Taking consciousness off the mat and into your wardrobe.

I’ve been a passionate practitioner of yoga for quite some time. There’s no doubt yogis are starting to care more and more about style – I was even street-style photographed at the Tadasana Festival this weekend – but with all the consciousness floating around in wood-floored yoga rooms everywhere, it pains me to see such an abundance of cheap fast fashion there. Especially since there is so much great sustainable yoga wear to choose from. If you don’t already have a regular practice, maybe you’re thinking of adding a couple of yoga classes to your workout routine? It’s certainly a great way to get in shape for the summer. Here’s how to look the part, while keeping your fashion conscience clear.

Classic Glass Water Bottle by Takeya
When you’re practicing yoga, it’s important to hydrate. Skip the plastic bottle and instead invest in a great reusable vessel that ensures you can enjoy fresh-tasting water without the toxic chemicals that seep from the plastic. This one from Takeya is made from glass and encased in a silicone jacket which provides a soft grip and protects it from breaking. It has an air-tight leak-proof twist cap and can be put in the dishwasher.
$17.99, Takeya

Jonano Audrey Capri Legging Watercolor Grey
Dare to stray from the ubiquitous black yoga pant and opt for something more fun instead. These organic cotton and bamboo capri leggings by Jonano are inspired by fashion-icon Audrey Hepburn and feature a unique watercolor dye batik pattern.
$84, Jonano

Beasom Jacket by Alo
You need a good cover-up for going to and from class and for keeping warm during shavasana. This jacket by yoga-label Alo is a full-zip piece with great pleated detailing along the body and back neck. The bamboo cotton french terry fabric is moisture-wicking, which will keep you dry too
$76, Alo

Gaiam Bra Top
This bra top by Gaiam provides gentle support with a fully lined front and adjustable straps. It’s simple in design and works as well worn under a tank as on its own. Made from 86% eco-friendly recycled polyester from plastic bottles saved from the landfill, it breathes as you move, keeping you comfortable.
On sale for $46, Gaiam

Jade Encore Yoga Mat
I sweat a lot during yoga and my practice completely changed when I started using a Jade yoga mat. The natural rubber provides great grip and cushion, which keeps your hands and feet from slipping. Jade Encore is the first yoga mat to contain recycled rubber, making it the most eco-friendly yoga mat out there. The Encore yoga mat contains both pre and post-consumer waste rubber and is an integral part of Jade’s commitment to the environment and their “Reuse, Reduce, Recycle Program,” which allows old Jade mats to be recycled into new ones.
$69.95, Jade Yoga

Anahata Mala by Dewi Jewels
A mala is used when meditating, and each of the 108 beads on the string represents one instance of a mantra. This Anahata (heart chakra) mala is made with clear and rose quartz  – the stone of love – beads, knotted with a soft, durable white hemp yarn. The tassel is made from vegetable-dyed ahimsa (cruelty free) silk. Wearing this mala promises to increase unconditional love, adding light, harmony, and well-being to your life.
$75, Dewi Jewels

Slick Corset Tank by Clary Sage Organics
Made from 91% recycled PET (recycled water bottles), this corset tank by Clary Sage Organics proves once and for all that conscious yoga wear does not have to be boring or crunchy. The stitched detailing is not only fashion-forward but seriously figure-flattering as well. A natural and untreated alternative to high impact sportswear, this high tech, high style fabric has natural moisture-wicking properties to keep you cool.
$88, Clary Sage Organics

Double Headband by Gaiam
There’s nothing more more annoying than having your balance in the perfect Dancing Shiva pose thrown off by a piece of stray hair falling into your eyes. Prevent that from happening with this stylish double headband from Gaiam, made from 86% recycled polyester. Comes in many bright color combinations so that you can perfectly match your outfit.
On sale for $16, Gaiam

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The focus and concentration that it takes to realize a personal vision can be a kind of meditation all of its own. It’s fitting that Clary Sage Organics’ yoga-inspired lifestyle collection is so replete with meticulous attention to quality and detail that the need for anything else seems to fall away.

I had the pleasure of previewing the fall 2011 collection last month in the well-appointed flagship store at the corner of Fillmore and Clay streets in San Francisco. Chatting to co-founder Patti Cazzato uncovered some of the essential passion and dedication behind one of the industries leading lights – a line synonymous with quality, fit and earth- friendliness.

Part of this season’s collection, the Girl Henley Dress illustrates the line’s meticulous detailing. 

In addition to their essential yoga wear, this season’s expanded collection – in a palette drawn from “nature, boudoir and uniform” – includes luxurious foundation pieces – tees, tops, fashion leggings – cozy chic jackets and a line of appealingly romantic silk dresses designed to be “popovers” over leggings and tanks.

This season also sees the introduction of a revolutionary new performance “slick yoga” fabric that was designed to compete with “dri-FIT micro” type fibers. Engineered by Cazzato and her team from discarded water bottles, this soft, recycled alternative saves fitness lovers from sweating into petro chemicals.

An industry veteran who’s worked at Esprit, Gap International and Levi’s, Cazzato’s ability to develop and tinker with the washed silk, organic cotton, bamboo and new fabrications like the “slick yoga” until they become the soft hand, slightly slubby luxurious materials she envisions, is at the foundation of the collection’s success.

The pieced Vintage Swim Girdle’s intricate lingerie construction shows off the line’s signature aesthetic.

And then there is that extraordinary attention to detail. I’m amazed by the thought and precision that goes into each piece. The scallop seamed leggings available in four dusky hues have delicately shaped hems, a pieced knee and an irresistible 40s pinup-style stocking back seam detail. Admitting to accepting the inevitability of limp workout wear, Cazzato invites me to see for myself, “Wash and its gorgeous.” (As I have practically lived in my pair for the last month, I can attest it’s true. Stunningly, they don’t bag, sag, drag or fade like others tend to.)

Another of my favorite pieces is the vintage swim girdle tank with power mesh and built in bra – “nothing’s coming out” – that were collaborated over with a colleague who designed Olympic bathing suits for years. Highlighting the line’s signature corsetry craftmanship, the tank has an intricacy I only see in vintage lingerie from the 1940’s.

Cazzato likes to talk about the “Clary Sage girl.” Her style,” a blend of classic old world femininity and punk rock;” what’s she’s looking for, “she doesn’t have a lot of time so she need styles that are easy to wear and layer nicely;” and her lifestyle, “she wants pieces that last and a look that can transition from work, to the studio, to art openings.” She could be talking about the best self -“confident, creative, radiant”-  ideal of most women I know.

Perhaps more tellingly, she could also be describing herself. Because Patti Cazzato is a woman on a mission. Rightly proud of the line’s sterling eco credentials and her dedication to holding her prices and standards when others are faltering under the skyrocketing costs of cotton, she explains simply,“ If we don’t love it, its not worth it.”

The Ribbon Pant is durable, silky soft and built to last.

Made entirely in Northern California, Cazzato is increasingly seeing customers preference for the line’s “made-local” value over its eco friendly qualities. Clary Sage’s impact goes beyond keeping 110 local sewers and their families fed, “it’s part of the SF local economy.” She’s emphatic on this point, “It can be done here, you just have to break a paradigm a little bit.”

There’s a good reason why “Clary Sage girls” return and remain loyal to the brand and the aesthetic. A typical customer comment on the company’s Facebook page reads, “not sure when I’ll return but hopefully soon, I need some Clary in my life!”

With the endless distractions and stresses of daily life, maybe we should all be asking if we “need some Clary” in our lives.

The post In The Details: Clary Sage Organics Takes on Lifestyle appeared first on EcoSalon.