By Angelina Cappiello

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For years, the wellness industry has encouraged women to prioritize movement, nutrition, mindfulness, recovery, and self-care. Yet one critical conversation has remained largely overlooked: What are we wearing against our skin every single day?

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As active-wear evolved into an everyday lifestyle uniform, synthetic fabrics, petroleum-based fibers, chemical finishes, and plastic-derived materials quietly became the industry standard. Leggings, sports bras, and performance apparel marketed as “healthy” or “wellness-focused” are often manufactured with little public discussion around material composition, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or long-term biological exposure. Now, one emerging brand is working to change that narrative.

Meet DEANA KELLY, Founder of THRĒ AKTIV— a premium women’s active-wear company redefining performance apparel through the lens of biology, material awareness, and intentional design.

Built from the fiber up, THRĒ AKTIV is not simply another luxury athleisure label entering an already crowded market. It is a wellness-driven movement rooted in the belief that what touches the body matters.

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Preferred Health Magazine: What inspired the creation of THRE AKTIV, and how did your personal health journey shape the brand’s mission and philosophy?
DEANA KELLY: “Biology-conscious” is a term I use to describe a more intentional approach to product design, one that considers not only how a garment looks and performs, but also how it may impact the body over time.
   The idea was born from my own healing journey. After my breast cancer diagnosis, I began looking at my life through a different lens. I started asking a simple question: Is this supporting my body, or potentially working against it?
   As part of that process, I also became more aware of the important role our endocrine system plays in overall health and the growing conversation around everyday chemical exposures. I found myself paying closer attention to the products I use regularly and looking for opportunities to reduce unnecessary exposures wherever I could.
   As I learned more, I realized there was very little conversation around the materials used in activewear, despite the fact that these pieces are worn close to the skin, often during periods of increased heat, perspiration, and absorption. I became increasingly interested in understanding not only how fabrics perform, but what they are made from, how they are produced, and whether they align with a healthier, more intentional lifestyle.
  To me, biology-conscious activewear means designing products with the body in mind. It means considering the materials, inputs, and manufacturing processes and striving to make choices that support overall well-being rather than simply prioritizing performance at any cost. I believe this is an increasingly important conversation for women today because many of us are becoming more aware of the cumulative impact of our daily choices. We are reading labels, questioning ingredients, seeking transparency, and looking more closely at the products we use every day.
  The fabrics we wear deserve to be part of that conversation. THRĒ AKTIV was created from that philosophy.  My goal is to offer an alternative for those who are seeking activewear that feels more aligned with a health-conscious, intentional, and empowered way of living.

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PHM: Many consumers are unaware of the materials and chemical treatments commonly used in conventional activewear. What did your research uncover that ultimately motivated you to create an alternative?  
DK: As I began researching the materials commonly used in activewear, I was surprised to learn that most performance apparel is made from petroleum-derived synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, and elastane.
   Many consumers don’t realize these materials can shed microplastics throughout their lifecycle, from manufacturing and wear to washing and disposal. While awareness of microplastics in our oceans and food supply has grown, there has been less discussion about the role synthetic textiles play in the issue.
   I also learned that conventional activewear is often treated with chemical finishes for benefits like moisture management, stain resistance, odor control, and wrinkle resistance. Some chemicals used in the textile industry have raised concerns due to potential links to hormone disruption, reproductive issues, certain cancers, and other long-term health effects.
   As I navigated a breast cancer diagnosis and became more conscious of my overall toxic load, I began questioning whether the fabrics I wore every day aligned with the healthier lifestyle I was striving to create.
   That realization became the catalyst for THRĒ AKTIV: to create beautiful, high-performance activewear made with plant-derived materials, thoughtfully selected inputs, and greater transparency, without sacrificing comfort, function, or style.

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PHM: Your brand focuses heavily on thoughtfully sourced fibers, lower-toxicity materials, 
and intentional manufacturing. How do those standards differentiate?
DK: At THRĒ AKTIV, we start with a different question. Instead of asking only how a fabric performs, 
we ask how it is made, what it is made from, and whether it aligns with the values of health, transparency, and environmental responsibility. That philosophy influences every decision we make, from fiber selection
and fabric development to manufacturing partners and material certifications. 
    We intentionally chose TENCEL™ Lyocell as the foundation of our collection because it is a plant-derived fiber known for its exceptional softness, breathability, and moisture management. Our supply chain begins with Lenzing, the maker of TENCEL™ Lyocell, whose fibers are sourced from responsibly managed wood sources and are supported by industry-leading traceability and transparency initiatives.
   To achieve the stretch and recovery required for performance apparel, we use a minimal amount of premium elastane while maintaining a composition that is 95% plant-derived. We selected ROICA™ V550, a Cradle to Cradle Certified® stretch fiber, because it aligns with our commitment to thoughtfully sourced materials and responsible manufacturing practices. Cradle to Cradle Certified® evaluates products across categories including material health, environmental stewardship, and circularity, providing an additional level of transparency into how materials are made.
   We also approach performance differently by building compression and support into the fabric through knit engineering rather than relying solely on heavy synthetic content. This allows us to create garments that feel supportive and perform beautifully while remaining aligned with our philosophy of thoughtful material selection.
   We prioritize materials and manufacturing partners that meet recognized standards for safety and environmental responsibility. I chose to manufacture in Portugal because of the country’s longstanding textile expertise, commitment to quality craftsmanship, and adherence to strict European Union regulations around chemical safety.

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After my breast cancer diagnosis, 
I began looking at my life through a different lens. I started asking a simple question: Is this supporting my body, or potentially working against it?

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As a brand born from a healing journey, we work diligently to make thoughtful material choices and avoid chemicals that have raised concerns around human health whenever possible. That commitment influences the fibers we select, the manufacturing partners we work with, and the standards we prioritize throughout our supply chain. We further prioritize fabrics that meet standards such as OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certification and REACH compliance, which help provide assurance that materials have been tested for a wide range of substances of concern.
  What ultimately differentiates THRĒ AKTIV is that we view performance, health consciousness, and sustainability as interconnected rather than competing priorities. Our goal is to create activewear that feels luxurious, performs beautifully, and gives women confidence in what they are putting on their bodies every day.
   
PHM: THRĒ AKTIV emphasizes the idea that “what touches your skin matters.” 
Why do you believe women should pay closer attention to the fabrics they wear daily —
especially during exercise and recovery?
DK: Our skin is our body’s largest organ, yet many of us spend far more time thinking about what we put in our bodies than what we put on them. What makes activewear different is the way we wear it. These pieces are often tight-fitting and sit directly against some of the most absorbent areas
of the body for hours at a time. During exercise, we’re generating heat, perspiring, and increasing friction against the skin. Our pores are open, blood flow is elevated, and our skin is working hard to regulate temperature. Those conditions made me pause and ask a simple question: If I’m being intentional about what I eat, drink, and bring into my home, shouldn’t I also be intentional about what I wear against my skin every day?
   Many conventional performance fabrics are petroleum-derived and may be treated with a variety of chemicals during manufacturing. I believe women deserve greater transparency around the materials used in the products they wear and the ability to make informed choices that align with their personal values and wellness goals.  
   I believe women shouldn’t have to choose between performance, luxury, and wellness. They deserve products that support how they move, how they feel, and how they care for their bodies.

PHM: Balancing wellness, performance, sustainability, and luxury design can be challenging. 
How did you approach creating activewear that feels elevated while still aligning with your health-conscious standards?
DK: One of the first things I discovered during my own search for healthier alternatives was that there often seemed to be a tradeoff. Products that aligned with my health-conscious values didn’t always deliver the comfort, performance, or aesthetic I was looking for, while products that performed beautifully didn’t always align with the standards I was trying to uphold.
   I didn’t want women to have to choose between health and performance. From the beginning, my goal was to create activewear that felt elevated in every sense of the word, luxurious against the skin, flattering on the body, high-performing during movement, and thoughtfully made from the inside out.
   I was drawn to TENCEL™ Lyocell early in the process because it embodied so many of the qualities I was looking for. It offered the softness, breathability, and moisture management I wanted, while also aligning with my preference for more plant-derived materials. We then engineered performance through the fabric construction itself, creating support and compression through the knit structure while relying on only a minimal amount of premium stretch fiber, resulting in a fabric composition that is 95% plant-derived. 
   Equally important was ensuring that the materials, manufacturing partners, and certifications reflected the same level of intention as the design. Every decision was guided by a simple question: Does this support the woman wearing it, not just in how it looks and performs, but in how it aligns with the life she is trying to create? 
  I believe modern luxury is no longer just about appearance. It’s about quality, transparency, craftsmanship, and intention. THRĒ AKTIV was built on the belief that women deserve activewear that honors all of those things at once.

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PHM: Beyond launching an activewear company, what larger impact or movement do you hope THRĒ AKTIV will inspire within the wellness, fashion, and women’s health industries?
DK: If THRĒ AKTIV inspires anything, I hope it’s a greater sense of awareness and empowerment. My breast cancer diagnosis taught me that many of the choices we make every day, can either align with or work against the life we’re trying to create. That realization changed the way I approach nearly everything.
   My hope is that THRĒ AKTIV helps expand the conversation around what wellness truly means. Wellness isn’t just exercise. It isn’t just nutrition. It’s the cumulative effect of the choices we make every day and how those choices influence our overall quality of life.

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If we can encourage women to become more curious about the products they bring into their homes, the ingredients they consume, the fabrics they wear, and the companies they support, then we’ve accomplished something meaningful.
More broadly, I hope THRĒ AKTIV contributes to a future where performance, health consciousness, sustainability, and beautiful design are no longer viewed as separate conversations. I hope we help raise expectations around transparency and inspire brands across the wellness and fashion industries to think more intentionally about the impact their products have on both people and the planet.
   I also hope people remember the story behind the brand and why it exists. THRĒ AKTIV was built by a woman who faced adversity, chose to learn from it, and transformed that experience into purpose. What began as one of the most difficult chapters of my life became an invitation to grow, to question, to heal, and ultimately to create something meaningful.
  At its core, THRĒ AKTIV was born from healing. If our story encourages even one woman to trust herself, embrace her own journey, and recognize that challenges can become catalysts for growth, then that may be the most meaningful impact of all.