Archive for the ‘Clothing’ Category
When my twin sister planned a destination wedding in Brazil, how could I not be ecstatic? Even though my husband and I were re-routed from through London on the way to Rio (yes…London), it was all worth it!
I fell in love with Brazil – the people, the food, the landscape and oh, the caipirinhas (Brazil’s national drink made from cachaça [sugar cane rum], sugar and lime). Rio’s stunning scenery, beaches set amongst a backdrop of steep jungled mountains and skyscrapers, really takes your breath away. In Copacabana, tan, fit athletes play futevôlei on the beach (a combination of volleyball and soccer), while tourists and locals stroll the famous Avenida Atlantica.
While in Rio, we took the tram to the top of Corcovado, the steep mountain where the statue of Christ the Redeemer resides. On the way to the statue, you pass through the Tijuca National Park – the largest urban forest in the world. We spotted a few monkeys along the way, and in a matter of minutes were out of the hustle and bustle of the city and surrounded by rainforest.
My sister was married in the resort town of Buzios, about a three-hour drive from Rio. The beaches here are gorgeous. The day after we arrived, we went out on a boat tour, island-hopping along the way. The boat served up caipirinhas and grilled shrimp while we relaxed in the sun. (Who knew you can eat the entire shrimp shell?) At each stop, we snorkeled and swam in the blue-green water. During one of our snorkeling stops, we even caught a glimpse of some sea turtles! Lying on my back, floating in the ocean, I felt like I was officially on vacation.
After spending time in Rio and Buzios, my husband and I traveled to Paraty, a beautiful colonial town located on the Costa Verde, about a five-hour bus ride from Rio. Paraty is known for its beautiful cobblestone streets located in the center of town, where no motor vehicles are allowed. Surrounded by rainforest, you can visit jungle waterfalls and explore the area on horseback or mountain bike. If you prefer to soak in the sun, you can visit Paraty’s beaches or the many islands nearby.
And might I note:
Not only did I fall in love with Brazil, I fell in love with prAna’s Bliss Capri pant. Upon landing in Rio, our bags did not arrive along with us. I was so glad that I had packed a few items of clothing in my carry-on bag: the Bliss Capris, a tank top and some flip-flops. Otherwise, I would have been stuck in my fleece pants and sneakers in 80-degree weather. (Coming from Montana, it was pretty cold when we left town.)
I really can’t say enough about these pants. I wore them almost every day. They are lightweight and quick-dry; great when it rained or when I took a stroll on the beach and misjudged the tide. These pants didn’t wrinkle when packed into my suitcase for two weeks, and the drawstring waist makes them extra comfy. They will definitely be my go-to pants for traveling to warm-weather destinations! I’m not usually one to gush, but these pants are gush-worthy.
~Jen Barile, Adventure Life
Adventure Life provides authentic adventure travel to our world’s legendary locations. Combining award-winning operating standards with exceptional itineraries, our trips are carefully designed to experience the best of the region, while allowing flexibility for the unexpected and unpredictable that make each trip unique. For more info visit adventure-life.com and facebook.com/adventurelife.
A few weeks ago, Gwen Pavlick and I were invited to speak at an industry night in Orange County for FIDM, a leading fashion school here in California. The school has an extensive traveling exhibit called ‘Recycle. Reuse. Reinvent., an Innovative Materials Connection’, that displays the latest in sustainable and eco friendly textiles, materials and trends. Our product development team had been involved in some of the previous events at other campuses, so it was an honor to be considered for this event as well! As product developers of prAna’s women’s performance products, Gwen and I are leaders within our team in regards to building sustainability awareness and increasing our offerings in this area. We love learning (and sometimes teaching) about how to be the change! No one is perfect, as we say, it’s all about the journey.
What a great partnership this was with FIDM. As an apparel brand we constantly balance the understanding, that while we want our materials to have a longer, better and closed-loop life cycle, we also want to be fashionable. Just pulling up to the building, we knew this was going to be a fun time.
The creative energy from the students and instructors was contagious. Their interest and expectation of sustainability was inspiring. A prAna table was set up within the exhibit that displayed a few of our recent sustainable products. We have been focusing our efforts on Organic cotton and Recycled polyester over the last few years. You have to start somewhere, right?! Our exhibit information reviewed these fabrications and also noted our dedication to wind power. The other items in the exhibit were provided and managed by the FIDM Librarians. It is amazing to see what innovation there is in this arena, from luminescent material to man-made material grown in a lab, makes recycled and organics look simple!
The evening started with a wine and appetizer hour. It was a great chance to meet other industry peers and focus on the details of the exhibit. The DJ played rhythmic beats, as attendees found their way to a seat amidst a forest of twinkle lights. Our presentation began with an overview of who prAna is, what we have been doing, and where we plan to go, in regards to material and product sustainability. It was a great opportunity to educate our audience on our alliance with Natural Power Initiative, our support and growth with Fair Trade, and our interest and direction towards Blue Sign certifications. After talking to the group about the work we have done with these materials, we wanted to show the audience what we had been working on the last few years. We were able to bring in a few students to help us show off our products from Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 collections.
All items shown here are made from one of the following: recycled PET, organic cotton, Blue Sign certified materials, Fair Trade products, or sustainable fibers. Since Gwen and I only work on a portion of our seasonal collections, we were proud and impressed to present such a well merchandized and robust offering in just this eco category.
Overall, the event was a wonderful collaboration between FIDM and prAna. It is always great when industries can come together and partnership towards a larger goal. We love the support from FIDM, and thank them immensely for the amazing evening, especially Rebecca Markman and Dorothy Metcalf!
~Rachel K. Lincoln & Gwen Pavlick, Product Developers
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Functional Apparel for the Unconventional Spirit
prAna Looks To Expand Fair Trade Certification With A New Pilot Project For The Women Of Rural Swaziland
As World Aids Day draws to an end, we are reminded of the staggering numbers of people around the world suffering directly and indirectly. Our partners in Swaziland are dealing with the continents highest rate of the disease on the continent which only renews our commitment to help improve their quality of life… We’re always looking for new ways to fold the intention of sustainability into our materials and practices, whether local or global. One way of doing just that is looking at connecting the work we are doing with artisan workers and Fair Trade Certification. PrAna, Fair Trade USA , and the co-op women groups in rural Swaziland, Africa have begun a pilot project to look at bringing a the structure and standards of Fair Trade Certification to these women. These gifted artisans have been knitting products for prAna for several seasons now and are looking forward to participating in the pilot project and obtaining the official Fair Trade Certification label for their products. In addition, workers in Fair Trade Certified factories earn a premium of up to 10 percent of the cost of the garment for community investment or cash bonuses. We thank them for all they do…
Support the GoGo’s (endearing term for grandmothers) in Swaziland by purchasing their crafts. These artisan products, made for prAna, help our partners to create and implement sustainable solutions for the women and rural communities in Swaziland. For more info visit www.nnlfilm.com and follow Never A Neverland on Facebook also.
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Functional Apparel for the Unconventional Spirit
We just returned from the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City Utah, where we were showing dealers our Spring 2012 collection. The show was quite busy, our booth was hoppin’ and good times were had by all!
For those of you who could not make the OR show, prAna has saved three of the limited edition 20th Anniversary chalk bags that we made for the Access Fund. Chris Sharma has generously agreed to personalize them just for you! There is a $30 minimum donation and all proceeds will go to the Access Fund. First 3 folks that contact us and make payment may choose what they would like Chris to write on their chalk bag!
Email info@prAna.com with Access Fund Chalk Bag as your subject line…
Breath, life, vitality of the spirit.
prAna like many companies makes our products all over the world. I have a unique job in that I get the opportunity to visit many of the suppliers who make our products and check on their business practices as well as working conditions. I recently returned from a trip that mixed both work and vacation in Vietnam and Cambodia. In my visit I was reminded about the need for a global commitment to sustainability and how everyone regardless of who we are needs to be a part of this commitment.
Countries like Vietnam and Cambodia are developing at a rapid rate. Buildings, roads, electricity and opportunities arrive every day to places where they didn’t exist before. And this can be done in a sustainable way or not. You may have heard before the concern “what if the entire world lived the way we do in North America or Europe”.
This really struck me on my trip. The people I saw lived in such a frugal way, homes were small, many people lived in them, people didn’t have the amount of “stuff” we seem to fill our closets and garages with. It is a more simple life, but that is dramatically changing. The opportunity to buy stuff in these developing countries is growing increasingly. There are more retail outlets for any type of product than ever before. And we are noticing it first hand, workers in the apparel industry are harder to retain in factories as there are other job opportunities in electronics factories or even retail stores that people can take.
Not only did I think about consumption as a global society, but as I was there visiting factories it is important to think about HOW things are made and the impact of our decisions. I visited two factories that I was impressed with and rivaled some of the better garment factories in the world. This is not something people think of when they think manufacturing overseas. But the dyeing factory I saw had state of the art waste water treatment, which is a requirement for sustainability. The sewing factories were well lit, clean and one even with air conditioning. With the need to retain workers, changes have been made to meets worker’s need above the legal requirements. Otherwise the factories loose talent – and brands like prAna need to see consistent quality out of our suppliers. In my visits I was reminded of the trickle down affect of decisions that we make back in the USA, selecting where our products are made and how that leads to global sustainability. There are opportunities to support companies further down the supply chain who are trying to make a difference as well.
We are all so connected, in the water, air, and land we share. And so as we live we do have to think beyond the product in our hands but the world in which it touches and what impacts that might have. Every decision we make has an effect and there is evidence in this once we leave and see what is happening on the other side of the world. Luckily globally people are aware and there are commitments to both social and environmental responsibility.
~Nicole Bassett, Director of Sustainability
Breath, life, vitality of the spirit.
We stand by our goods. But in order to truly do so, we feel that it is important to understand our goods. Recently, prAna’s Production Manager took our Customer Service team on a “field trip” to tour a few factories in Los Angeles, CA to show us how and where some of our products are made. We started the day excited just to be out of the office and doing something different, we finished the day informed, appreciative and impressed.
Previously, when I heard the word “factory” it conjured up images of industrial sized machines, automated robots and assembly lines as far as the eye could see… It turns out I’ve been watching too much Futurama. While technology has its place in manufacturing, the art of sewing hasn’t dramatically evolved since the advent of the sewing machine over 160 years ago. What struck me the most was how hands-on the process of making clothing is from start to finish. Far from automated, I couldn’t believe how many people were involved in making each garment.
We saw how the fabric itself is made. Giant spools of thread delicately fed into an intricate spider web, each strand meticulously placed so that it can be spun and knit into the material that is the foundation of our products. Different content of yarns, elasticity, tensions, and blends are mindfully chosen to make the specialty fabrics.
Armed with safety equipment and dexterity, the cutting machines are hand operated. Steady hands and diligence to detail are essential in this craft as the powerful cutters are hand guided across the fabrics. Patterns for particular styles and sizes are scrupulously laid out so that every inch of possible fabric is used, creating perfect panels and minimal waste.
Sewing machines are just a useless hunk of metal without the individuals sitting behind them. Maneuvering the fabric and thread into expertly built pieces, their skill and precision has yet to be matched or replaced by any advances in technology. Even though the sewing machines are slightly more sophisticated than the one at my grandma’s house, it’s still an actual person sewing every single garment that we make.
The dyes are personally created by a chemist/artist who measures out the non-toxic powdered colors, then mixes and matches them in beakers until the vibrant colors and perfect shades are made. Tie-dye pieces are wrapped in rubber bands, one-by-one, each piece with a unique finish. While a standard of quality is always upheld, no two garments will be perfectly identical.
Labels are hand sewn, tags are individually stickered and attached, and each piece is vigilantly wrapped to be delivered displaying the care that has gone into every single garment. My misconceptions of machines making and packing thousands of units at a time are gone.
I’ve always loved the quality of the products that prAna produces, now I have a new found appreciation for how the products actually come to life. We understand our goods. We stand by the people making them.
~Nicole Douglas, Sales Coordinator
Breath, life, vitality of the spirit.
Captain Marce holds the paddleboard flat in the water and tells me to “hop right on” while I look at her sideways, skeptically. We are anchored far away from the shore of Whidbey Island in the San Juan Islands of Washington. It’s April, the water is choppy and I’m wearing only yoga pants, a light jacket and a personal flotation device. Shouldn’t I have a wetsuit on at the very least?
I have no idea how to stand-up paddleboard, but I know it’s the newest recreational activity to hit the rivers of Montana, so I’m determined to learn while on “flat” water. The added bonus of having a crew trained in life-saving and first aid technique nearby does not escape me. I crouch down on the boat’s dive platform and place my knees on the shaky board. There is no way I am going to go from kneeling to standing without falling into the water, but Captain Marce pushes me away from the Wilderness Discoverer anyway.
I watch with a sinking feeling as the boat goes from 10 feet to 50 feet away.
Eventually, I realize that I have a paddle in my hands and I start using it while kneeling, getting used to the feel of the waves and the board while moving through the water of Puget Sound. After a few minutes I think I might even be ready to stand up. I crouch with my feet hip-width apart in the middle of the board and slowly start unfolding upward. I’m standing up, barely. At least I’m not in the water yet. I’m shaking enough that I can see the board moving below my feet. Balance is not coming as quickly or easily as I would have hoped. I just keep the paddle in the water.
About the time I start feeling comfortable paddleboarding, I look up and realize that I’m pretty far away from the boat and I haven’t figured out how to steer. What would have been a quick five-minute trip back to the dive platform takes me more than thirty minutes. As I come into the dive platform, Captain Marce grabs a hold of the board to stabilize it and I jump off. I can’t believe I’m still dry!
In Montana, where I’m from, I spend a lot of time with adrenaline sports such as skiing and kayaking. I might be outdoors, but the whole point is sometimes going as hard and fast as possible. Paddleboarding is completely different. There is a quiet, controlled aspect of it that I had not expected. The second day of our cruise in the San Juans, I pushed off at sunrise on the board. I was the only person out this morning and the bay was as smooth as glass. I could see Mt. Baker in the water as I dipped my paddle in its reflection. Every movement I made was slow and contemplative. It reminded me more of yoga than of surfing or kayaking. A few silent hours with only the sound of the paddle moving the water is a meditation.
The Wilderness Discoverer is now in Alaska and Captain Marce is teaching more neophytes how to paddleboard in waters far colder than those in Puget Sound. I wonder if anyone is out at dawn on their own first paddleboarding excursion, only to find an orca or humpback whale cresting nearby in the glassy waters of Windham Bay. I hope so.
~Kassi Miller, Adventure Life
Adventure Life provides authentic adventure travel to our world’s legendary locations. Combining award-winning operating standards with exceptional itineraries, our trips are carefully designed to experience the best of the region, while allowing flexibility for the unexpected and unpredictable that make each trip unique. For more info visit adventure-life.com and facebook.com/adventurelife.
