An In-Depth Review of PE Nation: Stylish Activewear That‘s Better for Your Wallet Than the Planet

Introducing PE Nation: Cool Activewear With Room for Improvement

Founded in 2016 by Pip Edwards and Claire Tregoning, Australian brand PE Nation burst onto the athleisure scene with its sleek, fashion-forward activewear designed for both form and function. With its mix of color blocking, mesh paneling and embossed logos, PE Nation‘s workout gear looks just as good lounging about town as it does powering through a Barry‘s Bootcamp class.

The direct-to-consumer brand has amassed a devout Insta-famous following, with celebrity fans like Hailey Bieber, Emily Ratajkowski and Elsa Hosk stepping out in PE Nation‘s neon sports bras and second-skin leggings. But underneath the hype lies a label with significant room for improvement when it comes to sustainability and ethical manufacturing.

In this in-depth review, we‘ll break down everything you need to know about PE Nation, from its best-selling leggings to its middling track record on social responsibility. Read on for the highlights, lowlights and need-to-know intel before you shop.

PE Nation Highlights:

• On-trend, fashion-forward activewear designs
• Flattering, slimming silhouette and fit
• Celebrity fans and influencer collaborations
• Occasional sales and promotions

PE Nation Lowlights:

• Expensive price point
• Limited size range
• Vague sustainability practices
• Ethical manufacturing not guaranteed

Putting PE Nation‘s Activewear to the Test: Quality, Fit & More

As a fitness fanatic myself, I was eager to see if PE Nation‘s covetable designs stood up to sweat sessions as well as pics for the ‘gram. I got my hands on a few of their bestselling pieces to assess factors like fabric quality, stretch recovery and overall performance during workouts. Here‘s how PE Nation fared during my test drives around the gym and yoga studio:

PE Nation Training Tight Legging

The Rundown: Buttery soft fabric with compression fit; stays in place during HIIT workouts and doesn‘t pill with abrasion. Runs slightly small.

Fabric & Feel: 88% nylon, 12% spandex; ultra-smooth handfeel almost like silk. Comfortable yet compressive.

Performance & Durability: Passed squat test with flying colors. Fabric maintains shape and doesn‘t loosen excessively when stretched. No pilling between thighs after 30 wears.

Fit Notes & Sizing: Runs nearly a full size small; order up for a body-skimming look without restriction. Waist fits true to size.

The Verdict: My new go-to legging for high intensity training days. Luxe fabric stands up to sweat and abrasion during plyometrics and HIIT routines without sagging. Compressive yet breathable; doesn‘t cause overheating.

PE Nation Gym Angel Sports Bra

The Rundown: Cute style but unsupportive for high impact; best for yoga and Pilates. Straps dig in uncomfortably.

Fabric & Feel: 87% nylon, 13% spandex; ultra-smooth microfiber with four-way stretch. Almost silky soft-handfeel.

Performance & Durability: Fabric retained shape after multiple wears and washes with no pilling. However, shelf bra offers very little support. Wouldn‘t recommend for running or HIIT.

Fit & Sizing: Slightly small in the cups; spillover and bouncing likely if over C cup. Band fits true to size. Racerback straps dig into shoulders.

The Verdict: Adorable design let down by lack of support and uncomfortable straps. Shelf-bra style bra better suited for Pilates and yoga where bounce control isn‘t essential. Size up if above C cup.

After putting a few different pieces through their paces, I was pleasantly surprised by PE Nation‘s gym-worthy construction and performance. The leggings stood up to intense sweat sessions without sagging, pilling or losing their shape. However, the sports bras left something to be desired where design met function. Cute strappy backs aside, many styles lacked adequate support for running and HIIT.

How PE Nation Compares to Similar Activewear Brands

When it comes to competition in the activewear space, PE Nation goes toe-to-toe with labels like KORAL, Alo Yoga, Michi, Varley and Ultracor. So how does it compare on price point, quality, style sensibility and eco-conscious practices? Here‘s a quick breakdown:

KORAL: Comparable quality and performance with slightly lower prices but fewer trend-driven prints and patterns. More size inclusive. Greater sustainability commitments.

Alo Yoga: Slightly pricier with similar celeb-approved styling. Alo edges out PE Nation in fabric innovation using proprietary materials. More ethical manufacturing partners.

Michi: Ultra-luxury Canadian brand commands higher price tags. Notable for its seamless bonding construction for absolute comfort. Leads industry in sustainable textiles use.

Varley: London-based label melds function with fashion-forward look at lower cost. Size expansive. Emphasis of natural, recycled materials for smaller eco-footprint.

The bottom line? While PE Nation hangs tough on quality, aesthetic and cool cachet, it lags many competitors significantly when it comes to sustainability commitments and ethical manufacturing safeguards that protect workers. With vague language about its use of recycled materials, the brand still has lots of room to improve its eco-stewardship.

Are PE Nation‘s Steep Prices Worth It?

There are no two ways around it: PE Nation is expensive. With leggings ranging from $100 to $179 and bras generally priced over $100, building out a full gym wardrobe constitutes a serious fashion splurge for most shoppers.

In many cases, PE Nation‘s heavy price tags are justified by its luxe fabrics (think: silky nylon-spandex blends), flattering contoured seaming and trendy color-blocked or mesh paneled accents. Performance during sweat sessions also mostly delivers.

That said, cheaper activewear labels like ColorfulKoala sell comparable leggings and bras that stand up admirably against PE Nation‘s at a fraction of the cost. And when it comes to sports bras in particular, more affordable brands often match — or even exceed — the comfort and support provided by PE Nation‘s offerings.

Is PE Nation Worth Full Price? The Bottom Line

If budget isn‘t the main concern and you gravitate toward bold colors and sleek styling, PE‘s Nation eye-catching designs absolutely warrant the splurge. For those on tighter budgets or harder to fit body types though, cheaper activewear alternatives provide similar function (and sometimes better), without the prohibitive price tag. Savvy shoppers can also keep an eye out for PE‘s not infrequent end-of-season sales to nab deals on past season items.

Spotlight on Sustainability & Ethical Sourcing Practices

Considering the sizeable financial and environmental footprint of fast fashion and textile waste, more and more consumers (including myself) feel it‘s important to vote with our dollars by supporting brands that align with our values around eco-conscious production.

So how does PE Nation‘s ethos around sustainability and ethical manufacturing stack up?

Sustainability & Materials

PE Nation keeps details pretty vague but claims some products utilize recycled materials including plastics and nylon. A few pieces also tout ECONYL® fabric made from regenerated fishing nets and other waste.

While surely better than virgin materials, PE Nation still lags many competitors in adopting earth-friendly fabrics across all its product ranges. Brands like Girlfriend Collective, For Days, and Prana all offer full collections spanning basics to outerwear created from 100% recycled materials or renewable plant-based fibers. Compared to these leaders, PE Nation has ample room to improve when it comes to sustainable material usage overall.

The brand does partner with local suppliers and contractors when possible to cut back on transport miles. But details on other sustainability measures — like renewable energy in factories or water reduction processes — remain scant.

Ethical Manufacturing & Labor Practices

Disturbingly little information is readily available about the labor conditions and worker treatment within PE Nation‘s factories and supply chain. The brand does note on its website that it will not tolerate certain unsafe working environments or human rights violations among partners. However there are no specific certifications from organizations like Fair Trade USA or WRAP to externally validate such claims.

Compared again to rivals with radically transparent policies on living wages and factory audits (like Girlfriend Collective), PE Nation provides potential customers with frustratingly little insight into the true environmental and human costs of bringing its activewear to market.

For shoppers like myself who highly value ethical production, PE Nation‘s opacity and lack of external accountability on these issues remains a major barrier I personally can‘t overlook. Those less concerned with labor issues and conditions however may not view the lack of details as a deal-breaking deterrent.

The Best of PE Nation: Top Rated Leggings, Bras & More

Ready to shop? While PE Nation‘s catalog encompasses hundreds of activewear pieces, a few customer favorites consistently rise to the top as brand best-sellers. Based on rave reviews and first-hand testing, here are my top picks to add to your cart:

Leggings

• PE Nation Training Tight Legging – Ultra-flattering contoured seaming
• PE Nation Grid Formation Legging – Trendy mesh panel detail
• PE Nation Training Day Legging – Budget-friendly basic

Sports Bras

• PE Nation Double Time Sports Bra – Strapped-in support
• PE Nation Fast Lane Sports Bra – Bold colorblocking

Biker Shorts

• PE Nation Snap Shot Short – Checkerboard side stripe detail
• PE Nation Game Plan Short – Contrast drawstring waist

How to Save on PE Nation: Tips for Scoring Deals

Given the lofty regular retail prices, take advantage of sales events and partner discounts to get PE Nation gear for less. Some current ways to save:

🛍 Shop the sale section for last season‘s colors – up to 60% off!

🤝 Sign up for email list and receive 20% off first order

🎁 Create a Nordstrom account and get points towards future discounts

⏰ Check Shopbop daily deals for rotating flash sales

📦 Buy multiple pieces to get tiered free shipping

💳 Utilize Buy Now Pay Later plans like Afterpay and Klarna to split costs over 4 interest-free payments

Shop PE Nation: Retailers & Delivery Details

PE Nation operates a limited number of brick-and-mortar stores in Australia. Global customers can shop the brand via its official international ecommerce site as well as third party retailers:

• pe-nation.com
• Revolve
• Nordstrom
• Shopbop
• Bandier [US only]

The PE Nation site offers free worldwide shipping for orders above $200 USD. Otherwise international delivery costs $25 USD flat rate. Receive tracking info and delivery estimates upon shipping.

Returns are free within 21 days. PE Nation provides a printable return shipping label to affix to packages. Refunds are credited back to original payment method.

PE Nation Review: Final Verdict

If you‘re seeking fashion-forward activewear from a buzzy brand beloved by A-listers and influencers, PE Nation absolutely warrants a spot on your radar. The mix of high stretch fabrics, compressive silhouettes and color blocked details rightly earn the label its glowing style reputation.

Just don‘t expect PE Nation to deliver great value across all categories: Support could be stronger in certain sports bras, size ranges are still limited and taller/curvier shoppers may find the slim fit constricting rather than flattering.

And for socially-conscious consumers like myself, the brand‘s record on sustainability and ethical sourcing requires significant improvement before we can fully endorse it as a leader in eco-innovation. Transparency and accountability should not be optional when it comes to environmental and human rights standards across the production supply chain.

So whether PE Nation works for your lifestyle, priorities and budget ultimately depends on what you value most in boutique activewear. Without question the look holds up. Let‘s just hope the brand continues working to ensure its integrity and ethics evolve to match.