Clothing made without PFAS, phthalates, antimony, or synthetic finishes — in long-staple organic cotton, untreated merino, and TENCEL. Quietly engineered for movement, and for everything after — and to leave nothing behind.
Most performance fabrics are plastic. Polyester, nylon, elastane — engineered for stretch, but built from petrochemicals and finished with chemistries the body was never asked about. They shed microfibers in the wash. They carry residues the regulators have only just begun to name.
MATERIA. is the opposite premise: that the most demanding garment is the one that asks nothing of your body in return. We make clothing from materials with long, transparent supply chains — and we publish what's in every piece, down to the dye.
Less, but better. Made of what your body should touch.
Dr. Shanna Swan, an environmental epidemiologist at Mount Sinai, has spent four decades documenting the relationship between endocrine-disrupting chemicals and human reproduction. Her 2017 meta-analysis (updated 2022) is the foundation of the modern conversation.
Swan et al., Human Reproduction Update · "Count Down" (2021)In a controlled study, men wearing polyester underwear showed reduced sperm count and motility, with some developing azoospermia after 139 days. The effects reversed after switching to cotton. Synthetic fabric, in direct skin contact, was the only variable.
Shafik · Eur. Urol. (1992)Polyester production uses antimony as a catalyst and PFAS for water-resistance. Phthalates and BPA residues remain in finished fabric. All four are documented endocrine disruptors, and all four are routinely found in athletic apparel sold today.
Multiple peer-reviewed reviews · Env. Health PerspectivesMicroplastics shed from synthetic textiles have now been detected in human blood, placentas, and seminal fluid. The biological consequences are still being characterized — but the exposure pathway is no longer in question.
Leslie et al. (2022) · Ragusa et al. (2021)MATERIA. makes no medical claims. We make a materials claim — every fiber, dye, and finish in every piece is disclosed and certified. The science above is published, peer-reviewed, and publicly accessible; Dr. Swan has discussed it most recently on The Joe Rogan Experience #2476 (March 2026), and at length in her book Count Down. We encourage you to read the source material yourself.