A New Breed of French Yoga + Fitness Brands
What makes these brands unique is the emphasis they place on their products’ environmental and social impact on the planet…
The newest breed of French activewear brands is more inspired by the environmental impact of fashion itself than by trends in fitness and yoga.
Indeed most have sustainability and social awareness hard-wired in their DNA: fabrics are eco-friendly or recycled; products’ entire lifecycle — from birth to re-use — is considered; and there is a focus on giving back locally as well as globally.
Quality and technical requirements, the look and feel of a pair of leggings… these are still essential. What makes these brands unique, though, is their equal emphasis on the impact their products have on the planet, its health and its people.
Below, six new brands that you should know about…
Kind Yoga
A yoga brand, studio and café, Kind’s mission is to use activewear as a platform for social change. A portion of every sale is given back to social-impact organizations such as Kiva. Nathalie Alsing Alauzen, the founder, is a entrepreurial dynamo: she hosts a popular podcast, offers professional coaching, and launched Kind Festival a few years ago.
Circle Sportswear
Committed to circular design in which the product’s entire lifecycle is thought-through for less environmental impact, Circle Sportswear produces sport and fitness clothing and accessories for men and women.
Asanade
Through a system of pre-ordering and then manufacturing in limited quantities, Asanade reduces waste by producing only what’s needed.
Alma Lua
A yoga collection that leans heavily on eco-friendly, vegan and cruelty-free fabrics printed in florals and sunset colors. Alma Lua supports One Voice Animals through their 1% For The Planet contribution.
Athlé
What your routine needs are Athlé’s gold lamé ankle weights and other shiny, colorful accessories…
Les Actives
All Les Actives clothing is manufactured with fabric 100% made in France, with an emphasis on organic cotton and material that’s Oeko Tex-certified.