Best Sustainable Gym equipment brands
Biofit gym consultants review some of the top gym equipment manufacturers with a sustainability policy
Our list currently includes exercise equipment manufacturers just starting out while other like Intenza (Taiwan) and Eleiko (Sweden) lead the way in sustainable gym equipment manufacturing. So we are looking at both fitness equipment brand market, that is commercial grade fitness equipment, as well as gym accessories brands. and ethically sourced sports accessories.
Eventually we hope to see emerging heavyweight fitness equipment brands such as Watson gym equipment on this list, as a way to inspire more sports equipment manufacturers uk and UK health club chains, home gyms, personal trainers and the industry as a whole to pick up the baton on environmental awareness in gym supplies.
For our views on why Technogym commercial gym equipment is in danger of falling behind these other trailblazers setting the pace with their own sustainable fitness journey, see the dedicated article here.
To discover the best fitness equipment brands and gym equipment manufacturer names doing sustainability right… read on! Please note, none of the below are brand partners of ours, we remain completely unaligned and a neutral observer of sustainable brands in the fitness industry.
ELEIKO sustainable gym equipment
Eleiko is one of the world’s leading weight lifting equipment suppliers and Swedish, high quality gym accessories manufacturers that designs, manufactures and distributes high-end powerlifting, weightlifting, and strength training gym equipment making them one of the world’s most prominent weight lifting equipment and commercial gym equipment companies.
You may not find an exercise bike here, rowing machine or products made of recycled materials but if you are looking for strength training gear, Eleiko make a lot more than just weight plates!
We’ve had our eye on them for a while now thanks to their progressive stance on sustainability, a rarity in the fitness industry at the moment, and they are also moving into home gym equipment such as a premium weight bench and chic free weights.
This is not the place to look for exercise bikes , the best cardio machines or other cardio machine equipment however, Eleiko are about strength training only, from upper body to lower body and core.
Even just having a dedicated sustainability page of their website (see here) with meaningful content on a sustainability plan is relatively hard to come by in the gym equipment space still.
An example of their sustainability efforts includes a recent switch of production for their premium leather weightlifting belts from China to Sweden.
As this brand has a premium positioning in the marketplace, at the upper end of the price spectrum, they clearly have a degree of elasticity that may not apply to a budget gym equipment brand, for example.
One of their highest volume products was previously manufactured in Latvia and that too was moved to their home territory of Sweden as part of their gym equipment corporate sustainability strategy.
Eleiko also implemented a “refund system” for their packaging materials from China and made the switch from disposable sea pallets to reusable pallets to lessen their environmental impact.
A large slice of Eleiko’s gym equipment is made from durable polyurethane an eco-friendly (recyclable) take on plastic that is free from endocrine disrupting and hormone disrupting chemicals.
Eleiko also introduced the XF Bumper Plates line that offers durable, quiet bumper plates that are made using recycled EU crumb rubber.
Nota Bene: we often have lingering doubts about the chemical content of the glue / binder used in such as crumb rubber products as it can contain toxic substances such as VOCs that off-gas i the gym air over time - a faint but distinctive smell is always a sure sign that this is happening.
WaterRower/Nohrd sustainable gym equipment
WaterRower and its German sister company NOHrD manufacture and sell high-end wooden fitness equipment with a sustainable edge, much of it using wood that has been ‘FSC certified’ - this stands for Forest Stewardship Council, an industry body that certifies wood sourced from sustainably managed forests.
Specifically, the gym equipment uses wood from a variety of trees such as ash, cherry, oak, and walnut.
We see this brand as firmly positioned in the home fitness equipment segment - although it does occasionally appear in commercial gyms we believe their sweet spot is in home gym designs, the kind that negates any need for a gym membership at all!
The product range includes the recognisable wooden rowing machines as well as spin bikes, a treadmill, balance boards and a range of strength training equipment.
In 2022 WaterRower Scandinavia’s boss Richard Kelly instigated what they have termed their European Sustainability Project, with the Danish consultancy team at Brems contacting us Biofit Gym Consultants and various other opinion makers in the industry for market insights prior to developing a strategic marketing plan focused on sustainable development for their gym equipment business.
The stated aims of the project, according to their own website, were to determine the following in regards to gym equipment sustainability:
what our customers think of our products seen in the light of sustainability.
the framework for vision, mission, value propositions and brand positioning for both brands: WaterRower and NOHrD.
the balance between the apparent conflicting areas of luxury design and responsibility for the environment.
the areas of transparency needed in our sourcing and production processes that the end-users (also in the future) will be interested in.
how to communicate the sustainability ethos and maximize its positive affect on our business.
<< https://www.waterrower.dk/european-sustainability-project/ >>
This suggests that the brand is not only looking to update its marketing strategy but hopefully that it has more in the pipeline around extending its sustainable values deeper into the product development cycle a a whole.
For example, they might consider a more extensive Life Cycle Analysis of the other materials (aside from wood) that make it into their gym equipment via their supply chain, mention of any renewable / green energy used in their production facilities, any steps taken to reduce the water usage in their manufacturing, community outreach programs, carbon emissions tracking, carbon offsetting initiatives, and so on.
We would ideally like to see a stronger presence of stock 3D models from Norhd in the leading 3D gym design software packages.
SportsArt sustainable gym equipment
SportsArt is a US gym equipment brand that positions itself as a leading proponent of sustainability in the fitness industry largely via their ECO-POWR line.
Their ‘eco-friendly’ cardio equipment line is dubbed a “green fitness solution for green living”. It consists of a treadmill, an elliptical, upright cycle, recumbent cycle and indoor cycle.
This bold sustainability claim is effectively based on an energy consumption / carbon emissions argument, as the cardio machines rely on the conversion of user-generated kinetic energy to power their LED screens and contribute a modicum of electricity back onto the grid.
How does this work? Human kinetic energy is captured by a generator and a micro inverter transforms this into electricity that can be used immediately, reducing the machine’s energy consumption draw-down from the grid and, implicitly, reduces the facility’s overall energy consumption.
Specifically, it can convert up to 74% of the human energy available during exercise (meaning it is 74% efficient) and generate up to 22wH of electricity per hour of workout, per machine.
So why are we not convinced? As sustainability consultants specialising in the gym industry, we see these claims as being far more relevant for a large format gym, health club or fitness centre with a considerable (50+) number of cardio machines in frequent use day in and day out, or perhaps a spinning studio with 50 bikes and a busy class schedule every day while running at 80% occupancy… anything else is going to equate to an almost insignificant quantity of electricity.
The disconnect within the brand’s positioning however comes when we review the rest of their product ranges, outside of the ECO-POWR line, which includes Strength Products and Rehabilitation Equipment, both of which show no obvious signs of concern for sustainability.
We have questions about their policy around materials for example. Sustainability is about more than just doing less harm, it should be about doing more good, whether that be avoiding the use of hamrful plastics, incorporating Circular Economy principles into the design of their gym machines, giving back to the local community, and so on.
The options are endless but we see very little evidence of this at a brand level with SportsArt, suggesting they still have a lot of future potential in this sense.
Fitwood sustainable gym equipment
Finnish brand Fitwood is a relative newcomer to the nature-oriented gym fitness equipment manufacturer scene. They use natural Scandinavian wood to produce their workout equipment that is intended to blur the boundaries between home decor pieces and training gear.
In this sense, they are a direct competitor to Nohrd albeit with more of a committed, Scandinavian aesthetic of lighter woods.
Their gym equipment collection currently includes wall bars, rings, a pull-up bar, balance board and an ab roller while they also have a separate range of gym equipment for kids (see here) with more of a climbing and balancing orientation.
We see a clear focus on functionality, with clean lines and a pure aesthetic that is fuss-free, especially when compared to most gym equipment suppliers in the increasingly over-populated fitness equipment industry.
Additionally, the wood they use is natural, renewable, and one of the most sustainable materials for equipment. FitWood harvests their wood responsibly and from well managed forests that ensures there is no damage to the surrounding environment or habitats.
Fitwood also aim to leverage the mental wellbeing benefits of integrating wood into home interiors, stating that wood can help to create calm and tranquility. So if you are looking to buy gym equipment with a conscience, given how few gym equipment manufacturing companies pay any attention to such values, we think Fitwood warrant your attention.
We’re big believers in this type of biophilic design inspiration but there is arguably a case here to say that it would take more than a pair of gymnastics rings in a bedroom to make it a calm, restorative place. The intent behind such claims is an honest one however and as part of a wider wellness interior design strategy, we’re convinced Fitwood products have a role to play.
Casall sustainable gym equipment
Casall is one of the best gym equipment manufacturers in europe right now, it’s a Swedish training brand for both fitness apparel and workout equipment.
Their commitment is to reach 100% “Conscious Choice” status by 2025 in their activewear and and at least 50% “Conscious Choice” on home training tools and professional equipment.
As Casall continues to grow and expands a business, these goals become ever more meaningful, which helps set them apart from many others in this industry who shy away from committing to such fixed goals.
What do they mean by Conscious Choice exactly? For products it refers to items produced using recycled, biodegradable or renewable raw materials.
More specifically, for their activewear collection, it means produced using material with a minimum of 50% recycled, biodegradable or renewable raw materials such as Tencel, Bio polyamide, Organic cotton, Recycled Polyamide/Polyester or Organic materials.
For their gym equipment' ‘tools’ it equates to a minimum of 25% materials are recycled, organic or bio-based such as sugar cane, bamboo, rice husk, cork. For example, they recently came out with an updated version of their best seller yoga mat “Línea 4mm” now called “Yoga Mat bamboo 4mm Natural”. made of 25% bamboo and rice husks while using up to 50% renewable energy sources in the manufacturing process.
Additionally, sustainable packaging is set to be fully renewable and recycled by 2025, the company compensates its corporate travel emissions, their company cars will be fossil-free by 2025, they are even tracking inbound and outbound freight CO2 emissions with the stated aim of reducing these impacts.
Casall look to be taking a lead in the sustainable gym equipment industry, making them a shining example of transparency and commitment to people and planet. Our hope is that the best gym equipment brands start to sit up and take notice…
Paragon sustainable luxury gym equipment
A relative newcomer to the scene, Paragon are pitching at the upper echelons of the market such as luxury yacht gyms and high-end residential projects.
This is a world of premium materials and a sophisticated aesthetic with an initial range of key gym equipment pieces such as dumbbells, benches, plyo boxes and wallbars.
Paragon’s sister company Gym Marine are gym design consultants based in Monaco so this extension into manufacturing means they can sell-in their own products for future gym design assignments.
In this sense they are competing with other luxury gym equipment brands such as Hock in Germany, albeit with one key difference - a commitment to doing things sustainability.
Instead of teak, that has a complicated position in sustainability terms, Paragon opt for using African Iroko wood that is sustainably sourced. They’ve also brought in a company named Carbon Managers for a cradle-to-grave analysis of their equipment and manufacturing processes.
This suggests a company that is willing to do what it takes to minimize its impact and produce products that are potentially carbon neutral one day; so Paragon may just be starting out on this journey but we look forward to seeing their progress over coming years.
Example list prices include Eur 2,000+ for a wood plyo box, Eur 10,000 for a set of dumbbells (1kg-6kg) and Eur 4,000 for an adjustable gym bench suggesting these may be just as much about status and avoiding the standard names such as Technogym in favor of something altogether more prestigious. There’s a market for everything so we wish them luck!
Intenza Fitness sustainable gym equipment
Taiwanese gym equipment brand Intenza stand out for their ‘green manufacturing’ stance based on a ‘mind body soul’ philosophy that considers not just user health but the health of the planet too. so if you haven’t heard of them yes, this is a brand to have on your sport equipment names radar.
A 14,000 m2 facility opened in 2013 has nearly 2000 rooftop solar panels that cover most of their power needs, making it 100% energy efficient, while a rooftop rainwater capture system reduces their water consumption requirements.
The project was guided by the Nine Green Building Indicators established by Taiwan’s National Council for Sustainable Development under the Ministry of the Interior (MOI):
Biodiversity
Greenery
On-site water retention
Daily energy savings
CO2 reducrtion
Construction waste reduction
Indoor environmental quality
Water resource
Sewage and garbage improvement
This same philosophy of sustainability in the gym industry and health club equipments continues into their gym equipment products that feature an energy-reducing Standby Mode when not in use and an Eco Mode when spin bikes are pedaled at more than 40rpm or the elliptical stride tops 40spm, to power the multimedia player / TV with kinetic energy.
The product range includes a stairclimber, treadmill, elliptical, recumbent bike, spin bike, upright bike and weight vest - so a full suite of cardio machines for health clubs and gyms, in other words, as well as weightlifting equipments for full body workouts.
Intenza have representative offices in Germany, Japan, South Korea, the USA and the headquarters in Taiwan. All you need to complete the picture is a solid standard operating procedure in the gym for cleaning gym equipment environmentally friendly way. So even if Intenza is not currently a big name of gym equipments in Europe, we hope to see them rise to prominence here in future.
Further Reading
Technogym - A Sustainability Laggard With Strong Health Promotion Credentials?
What it takes to be the Best Gym Design Company for Hotels, Resorts and Real Estate
Top Virtual Fitness Content Providers - A Gym Designer Perspective
Our Team Of Wellness Designers, Gym Experts And Sustainability Advisors
Top Fit Tech Recovery Tools For Next-Level Gym Design - The Case For Light Therapy
A Guide To Uk Purpose-Built Student Accommodation Gym Design To Help Students Level Up Their Fitness
Discover the Top North American Gym Brands for Sustainability and Diversity in Fitness