I tried the gym leggings you wear for a week without washing, they didn’t smell like sweat but my friends were disgusted
EVERY January, many of us buy new activewear as we set the goal of shifting excess pounds gained during the holiday season.
One innovative company has added something new to the activewear realm with a pair of leggings that can be worn without washing for almost a week - as their fabric is infused with fish scales.
Now, it’s easy to want to turn your nose up at the idea as fishes aren’t exactly known for having a pleasant smell.
And most of us would prefer to have drawers overflowing with sports clothes rather than just one pair of leggings that risk having a stench in the gym.
However, founders of Locionne, Michelle Huang and Elle Castellani, say they tested the fish scale-infused fabric for two years before launching their Genesis collection.
The fabric that was initially developed in Taiwan for intimate wear doesn’t involve killing fish.
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"What they do is they upcycle fish scales, which otherwise would become ocean waste, and use the collagen inside the fish scales to be woven into the fiber,” Elle told .
“I tend not to wash them for a week and I didn't find anything wrong with it, especially if I wasn't doing, let's say CrossFit.”
The leggings are designed to hold wetness away from the skin rather than absorbing moisture like traditional sportswear.
They promise to keep the wearer cool while controlling odors.
They also have antimicrobial properties.
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So, how do the leggings compare to other gym wear?
I was skeptical when I bought the brand’s which have been reduced from $81 to $49 since Black Friday.
I decided to buy them in the color carbon black because I didn’t want any visible sweat stains while I was exercising, but they also come in the colors oat milk, plastic pink, and tarmac gray.
Sizes range from XS to XL and after reading that the model on the website was wearing an AU 6 [US 2]/ XS, I thought it was best to try the XL.
The leggings felt buttery soft when they arrived but looked tiny enough to be shapewear.
I was convinced that they weren’t going to fit but they were surprisingly very stretchy and genuinely had a “second-skin feel” when I squeezed them on.
I also bought a matching sports bra but it didn't provide much coverage for my full bust.
The brand boasts on the website that the leggings have a “high waistband for lower abdominal control and waist definition.”
This was noticeable the moment I put the leggings on and I was glad they had a handy side pocket that was big enough to hold my phone.
I decided to put them to the test by first just wearing them for a 40-minute walk around my neighborhood.
Maybe my sizing choice was off because the waist of the leggings kept falling down and it was frustrating to have to constantly adjust them.
I began to dread having to try them at the gym for my workouts - I envisioned them slipping to my ankles while doing cardio.
The leggings didn’t smell of anything when they arrived and after one wear, nothing had changed.
Unfortunately, I got the flu not long after this and left the leggings untouched on a chair for around a week.
They still didn’t have any smell after a week so I continued the experiment by braving a trip to the gym wearing them.
The waist of the leggings repeatedly fell as I walked 20 minutes to the fitness center and I really wished that I had my regular Reebok pair to change into for my workout.
I decided to tie my hoodie around my waist to avoid exposing myself in the male-dominated weight room as I started an upper body workout.
During the 45-minute session, the leggings had to be adjusted when I stood to do lateral raises and front raises.
I usually finish my gym workouts with cardio on the elliptical trainer but I was fed up with the leggings and decided to just walk home.
The leggings still had no smell and seemed as if they would be fine to continue wearing for a few more days.
I discussed the concept of wearing the same gym leggings for almost a week with friends.
They all seemed disgusted by the idea regardless of if they lived up to the brand’s promises.
“That sounds like a sure way to get a yeast infection,” one said.
"I wouldn't even wear them more than once, and I'm not being boujee, I sweat a lot," another added. Boujee is a term that means high class.
"Girl no, unless I’m doing low-intensity workouts like pilates or yoga, but if it’s a sweaty session I could not," a third chimed in.
"Just two times a week depending on how sweaty," a fourth agreed.
Two days later I wore the leggings again to go shopping as an alternative to classic black leggings.
The plain black color made them easy to style for an everyday casual look that could be worn outside of the gym.
When I got home, despite not having any smell I no longer felt comfortable wearing them.
They were overdue a wash, even though they didn’t smell sweaty and had no visible marks.
I understand that it’s better for the environment to not frequently turn on the washing machine and that having one pair of leggings cuts costs for many.
But there’s something that feels unhygienic about repeatedly wearing the same pair of clothes while getting sweaty and sitting on equipment used by others.
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I don’t think I would have worn them as many times as I did if I had been running on the treadmill instead of weight lifting.
As I stepped back into the gym a day later, I couldn't help but return to my old leggings after swiftly throwing my Locionne pair in the wash.
