Erin Isakov started her sportswear company Erin Snow in 2003 with the focus on function and performance. The commitment to sustainable design did not start as a conscious choice for her. “It’s how I lived my life, so it’s how I ran my business,” Isakov explained.

As her company matured, sustainability evolved to become a deliberate pillar of Erin Snow design. Now, Isakov’s design intention is to create sportswear and activewear that encourages a symbiotic relationship between her customers and the environment.

“I’m not just thinking about how these garments perform,” she said. “I’m thinking about how they interact with the wearer, and how they get them out and active.”

Sportswear and technical textiles don’t typically come to mind when one thinks about sustainable fashion. “We work almost exclusively in synthetics,” Isakov said.  “We use a lot of finishes and membranes that historically have been extremely toxic.”

Since Erin Snow was founded, some significant innovations have marked the technical textile world. Isakov is witnessing a change in the perception of what sustainable fashion can mean; not everything has to be natural to be sustainable.

“The materials we use aren’t only better because they’re blue sign certified or made with recycled materials,” she said. “They’re better because they’re the best quality materials on the planet.”

The higher price tags on these materials don’t seem to deter people. “Consumers,” Isakov noted, “want to make their spending more meaningful.”

Pictured here on skis, Isakov is confident that her customers can take their gear out into the world without negatively affecting the mountains they’re riding on.

See more of the CFDA/Lexus Fashion* Initiative sustainability story by following #ReDesignFashion.