Sweaty Betty has pioneered women’s activewear since its founding in 1998. In that year Tamara and Simon Hill-Norton opened the first Sweaty Betty boutique in London’s Notting Hill. From day one the brand’s mission was clear: “to empower women through fitness and beyond”. Its founders identified a gap on the high street for well-fitting, stylish performance gear designed by and for women, and Sweaty Betty quickly became known as the “OG of female-first activewear”. Today the company is a global lifestyle label (now owned by Wolverine Worldwide) and remains fiercely women-led – in fact roughly 89% of its staff are women. The brand’s own credo emphasizes community and encouragement: “Find fitness that fits you,” the site urges, celebrating every woman’s personal journey whether she’s breaking a sweat or simply taking a mindful moment. As Sweaty Betty puts it, its strength comes from the spirit of the women in its community – a true sisterhood building each other up​.

Sweaty Betty’s product line is as comprehensive as its mission. Its boutiques and online store stock everything a modern active woman needs – from head-to-toe gymwear to casual athleisure. The collection includes high-performance leggings in every style (full-length, 7/8, cropped and even flared, with multiple waist rises), along with workout shorts and yoga pants. A full range of supportive sports bras (light, medium and high support) complements sleek tank tops, T-shirts, long-sleeve layers and cozy hoodies. The brand also offers dresses and jumpsuits designed for movement, and playful athleisure skirts. Swimwear has become a recent focus – technical training swimsuits, tankinis and bikinis for everything from pool laps to beach yoga. Accessories round out the lineup: Sweaty Betty sells gym bags, caps and beanies, socks, gloves and even sneakers (their first-ever footwear collection debuted in 2023). Across all categories, the design ethos is both functional and stylish. As the company notes, Sweaty Betty is “synonymous with bold prints and supportive shapes” made from high-performance fabrics. Each piece is carefully crafted for comfort and expression – whether it’s a tie-dye pattern that pops or a solid crop-top that feels like second skin, the look is always sharp.

Sweaty Betty’s signature Power Leggings showcase this blend of technology and style. These figure-flattering tights use four-way stretch, sweat-wicking fabric and a snug high waist to carry you through squats, runs and yoga flows alike. (In fact, the Power Leggings have earned over 10,000 five-star reviews for being truly “squat-proof” and comfortable in every workout scenario.) Likewise, the niche Zero Gravity running tights were engineered to feel weightless on long runs – so successful that they won a “Best Leggings” award in a women’s running magazine. Meanwhile the Explorer collection offers crease-free tops and bottoms for travel and rest days, ensuring you look polished even after a workout. In short, Sweaty Betty’s designs always fuse technical performance with fashion flair: you’ll find secure zip pockets on leggings, reflective trim on outer layers, and eye-catching color combinations that let you move confidently from studio to street.

Performance isn’t the only priority – comfort and innovation in everyday life are too. Sweaty Betty has even developed specialized FemTech clothing for women’s life stages. For example, the brand’s Leak-Protect Power Leggings look like regular leggings but contain a built-in tri-layer gusset that absorbs menstrual or incontinence leaks during exercise. These leggings were rigorously tested (hundreds of hours of running, lifting and dancing) so women can work out without “oops” worries. The maternity line is another innovation: leggings and tops have stretchy over-the-bump panels and gentle ruching to safely support changing bodies. Notably, Sweaty Betty collaborated with women’s health startup Hertility to ensure these products are backed by science. All of this is sold alongside the core collection, with sizes spanning a broad range. The website’s size filters show bottoms available up to 4XL (around UK 20+), demonstrating the brand’s commitment to inclusivity. In practice, Sweaty Betty designs with real women in mind – tools like a Bra Quiz and active fit guidance help customers find the perfect fit at any size or life stage.

Sweaty Betty is equally conscientious about its environmental and social impact. The company’s Our Responsibility pages make clear that sustainability is a priority. “We know that a sustainable future is the only future,” the site declares, and Sweaty Betty has set ambitious targets to prove it. All of their 2022 swimwear, for instance, is made from recycled materials, and they commonly use recycled polyester, organic cotton and modal (a plant-based fiber that comes with a promise to plant two trees for each one used) in clothing. Sweaty Betty also operates take-back programs: customers can return old activewear (in Hong Kong and Singapore stores or via UK recycling partners) for reuse or repurposing, helping keep tens of thousands of garments out of landfills. On the operational side, their UK shops and offices now run on 100% renewable electricity and use LED lighting to cut waste. The company has even adopted science-based carbon targets: for example, it aims for roughly a 42% reduction in its own (scope 1–2) emissions by 2030 and a 52% cut in its supply chain’s per-unit emissions (against a 2020 baseline). Sweaty Betty frames these commitments as part of caring for “our planet and our people” – proof that their activewear is about well-being at every level, not just in the studio.

Lastly, Sweaty Betty builds community around its clothes. The Sweaty Betty Foundation, mentioned on the site, works to change the statistics that “only 15% of teenage girls are active enough” by funding school and local projects that make sport more accessible. By investing in girls’ confidence and opportunity, the brand lives its tagline “empower all women through fitness and beyond” in a very literal way. Internally, company values like “We do what we say and say what we do” and “Stand up, speak up, shout out” emphasize transparency and inclusivity. In a crowded marketplace of activewear, Sweaty Betty’s combination of bold design, technical innovation and social conscience gives it a distinctive voice. The clothes are undeniably premium – each piece is cut and sewn with attention to detail – but they also carry a larger message of female empowerment and care. As the brand puts it, fitness is meant to fit you, not the other way around, and Sweaty Betty has positioned itself as the label that makes that philosophy stylish and real for women everywhere.