If you’ve been here before, you may have read my recent post about my introduction to yoga. Initially, I decided to try yoga for the stress relieving benefits, but have since found that it’s helping to strengthen and tone my body and helping with my balance and posture.
As I read more and more about yogis, those who practice yoga as a way of life, I’m finding that most of them are vegans (which I am not) and all of them are very conscious of the planet and our effect on it. That really got me to thinking about how I, as a brand new yogi, could do more in this area and I began researching eco-friendly workout clothes. Here is what I found:
I learned about a fabric called “veeda”, which is used to make workout tops. Veeda fabric is made with 45% recycled polyester and can be found at a company called prAna. What’s great about these tops is that many have built in bras for support, with removable cups.
Another great material for eco-friendly workout clothes is hemp. Hemp is very strong and durable and will last a long time. It is typically blended with other materials, such as organic cotton, so that it is softer and flows more easily. You can find work out tops that contain the hemp and organic cotton blend, along with a little bit of spandex for stretch and support.
Modal is a form of rayon that comes from the fiber of beechwood trees. The fibers are spun into the material and it’s used mostly for towels and bathrobes. Modal is an eco-friendly material because it’s made from a sustainable source and the material is lightweight and soft.
Lyocell is another type of material that is derived from wood pulp. It is considered eco-friendly because the process has a minimal impact on the environment, namely water and energy. The solvent used during the process is noted to be non-toxic.
You can find yoga pants that use a blend of organic cotton for comfort, as well as bamboo for durability. Both are considered to be eco-friendly materials made from sustainable sources.
If you practice yoga as a workout, you know that you can work up quite a sweat. That’s why having a wicking fabric (one that regulates body temperature by pulling the heat from your body) is so important. Merlo wool does exactly that. It isn’t at all “itchy” like other types of wool. Instead, it’s soft, does a superior job of keeping body temperature regulated, and it resists odor (super important at the yoga studio). It’s also eco-friendly.
While you’re enjoying yoga, don’t forget about your other essentials. There are eco-friendly yoga mats that only use materials that come from sustainable sources. You can find a yoga bag that has been created with recycled materials. And let’s not forget a stainless steel, BPA free, water bottle.
Practicing yoga will not only help your mind, body and spirit, but can allow to protect the environment as well.
