“In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” -Coco Chanel
Greetings!
Hope you are having a great week.
I’ve received some positive feedback so far on the free to be yoga tees, and am so grateful for all of your support. I’ve also received some great questions that I’m sure many of you who have already purchased a tee (or are thinking about it!) are wondering, so I will be providing some information that I hope you will find helpful.
Q- Why bamboo?
A- Bamboo is nature’s most sustainable resource and is naturally regenerative. It’s grown without using pesticides or chemical fertilizers. In addition, bamboo fabric is thermal regulating, has natural wicking properties, is odor resistant and anti-static--plus it even has natural UV protection! It’s also crazy soft, so it’s super comfy to wear! :)
Q- Do the shirts run true to size?
A- Yes and no. The tank tops and the sage green v-neck tee are true to size. The charcoal black v-neck tee is running a little on the smaller side, so order a larger size when in doubt.
Q- Are the shirts organic?
A- Yes, they are made from 100% viscose fiber produced from certified organically grown bamboo or blended cotton, organic cotton, Lycra or recycled polyester. If you purchase a baby-rib tank, you may notice the care label does not say organic--but rest assured they are! The shirt manufacturer I work with was finishing up a batch of older labels (instead of wasting them--which I can totally appreciate!)
Q- What is the best way to wash/dry a free to be yoga tee?
A- According to the manufacturer, you can wash the tees just like you would cotton--cold or warm water and tumble dry low. Do not use bleach or fabric softener. Harsh detergents can cause holes, so they should be avoided. Remove promptly from the dryer. Because viscose from bamboo fabric is so absorbent, the shirts will absorb the moisture from your other clothes in the dryer and will be the last of your clothes to dry. Shrinkage is similar or less than you would expect in top quality cotton fabrics.
Q- Anything else I should know about free to be yoga tees?
A- Yes! The fabric is free of chlorine and formaldehyde, and the custom design work on tees is printed with water-based inks, which are better for the environment than those printed with plastisol ink (widely used in the t-shirt industry).
Q- I’m not quite ready to buy my yoga tee yet. If I wait, can I still get style, size and color I have my eye on?
A- We have a limited inventory available for the inaugural line. Once we are out of certain styles, sizes and colors, there is a good chance we will not be getting more in. We hope to have new styles and designs soon. More to come on that!
Interesting stuff, huh? If you have a question that I did not cover, please feel free to reach out to me at freetobeyogatees@gmail.com and I will be happy to help.
Now go rock your free to be yoga tee! :)
Namaste
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
my journey with yoga
“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.” ~B.K.S. Iyengar
In honor of National Yoga Month, I thought it would a good time to share a little background on my journey with yoga.
I started doing yoga in college--DVDs (okay, actually it was VHS tapes--wow, I’m old!) because lets face it, that was way cheaper than taking a class. I found the practice to be relaxing-something I needed with the stress of university life. I also found it therapeutic, having had hernia surgery my freshman year, which resulted in scar tissue and nerve pain.
Over the following years, I continued to enjoy a peaceful yoga practice when time allowed, but it wasn’t until the last couple of years that I realized how important it would become.
Complications from that surgery back in college came back to haunt me years later, causing chronic pain that basically changed my life. A lot of activities I used to enjoy were no longer possible. The pain began to take over my life. My mind dwelled on it and soon I became overwhelmed with everything.
Along with the pain, other major changes were going on in my life. I had recently quit the job I had been practically married to for many years, and was trying to decide what I wanted to do next. Having more free time than ever, I decided to check out a neighborhood yoga studio--something I hadn’t had the luxury of doing when I was a workaholic.
This move changed my life.
The difference between a yoga DVD and an actual class was huge. It was the best yoga practice I had ever experienced, and I left that day with a new sense of calm...and hope.
My practice deepened tremendously from then on out. Through yoga, I really started to grasp the idea of the mind-body connection, which has been a life-saver dealing with the chronic pain. It’s also helped manage my stress/anxiety, because let’s face it, almost everyone has that these days! Finally, through this love affair that developed with yoga, I was inspired and started free to be yoga tees.
Yoga changed my perspective on how I view life. My mantra “be here now” signifies the importance of living in the moment. A good friend gave that to me, and it’s been a constant reminder to enjoy now. I have a new sense of gratitude for everything and everyone around me. I focus on the positive rather than dwell on the negative. I am more compassionate and I have grown to be more patient (well....more patient than I used to be!) :)
I’ve learned to accept the things I used to fight--especially the pain. I’ve learned to separate how I physically feel from how I am--meaning I can now have a great day even if my pain levels are high. Before, if I was in serious pain, it ruined the day. I’ve learned to listen to my body. I know when to push...when to rest...and to honor that and be happy with where I am.
Yoga has also helped me reconnect with nature. Growing up I was into saving the environment, endangered species, etc. I sort of lost sight of all of that over the years, but yoga has helped put me back in touch with this side of myself. I think there is more to come on this front...just need to figure out exactly what direction I’d like to take, but I know I can make a difference. I believe we all can.
I hope I haven’t completely bored you with my yoga story. But I wanted to share with you, so you’d understand why it’s important to me. Yoga has changed me...it’s inspired me...it’s helped me manage pain...and live a better, more meaningful life.
If you have never tried yoga, I highly recommend checking it out. Whether you are just looking for a new workout regimen, need an outlet to de-stress, suffer from chronic pain--or other health issues for that matter--yoga may be your best bet. And of course, when you practice, don’t forget to wear your free to be yoga tee! Haha, couldn’t help myself! :)
Until next time...
Namaste!
In honor of National Yoga Month, I thought it would a good time to share a little background on my journey with yoga.
I started doing yoga in college--DVDs (okay, actually it was VHS tapes--wow, I’m old!) because lets face it, that was way cheaper than taking a class. I found the practice to be relaxing-something I needed with the stress of university life. I also found it therapeutic, having had hernia surgery my freshman year, which resulted in scar tissue and nerve pain.
Over the following years, I continued to enjoy a peaceful yoga practice when time allowed, but it wasn’t until the last couple of years that I realized how important it would become.
Complications from that surgery back in college came back to haunt me years later, causing chronic pain that basically changed my life. A lot of activities I used to enjoy were no longer possible. The pain began to take over my life. My mind dwelled on it and soon I became overwhelmed with everything.
Along with the pain, other major changes were going on in my life. I had recently quit the job I had been practically married to for many years, and was trying to decide what I wanted to do next. Having more free time than ever, I decided to check out a neighborhood yoga studio--something I hadn’t had the luxury of doing when I was a workaholic.
This move changed my life.
The difference between a yoga DVD and an actual class was huge. It was the best yoga practice I had ever experienced, and I left that day with a new sense of calm...and hope.
My practice deepened tremendously from then on out. Through yoga, I really started to grasp the idea of the mind-body connection, which has been a life-saver dealing with the chronic pain. It’s also helped manage my stress/anxiety, because let’s face it, almost everyone has that these days! Finally, through this love affair that developed with yoga, I was inspired and started free to be yoga tees.
Yoga changed my perspective on how I view life. My mantra “be here now” signifies the importance of living in the moment. A good friend gave that to me, and it’s been a constant reminder to enjoy now. I have a new sense of gratitude for everything and everyone around me. I focus on the positive rather than dwell on the negative. I am more compassionate and I have grown to be more patient (well....more patient than I used to be!) :)
I’ve learned to accept the things I used to fight--especially the pain. I’ve learned to separate how I physically feel from how I am--meaning I can now have a great day even if my pain levels are high. Before, if I was in serious pain, it ruined the day. I’ve learned to listen to my body. I know when to push...when to rest...and to honor that and be happy with where I am.
Yoga has also helped me reconnect with nature. Growing up I was into saving the environment, endangered species, etc. I sort of lost sight of all of that over the years, but yoga has helped put me back in touch with this side of myself. I think there is more to come on this front...just need to figure out exactly what direction I’d like to take, but I know I can make a difference. I believe we all can.
I hope I haven’t completely bored you with my yoga story. But I wanted to share with you, so you’d understand why it’s important to me. Yoga has changed me...it’s inspired me...it’s helped me manage pain...and live a better, more meaningful life.
If you have never tried yoga, I highly recommend checking it out. Whether you are just looking for a new workout regimen, need an outlet to de-stress, suffer from chronic pain--or other health issues for that matter--yoga may be your best bet. And of course, when you practice, don’t forget to wear your free to be yoga tee! Haha, couldn’t help myself! :)
Until next time...
Namaste!
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