Commuter Couture by Outlier Tailored Performance

Photo via Outlier
If you're a bike commuter (or just a vain rider), and you don't want to abide by the traditional archetypical aesthetic (rearview mirror on glasses, 1985 Bell helmet, rubber-bands around your pant cuff), check out Outlier Tailored Performance clothing company. They make eco-friendly, boutique-quality clothing specifically designed for bike riding. Of particular lust-worthiness are their pants and shorts. They come in summer and normal weights, come in slick slim and straight-legged cuts and all have rider-friendly features like articulated crotches so they don't bunch up while riding. But the coolest feature is the fabric. It is made by the Swiss company Schoeller Textiles (all the clothes are locally constructed near Outlier's New York City offices), and conforms to the rigorous bluesign environmental certification. The fabric wicks, dries, stretches, drapes and, of particular interest to this lazy author, through a nanotechnological innovation is "self-cleaning." This means stains—be they grease, wine, whatever—don't bind to the fabric. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't saw it. The company touts the infrequency of washing as another environmental selling point.

Photo via Outlier

They also make shirts, caps and hoodies, all of which are made from merino wool with the Zque certification, which tracks the provenance of the wool to ensure sustainable practice at every phase of production. Using wool over synthetics is a good idea for garments that reside near our more fragrant body parts.

The clothes aren't cheap. Pants start at $160 and hoodies are $225. But for the quality, robust environmental oversight and versatility (and considering most jeans seem to start at $175 nowadays and don't fair well on the bike), they seem like a pretty good investment.

See Also:
Bike Clothing that Doesn't Suck: How Government does Fashion
EcoZoic: Cycling Clothing Made From Bamboo Charcoal
DOYOUVelo: Chic Reversable Clothing for Cyclists

Tags: Bike Accessories | Biking | Clothing | Commuting | Sustainable Fabrics