These Sweat Shorts Will Be Your New Favorite Cozy Staple

It's the year of the sweat suit. Even though the days are getting warmer, seemingly no one is ready to give up being comfy just yet. And though laidback fashion is typical this time of year (think: living in denim shorts and crop tops) this summer it's time to try sweat shorts, the warm weather-counterpart of baggy sweatpants. Pangaia's Sustainable Pastel Collection is here in five summery shades to help you pull off cozy (not sweaty) summer style.

Just four months ago the sustainably focused brand released a cruelty-free and eco-friendly collection of its signature styles in neutral tones. The Botanical Dye range was immediately so revered that its fans demanded an encore. But reproducing its natural dyes derived from fruits, veggies, plants, and food waste proved to be difficult for larger batches. So rather than sacrificing dye quality or integrity of the garments, Pangaia shifted to a more stable dying process with its new Pastel Collection. The latest cheerful colors (matcha green, rose pink, mineral red, plum purple, and earl grey) are formulated with nautral ingredients: the blue dye comes from a bean plant, yellow is extracted from the gall nut of oak apples, and the pink and purple hues come from an Indian Madder root. These natural choices are safer not only for the wearer of the garment, but won't pollute water supplies if trace dyes leak out when washed or if potentially broken down in say a landfill. The new process also includes a recycled water system which keeps the brands water consumption to a minimum. The textiles within the new collection are made of 45 percent recycled cotton combined with 55 percent organic cotton. The choice to use purely cotton rather than incorporate recycled polyester (common in sweatshirt fabrics) is to avoid polyester's potentially polluting micro-plastics.

Though 'sustainable' practices are a growing trend in fashion right now, know that the ethical brand has had a long-standing commitment to the environment. Philanthropy has been firmly rooted in Pangaia's core mission. In fact, the brand has an ongoing collaboration with SeaTrees, a California-based non-profit created by Sustainable Surf that plants trees in coastal ecosystems. Currently, Pangaia donates $1 from each of its garments sold which funds the planting of one Mangrove tree in Biak Island, Indonesia. Just one mangrove tree sequesters up to one of ton carbon dioxide, effectively lowering the brands CO2 footprint as well as providing habitats for the areas threatened ecosystems.

Now that you can trust your next cozy ensemble is doing its fair share for sustainability, here's the full run-down of the unisex collection. Thick 'terry cloth'-like fabric is rendered into eight classic silhouettes: a hooded sweatshirt ($150), classic crewneck ($120), basic t-shirt ($55), cropped tee ($50), a pair of sweat shorts ($80), as well as a longer pair ($90) and, finally, cinched jogger track pants priced at $120. The pastel shades make for a bright and sunny palette and don't miss the earl grey shade which single-handedly keeps the trendy "groufit" (grey sweats outfit) going strong.

Score the timeless and minimalist collection, here.

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