Bronte Campbell is no stranger to an audacious goal. As a spritely seven year old, Bronte can recall confidently interrupting a family dinner to exclaim, in no uncertain terms, that she was going to be an Olympian; much to the bemusement of her friends and family. Four Games, three Gold Medals and two-time World Swimming Championship titles later, she’s made good on that prediction. It turns out, ambition has always been part of the formula.
“I do set very big goals,” Bronte, now 31, tells me. “The only way for me to push forward is to have something really big and audacious that I’m chasing.”
These days, Bronte’s focus has moved well beyond the pool. The decorated Aussie athlete’s next challenge won’t be measured in seconds or splits, but it could well be her most important trial yet. Tackling supply chain, structure and ethical production, Bronte is entering a $600 billion race against time that tugs at the very fabric of our environment.
A Change of Pace
It’s a balmy Autumn mid-morning in Sydney when I catch up with Bronte. Unsurprisingly, she’s got highlights from the Milano Cortina 2026 blasting in the background. “Oh my goodness, I’m watching it all the time,“ she laughs. “I’m working from home and I just want to watch replays all day. It’s my little treat to be able to do that.“
It’s a world that she knows intimately. Over the course of four Olympic Games, the swimmer built one of the sport’s most remarkable careers, forming a key part of a formidable Aussie team that dominated the pool. For most of Bronte’s life, success was measured in hundredths of a second, but with Earthletica, her latest endeavour, she’s working at a different rate of pace.
Helmed by the Olympic legend, alongside co-founders Libby Babet and Chris Raleigh, Earthletica is a sustainable activewear label that produces high-performance gear. For Bronte, a professional athlete who has spent the better part of two decades training every day, the industry is a perfect fit. As she’ll gladly tell you, the swimmer has practically lived in activewear every moment she’s been out of the pool, but two years ago, there was a massive turning point.
The Synthetic Epidemic
“I was working out in activewear every single day, but when I learned that activewear relies on the creation of new plastic, I started looking around, thinking about what could be a better option,“ she explains. “There was no one that was doing this in any meaningful way in the high performance space.“
As Bronte explains, synthetic fibres like polyester, nylon and elastane dominate the performance apparel industry; a market that was valued a USD$406.83 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD$677.26 billion by 2030. Synthetic materials are light, durable and relatively cheap to produce, so it’s no real surprise, but new reports suggest the long-term impacts could be dire.
A 2023 study by the American Chemical Society found that sweat leaches chemical additives from plastics, which are then available to be absorbed through our skin. In essence, the more you sweat, the more chemicals you could absorb.
“Natural fibres like bamboo, hemp and wool, while great, weren’t able to hold up to a proper workout like I needed them to in the gym,“ Bronte tells me. “They couldn’t handle the sweat, they’d fall down or sag or they just weren’t really fit for a purpose.“
Dissatisfied with the state of the industry, Bronte went looking for an alternative, turning to other athletes, founders and retail experts. All this was happening while she was working her day job as a consultant at EY, a role that largely focused on sustainability strategies for large businesses. It was perfect synergy that found her at Libby Babbet and Chris Raleigh’s door.
“As an athlete, you’re very used to going out, seeking feedback, finding the experts and incorporating it into how you want to move forward.”
The pair had already spent years searching for manufacturers before Bronte joined the business, but with an injection of fresh energy, Earthletica started working on its next major goal.Rather than try to retrofit sustainable operations into an existing model, the trip set out to build a supply chain from scratch. That approach came with its own complications.
“Oh, it’s definitely not easy to do it this way, this is the hardest way to do it,“ Bronte laughs. “I think 15 was the number of manufacturers we tried before we even got to a product that we were happy to release.”
Future Plans
Since then, Earthletica has dropped a number of new collections and innovative products, including the aptly named Bronte Jacket. Women’s workout gear remains the focus, with specific emphasis placed on waterproof technology and sustainably produced garment materials. For a young Australian startup, it’s an ambitious ecosystem to build, but as I’ve come to learn, that’s pretty on-brand for Bronte.
Right now, Earthletica garments rely on recycled materials instead of virgin plastics. It’s an improvement to the model that largely dominates the industry, but it’s just a small step in the process. The long-term goal is, in signature Bronte fashion, far more ambitious.
“The absolute goal would be to completely remove plastic from activewear completely.”
“We’re working towards a future where you don’t need to ever wear plastic. That’s a pretty big goal,“ she admits. “The other part is to prove to the rest of the industry that you can do this. If we can change the way other brands operate and show them that there is a way to do this and make it commercially viable—then the entire industry changes.“
The biggest challenge at the moment is the use of elastane; the synthetic fibre responsible for the stretch and compression that makes activewear work in the first place. Without it, most performance clothing just doesn’t work and as of yet, there isn’t really an alternative. The Earthletica team is currently working with textile innovators the US on developing a plant-based alternative capable of delivering the same stretch, but the project is very much in its early stages. For Bronte, waiting isn’t something she’s used to.
“The biggest lesson that I’ve learned since joining Earthletica is that everything takes a bit longer than I think it’s going to,“ she reveals. “It’s important to not to be frustrated by that and to continue chipping away at it. Just because it isn’t perfect or isn’t happening in this perfect timeframe does not mean that progress isn’t getting made.“
New Challenges
The role of CEO and entrepreneur is vastly disconnected from the the solo performers she’s used to playing, but there are similarities. As Bronte explains, there are still doubts and stresses, albeit of a slightly different nature, that wiggle their way into her brain. The trick, she says, is to have a good team around you.
“When you walk out for an Olympic final, everything sort of depends on that one minute that you’re competing,“ she tells me. “It’s a very specific kind of stress, which I have never felt outside of that realm.“
“You definitely do not feel comfortable in an Olympic final. It does not mean that you’re not going to succeed.“
“Having said that, the ability to be uncomfortable and to put yourself out of your comfort zone definitely crosses over into entrepreneurship and business. There are so many times when I am completely out of my depth and uncomfortable, doing something I’ve never done before. I get incredibly nervous about talking to new investors and doing things that I haven’t been training my entire life for, But I know that with the right guidance and the right people around you that I can still execute.“
As we chat, it’s clear that Bronte understands how large the current problem is, but also how important it is to set ambitious targets. This one, much like her childhood dinner table Olympic prediction, might be met with jeers and token encouragement, but if there is anyone with the tenacity to make it happen, it’s probably the three-time Olympic Gold Medallist.
Earthletica is a performance activewear brand co-founded by Bronte Campbell, Libby Babet, and Chris Raleigh. The Sydney-based business creates high-performance gear with a focus on environmental responsibility and ethical sourcing. By using recycled fabrics, Earthletica is working towards the long-term goal of eliminating plastic from activewear entirely.
