Material Shift

Welcome back, Wellworthy readers.

Plastic is having a wellness reckoning.

Brands are rethinking materials across everything from coffee makers and water pitchers to activewear, while consumers are paying closer attention to what products are actually made from.

This week, we’re looking at why materials are becoming the next frontier in wellness.

Here’s what’s inside:

• Why the wellness world is rethinking plastic

• AI can now prescribe acne medication in Utah

• FRESH THIS WEEK: Zendaya’s latest On collection, a new ultra watch from Garmin, and supplements in mochi form

Let’s get into it.

The Feature: Rethinking Plastic

For years, wellness has focused on what goes into products.

Now, consumers are paying more attention to what those products are made from.

That shift is showing up everywhere. Caraway is keeping plastic out of the brew path in its new coffee maker, Rorra is making water pitchers from glass and stainless steel, and Boldwill is building activewear around natural fibers instead of polyester and nylon.

Why plastic is getting more attention

A lot of the conversation centers on microplastics.

They’ve been found in food, water, air, and human tissue, while researchers are still working to understand what long-term exposure actually means for health.

That uncertainty hasn’t stopped people from taking a closer look at the materials they interact with every day.

Materials are becoming a selling point

Brands are responding by making materials part of the pitch. 

In the kitchen, that can mean glass and stainless steel instead of plastic touching food or drinks. In activewear, it means brands experimenting with cotton, wool, and other natural fibers instead of relying entirely on polyester, nylon, and elastane.

The idea isn’t new. What’s changing is how prominently those material choices are being marketed as part of a healthier lifestyle.

What it means for you

The science around microplastics and human health is still developing, so this probably isn’t a reason to throw out everything you own.

But if you’re already replacing a water bottle, coffee maker, food container, or workout clothes, checking what it’s made from is becoming another factor to consider alongside price, performance, and design.

The ingredient label mattered first. Now the material label is starting to matter, too.

A smart home gym makes sense if these habits sound familiar

^{Presented by Tonal.}

You don’t have to love working out at home to be a home gym person. Certain workout habits are a pretty good giveaway.

If you like having your workouts planned, get motivated by seeing your progress, avoid the gym when it’s packed, or regularly squeeze strength training into 20-minute windows, a smart home gym might make more sense for you than you think.

Tonal plans your workouts, automatically adjusts your resistance, and tracks your strength over time. Sessions can run as short as 15 to 30 minutes, so you can keep making progress without planning your day around the gym.

The real payoff comes with time: the more you train, the better Tonal understands your strength and adapts to it.

Just Dropped

New products and drops spotted → 

Gear & Apparel

Salomon teamed up with FP Movement on exclusive colorways of two of its most recognizable trail-inspired sneakers. The limited drop gives the XT-6 and XT-Whisper new ombré finishes in FP Movement-only colorways, blending Salomon’s outdoor roots with a more lifestyle-driven look. Shop the collab.

On and Zendaya are back with another collection, this time centered on everyday sportswear and the new Cloudnova Moon. Co-created with Zendaya and Law Roach, the ballet-inspired sneaker uses a low-profile silhouette, heel-focused CloudTec cushioning, and an elastic strap across the upper. See the collection.

Saucony went full cowboy with its new Space Cowboy collection. Five silhouettes, including the Endorphin Elite 3 and Endorphin Azura, get Western-inspired details like chrome finishes, cow print, decorative stitching, and bolo tie-style laces. Shop the collection.

Health & Fitness Tech

Garmin launched the Enduro 4, its newest GPS smartwatch built for ultra-endurance athletes and multiday adventures. It offers up to 320 hours of activity tracking with solar charging, alongside new grade-adjusted pace tools, stamina metrics, faster maps, and multiday activity logging. Check it out.

Merrithew introduced the NX3 MAX, a new wood reformer built for Pilates studios and other professional fitness spaces. Its wider carriage, eight-wheel system, adjustable gearbar, and wood construction give the traditional reformer a more design-forward update. See the reformer.

Goer wants to fill the empty spots in your workout schedule. The new Austin app lets users book last-minute deals on fitness classes, gym day passes, and wellness services without committing to a membership or subscription. Download Goer.

Supplements & Nutrition

Ritual launched Creatine Greens, a daily mango drink mix combining 5g of creatine monohydrate with a blend of spinach, kale, collard greens, spirulina, and chlorella, plus added vitamins and minerals. It gives people a way to combine two common parts of a wellness routine into one scoop. Shop Creatine Greens.

OLLY unveiled Mochi Bites, a new supplement format available in Beauty, Sleep, Multi, and Energy formulas. Each soft, chewy bite is designed as an alternative to the usual pill or gummy, giving OLLY a more snack-like way to deliver its supplements. Try the bites.

Once Upon a Farm launched Organic Electrolyte Blends, refrigerated snack pouches made for active kids. The line uses the brand’s familiar pouch format to deliver hydration support, offering an alternative to traditional sports drinks and powders. Check them out.

On Our Radar 

What's moving in wellness this week → 

AI is moving from health advice to prescriptions. Nolla Health has started offering acne prescriptions to patients in Utah through an AI system without direct human oversight. The pilot is limited to acne medications, but Bloomberg reports it is the first time a state has allowed this kind of technology to take over a role traditionally handled by a doctor. That makes it a small use case with much bigger implications for where routine healthcare could be headed.

NYC Marathon sidelines are becoming protected brand territory. New York Road Runners told run clubs that non-sponsor brands must stay out of their official cheer zones for this year’s race. That means a club backed by a competing shoe, fuel, or other brand could have to rethink what it displays along the course. With an estimated 2 million spectators showing up each year, the rule is another sign of how valuable running culture and the marathon sidelines have become to brands.

Wellness travel keeps getting bigger. Canyon Ranch is opening a new resort outside Austin on more than 600 acres overlooking Lake Travis, with a 40,000-square-foot spa, 27,000-square-foot fitness facility, health and performance services, and more than 35 optional activities each day. It’s less like a hotel with a good spa and more like an entire trip built around health, fitness, recovery, and time outdoors. As wellness becomes a bigger reason people travel in the first place, resorts are building entire destinations around it. Canyon Ranch Austin opens October 15.