CALIFORNIA EXERCISE CLOTHES & SWEATS

Olivers Apparel: Los Angeles-based Olivers makes shorts, shirts, and sweat clothes for runners and gym-goers.
 

Runyon Canyon Apparel: Los Angeles-based Runyon designs and manufactures USA-milled, USA-cut, and USA-sewn clothes that are great for running around outdoors.  One thing: their shirts run a bit big -- I recommend buying a size down.

Patagonia: With Ventura-based Patagonia, you get what you pay for.  What you pay is a lot.  What you get is exactly what you want.  Patagonia’s gear and clothing looks great, it works perfectly, and it is manufactured as ethically and sustainably as reasonably possible.  So far, all of my Patagonia gear and clothing is for backpacking, all of which may very well last me forever.  

Richer Poorer: San Juan Capistrano-based Richer Poorer makes no-frills sweatshirts and sweat pants.  Although I do not own any Richer Poorer sweats, I would not hesitate to give them a try – I do own Richer Poorer socks, and they are the highest-quality socks in my drawer.

Mountain Hardwear: Richmond-based Mountain Hardware has been my go-to supplier for camping-and-backpacking clothing and gear for more than a decade.  They also make exercise clothes, which probably are of high quality, and which look nice, in an a-backpacking-company-made-this sort of way.

North Face: Alameda-based North Face makes pretty much everything an outdoors-enthusiast could want.  They also make outdoors/urban-hybrid exercise clothes, which – judging by everything I’ve bought from them so far – likely are of high quality, if a bit over-logoed for my taste. 

American Apparel: So here's the thing about Los Angeles-based AA: It's well made, and it looks great on the people who it looks great on.  For everyone else, AA seems designed specifically to highlight the ways in which it does not look great on them.  Don't know which category you fall into?  Well, the folks around you do.  Ask someone you trust if you're one of the people who AA designs its clothes to fit.  If the answer is yes, then lucky you -- you have a one-stop shop for relatively inexpensive, ethically manufactured, long-lasting basics.  If the answer is no, walk away from this brand forever.