With all of that being said, I would certainly say that the Zinnia Leggings by TALA are worth the investment. It is nice to know that your purchases are making a difference, and for this very reasonable price, I will definitely be looking to purchase more of their products in the future.
To purchase products from the TALA range, head here.
Straight from the Source
Make sure to check out this video made by the owner of TALA which will give you a better idea of how these products could work for you, straight from the owner/girl boss herself, Grace Beverly.
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