Inside Outdoor Magazine - Fall 2018

Inside Outdoor | FALL 2018 40 Yoga still is booming and, in many ways, blooming. By 2020, the yoga sector of the glob- al performance industry is expected to grow to $11.6 billion, according to data from Statista.com. Meanwhile, the num- ber of people doing yoga, health clubs offering yoga, yoga-specific studios and brands ushering out yoga attire and gear are all burgeoning as well, according to a survey co-sponsored by Yoga Journal. According to some counts, there now are more yoga instructors in the U.S. then there are coal miners. And as the yoga industry grows, it’s also starting to morph in unexpected, and definitely interesting, ways that reflect consumer trends and even global issues that reach far beyond the checkout line at your local Dick’s or Lululemon. Traditionally considered more of a gentle spiritual practice than seri- ous exercise, yoga has become the workout activity of choice for a growing number of women and men and in turn has taken on new forms. Hot yoga, stand-up paddleboard yoga, balance line yoga and very aggressive forms of athletic yoga that combine yoga poses with CrossFit all are becoming popular and reshaping consumer expectations for yoga apparel and gear. The Hohenstein Institute based in Germany is an international research and service center that develops, tests and certifies textile products and works closely with the global performance in- dustry. This includes yoga brands and apparel brands interested in entering the yoga market. Jan Berringer, a consultant with Hohenstein, recently spent time with InsideOutdoor to talk about the yoga industry. As a facilitator between R&D and the performance industry, he works with brands on the develop- ment of new products and is seeing growing demand and a tremendous amount of innovation. Demand for Technical Capabilities Traditionally, yoga attire was made from natural fabrics such as organic cotton and designed to be roomy and comfortable enough to allow for a wide variety of poses. prAna has long been known for selling roomy, cotton-based attire inspired by the earthy, spiritual, foundations of yoga practice. But many of the brands that launched early yoga lines, including prAna, have begun moving in other directions altogether. Comfort is still a major factor in yoga apparel but not necessarily in the form of roomy, organic cotton. Increas- ingly, said Beringer, consumers are By Glenna B. Musante In-Season The Yoga Bloom Trends, surprises and evolving demand Climate Change Impact Estimates Over Time Across 4 Main Life Cycles Stages Source: Quantis Yoga Practitioners are Far More Active than Others Source: Ipsos Source: GlobalWebIndex 18.6% 6 7 17 22 4.2% 5.1% 5.9% 14.4% 2005 2010 2016 2020 2030 2440 2840 3290 3780 4900 7% 2% 2% 2% 2% 3% 6% 4% 10% 15% 15% 62% 19% 7% 8% 11% 10% 37% 24% 30% 36% 21% altra brooks nike salomon 1. Fiber production Year 10 6 metric tons CO2-eq 2. Yarn preparation 3. Fabric preparation 4. Dyeing and Finishing All Americans Non-Yoga Practitioners Q. Which of the following activities, if any, do you regularly engage in? (Select all that apply) Yoga Practitioners Photo courtesy CORDURA; ANDAR