Imperfect Pointes
If you are a woman out there in the world who has had to suffer the indignity of torn, tight, bulgy, endlessly frustrating ballet tights, this is your sign to keep reading.
Let’s put it straight. Tights can be terrible. They are delicate and usually last one wear before they have to be tossed due to rips and runs. They dig. They bunch. They have these weird lines and seams in the wrong places. Uggh.
There is, however, a woman-owned brand out there that is doing the work to make dancewear and tights more sustainable AND comfortable.
Imperfect Pointes is a dancewear brand started in 2020 by a woman who worked in the fast fashion industry (looking at you, Boohoo and Shein) and saw how horrific the conditions can be. We’re talking for the people making the clothes and for the clothes themselves. Cheap fabric, clothes tossed into landfills. Poor working conditions. She was on a mission for her daughter, who was learning ballet, to have dance clothes that were sustainably made all around.
Imperfect Pointes makes everything from recycled materials. All apparel is made with ECONYL® yarn, which is 100% regenerated nylon fiber made from nylon waste like netting and carpet flooring that would otherwise pollute landfills across the earth. Their family-run factory is based in Yorkshire, where conditions are excellent and you know who is making your leotard.
They have a pre-loved and tights recycling program (did you know that every year 8 billion pairs of tights are tossed?) where you can send them three pairs of old tights (any brand!) and they will give you a discount code for your next purchase. Your old tights will be used to make new ones.
Imperfect Pointes is a great example of tackling an industry that happens to be at the mercy of fast fashion in a big way. Athleticwear and dancewear in particular is bad because the products can be finnicky and dependent on trends. If you’re a dancer, you’ve probably gone through god knows how many leotards and pairs of tights that have torn or gotten stretched out. You’ve had to buy new ones so fast you don’t even think about it.
It’s good to know there are people trying to fix this, even in small ways. So recycle your tights, and take good care of them too! Also, if you’re a dancer out there, please thank whoever is driving you to all those recitals. Thanks mom!