SeeWhatSheCanDo
April 13, 2021
Ever had the problem of meeting up with friends after a workout session and worried about how your workout clothing may smell? Koup, an eco-friendly performance wear brand has you covered with their award-winning cinnamon T-shirt!
What makes the Koup cinnamon T-shirt special?
Cinnamon has long been used as a natural preservative since Egyptian times and contains a natural ingredient called cinnamaldehyde which is scientifically proven for its anti-microbial property. It is widely used in chewing gums and toothpaste as a natural preservative. Koup uses patented technology to combine cinnamon extracts with recycled plastic bottles to create clothing that suppresses odour. The reason this works is because odour is actually produced by bacteria that exist naturally on our skin when they feed on sweat. By stopping bacteria from growing, you’ll smell better after your workout.
Most performance clothing on the market relies on short-lasting and harmful chemicals to achieve performance such as anti-odour and sweat wicking. This is bad for the users as they are essentially bathed in chemicals when working out, and these chemicals are washed off very easily which is bad for the environment. Brian Chuang, the Co-Founder of Koup has worked in the performance textile industry for more than 10 years and has witnessed first-hand the impact of these chemicals used, which is why he has decided to create Koup to bring change to the industry. Koup also runs a blog where they share ideas around sustainability and aim to introduce easy to read ideas to people of all backgrounds.
Over 12 million tons of clothing are thrown away each year in the US alone. Most of this waste ends up in landfills, incremented, or, even worse, becomes ocean waste. The problem is worsened by fast fashion where excess production and unnecessary waste are created.
Another problem is the recycling of clothing as much of the discarded clothing is very difficult to recycle because they are made from mixed materials like polyester and spandex mix. Koup is looking to reduce textile waste by designing all clothing to be made with a single material and have partnered with manufacturers to turn used clothing into new materials in the future. Koup also asks their customers to send back their Koup t-shirts at the end of its usable life and are currently looking at ways to recycle back their products more seamlessly from customers.
Koup is co-founded by Taiwanese-British couple, Crystal & Brian, who love the outdoors and wanted to preserve a better planet for future generations. Crystal is a management consultant by training and Brian has an Engineering Ph.D from Oxford and has over 10 years of experience working in the textile industry. They've always been interested in sustainability issues and decided to create Koup when they were expecting their first child. Koup started its journey with a successful Kickstarter campaign and has won multiple awards including the 2021 ISPO BrandNew (biggest outdoor trade show in the world) and was also selected by the Taiwan Tech Arena to represent Taiwan in the 2021 CES Show.
Click here to enjoy a special SeeWhatSheCanDo 15% discount on Koup's eco-friendly performance wear. Once there, simply enter the code 'SWSCD' to access your 15% discount when ordering.
Check out the SWSCD Athlete Advisor, your online athletic business directory. Find, rate, and review programs, local community offerings, and businesses that will help you do your thing.
Start a group around a physical activity in your neighbourhood. Explore events. Check out our SWSCD Hub.
Look for advice, stories, news, and more on our Active Living activity page.
Tell us about your favourite way to get yourself moving. Share your highlights directly on our Discover blog or by using #seewhatshecando on social media and inspire others to get active.
Blog written by Crystal and Brian, Co-Founders of Koup. A husband and wife team that is laser-focused on creating sustainable athletic wear and caring for the health of our planet for future generations. They currently live in Taiwan and love to enjoy the outdoors together with their two young children.
Photos provided by Koup.
Invite your Friends to join the SeeWhatSheCanDo Community
Copy this link and send it any way you like.Connecting you to active women, local groups, events, businesses and more.
Choose your location
or
Don't use my location, default to Toronto, ON.
Comments