In a world where maintaining a balanced lifestyle is ideal, Lululemon and its pieces fit right into the market.

Founded in 1998, Lululemon was originally a design studio by day and a yoga studio by night, then one day in November 2000, it became an independent boutique in Vancouver’s Kitsilano district. Today, there are 650 Lululemon boutiques across the globe.

 

For the past 25 years, the Canadian company has been producing sportswear that combines comfort and high quality, without ever neglecting style—clothes that you’ll want to wear outside the gym do exist!

Case in point, everyone on the Internet is always raving about Lululemon’s famous Align legging. But why are they so popular? We headed to Lululemon’s Vancouver headquarters to find out more about this visionary company.

Nothing Beats Lululemon Textiles

Made from Nulu™ fabric, developed by Lululemon, the popular Align leggings have all the qualities we love: they hold in place no matter how our bodies move, they’re moisture-wicking, they’re stretchy and offer excellent coverage while being lightweight and extremely soft.

Innovation is, in fact, at the heart of Lululemon clothing, which is why an entire team is dedicated to developing new materials that meet the demands of athletes of all levels—while respecting the planet. Last April, the company announced the arrival of two sweaters made from plant-based nylon, making it the first brand in the world to market clothing designed with this highly promising Nylon Bio 6 material.

During our visit to Vancouver, Yogi Dandapure, VP Innovation of Raw Materials, and Patty Stapp, VP of Raw Materials, announced that “by 2030, 100% of Lululemon garments will be made with sustainable materials and end-of-use solutions.”

Lululemon Puts Women First!

Did you know that women are under-represented in the fields of sports science and sports medicine? Chantelle Murnaghan, Vice President of Research and Product Innovation at Lululemon, says “only 13% of studies published in major journals dedicated to sports science and sports medicine included female participants.”

There is a clear need for more research on female athletes to better adapt to their sporting practices, better understand their health risks and better identify their needs.

Lululemon is looking to bridge the gender gap in this area by working with the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific to develop a comprehensive analysis of women’s sports.

According to Murnaghan, “the data collected will help us to define the needs for our future products and thus develop innovations designed for women.”

But how? With the brand’s new FURTHER ultra-marathon initiative.

This large-scale sporting event will kick off on International Women’s Rights Day, March 8, 2024, and last for six days. Lululemon and the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific have committed to closely following 10 diverse participants from the four corners of the globe. Together, they will form the Lululemon ambassador squad.

“We will study what makes women phenomenal endurance athletes and publish the results of our research to support the science of women’s sport,” says Murnaghan

FURTHER will demonstrate how far women can go when they benefit from resources and innovations usually reserved only for men.

The Lululemon Community

Much more than a brand of sportswear and accessories, Lululemon works relentlessly to be inclusive and enforce self-improvement amongst its employees.

In fact, one branch of the company is entirely dedicated to materializing these values. Jian Pablico, Director of the IDEA Department (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Action) says it’s “much more than an acronym, IDEA is the way [Lululemon] wants to create a positive impact in the world.”

Here’s how: 

-By the end of 2023, having 40% of diversified representation in Lululemon boutiques around the globe. This target has already been achieved by the brand!

-By the end of 2023, having 30% of diversified representation in manager and area manager positions. The brand is currently at 27%.

-Maintaining their position of 100% gender pay equity worldwide for the sixth year, and between genders and ethnicities in the US for the second year running.

-Earning a score of 81% in a company-wide Inclusiveness Index survey. The survey assessed the company’s sense of inclusion and belonging, focusing on marginalized groups, fair policies and practices, benefits, psychological safety, career development and inclusion in product design.

When a company like Lululemon strives to sell quality products in a safe and healthy environment, it’s easy to see why it has such a great reputation.

Read more:
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