As much as we aspire to be so, we are not perfect. Whether it is carbon emissions, post-industrial waste, or post-consumer waste, our products and operations negatively impact the environment. Every manufacturing operation does so. However, we refuse to accept that fact for our future Our adventure is to always beat yesterday, and we are continually taking strides to lessen our impact. Maybe one day we will reach our summit where the net activity of Atayne has a positive impact on the environment. Whether you believe we can or not, we can promise you one thing: every day, we are working on ways to move closer to neutral environmental impact.

The story of Atayne goes back to a hot and humid Washington DC morning in May 2007 when company founder Jeremy Litchfield used a new red performance top for the first time. Within a few minutes of starting his workout, Jeremy had begun to sweat heavily, and he soon noticed that red dye from the shirt was starting to trickle down his legs. By the time he finished his run, the trickle had turned into a gusher, and the lower half of his body was covered in red dye. Adding insult to injury, his shorts, socks, and shoes were all stained in red dye.

The experience left him with an uneasy feeling: what nasty chemicals were being absorbed into his body as he was trying to make himself healthier by running? He decided to do some research and found out some remarkable things:

 
• Current performance apparel is based on out of date technologies that pose harm to people and the planet. 
• Newer technologies exist that are not only safer, they perform better. 
• These technologies are under-leveraged and there’s a huge opportunity to bring them to the market.

Jeremy had a choice to look at this as a problem or an opportunity for change. He could continue to be frustrated with how the apparel industry’s status quo sacrifices the safety of their customers, workers, and the planet to make profits. Or he could write a new story for the industry.

What started out as a bad experience with a red performance top has transformed into a company dedicated to inspiring positive social and environmental change through the power of active lifestyles. The first chapter in this journey, high performance athletic gear made from “trash.” Where the story goes is anyone’s guess, but two things are for certain – put people and the planet first and profits will follow and Atayne will never make a “red shirt.”