I recently tried some of the new Janji Apparel. I’ve needed some new summer weather and I like the charity work Janji does supporting clean water supply. Plus their sustainability practices are some of the best in the running industry.
About Janji:
Janji gives 2% of proceeds from every purchase to support clean water projects in countries that inspire each of their seasonal collections. You can learn more about the Janji promise here.
As many people know, sustainability is important to me, and I’ve been focused on purchasing more from brands that use sustainable practices. Janji does just that! Janji has the motto “P.F.M.,” which means Perpetual Forward Motion. It reminds us that as we continue, one step in front of the next they are focused on building a better company and industry.
Janji focuses on not using virgin plastics but also apparel that can be worn more, longer and does not need to be replaced as often!
A few sustainable practices Janji uses:
- All Janji clothing is Bluesign® and/or OEKO-TEX® certified.
- Recycled: In Fall 2020, 1/3rd of fabric is made from the majority of recycled polyester. In 2021, they are focusing on changing the majority of the Transit tech fabric to recycled polyester.
- Better Cotton: In Spring 2021, Janji cotton is now GOTS certified. They are also transitioning into US-grown, premium Supima® cotton for a more resilient and longer-lasting material.
- Better Synthetics
- Durable Nylon
- Natural Fibers
- Reducing Water
As you can see, Janji is doing some of the best work for the sustainability practices of any running brand!
Sustainability is awesome, but is Janji gear *good for running*? Like most runners, I want to support sustainable practices, but I also don’t want to spend runs being miserable because I’m chafing!
Pieces of Janji Apparel I Tried:
Women’s AFO Singlet:
The Janji Women’s AFO is extremely light and drying. It might be the highest singlet I’ve ever owned. In fact, it weighs 1.4 ozs!
Materials: 88% recycled polyester, 12% elastane
Fit: Usually, I wear a women’s small top, and the size small fits well. It’s loose, so it doesn’t cling to you on hot summer days.
This might be one of my favorite running singlets ever. I truly feel like I’m wearing nothing. But I love the fit and feel of it.
Janji 3″ AFO-Vent Multi Short:
The AFO-Vent is a light 4-way stretch trail short. It has an extra-breathable, micro-perforated shell with a liner. There are also 5 pockets, and it can hold and secure nutrition, headlamp, gloves, phone, keys, and whatever you want.
Cost: $72
Materials:
- AFO-Vent 80% nylon, 20% elastane
- Groundwork Knit (waistband) 68% nylon, 32% spandex
- Power mesh lining (waistband) 100% polyester
- Performance brief liner 94% polyester, 6% spandex
I appreciate that Janji breaks down each part of the short like this.
Fit: Typically, in running shorts, I wear an XS. The Janji AFO-Vent Multi Short fits true to size and XS fits well.
I’ll just cut to the chase. These have quickly become one of my favorite shorts. I was hesitant to say that because of the price point, but the shorts have more bells and whistles than any short I own. BUT not in a bad way. It can hold my gloves without an issue. When they get wet from sweat, they don’t drag down, and they just fit well. I’ve also added a lot of gels and gear, and my shorts haven’t fallen. So that is obviously a plus.
Janji Runterra Top:
I’ve been in a basic girl mood. I love plain tops. At this point, I probably have too many t-shirts and plain tops, but truly you can never have too many.
The Runterra Top was designed to be an everyday active performance top; it has embedded volcanic particles within the fabric (don’t worry if I didn’t tell you that you wouldn’t know).
Materials: 70% Supima® cotton, 30% 37.5® tech polyester
Fit: I typically wear a size small, and the size small fits perfectly.
I really like the Janji Runterra Top as well as workouts. It’s great for days. Unfortunately, in California, things can go from 50 degrees to 70 over the course of 2 hours, so I’ve gotten a lot more short sleeve tops.
Conclusion:
While Janji is more expensive than many brands, they do considerable charity work, including focusing on clean water. Plus, it’s hard to beat their sustainability practices! I am definitely excited to try more of their gear.
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Questions for you:
Have you tried Janji before?
What running brands do you see practicing sustainability?