Lululemon Athletica

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The correct title of this article is lululemon athletica. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.

lululemon athletica (IPA: [lu lu lɛmɑn], the last two syllables are pronounced as lemon) - self-described as a yoga-inspired athletic apparel company - is a clothing line and international clothing store company based in Vancouver. In addition to yoga wear, lululemon athletica offers clothing for running, cycling, hiking, rock climbing, and other sports. The company also offers yoga props and accessories - including mats, straps, and blocks. Most lululemon garments also serve as casual and fashion wear - it is commonly worn on the streets in Vancouver and Toronto.

lululemon athletica - usually referred to as lululemon for short - was founded in 1998 by Chip Wilson - in response to the exponential increase of female participation in sports and the belief that yoga is the way to maintain athletic excellence into an advanced age. The lululemon logo is a stylized letter "A" (rather than the letter Ω which it also resembles).

lululemon is Wilson's second foray into the sportswear business after creating WestBeach in the early 1980's.

The first lululemon store was located in Kitslano, BC and included a design studio / retail store. It also shared space with a fledgling yoga studio. Today, there are 29 lululemon athletica stores across Canada. By the end of 2006, lululemon will have 15 stores in the United States. There are two stores in Japan (http://www.lululemon.co.jp) and one in Australia. Lululemon also has a subsidiary company called OQOQO - which focuses on clothing made from sustainable fabrics. There is one OQOQO store in Victoria, two in Vancouver, BC and one in Toronto. As of September 2006, Lululemon began steps to shut down the OQOQO store operations and integrating the brand in limited quantities at most lululemon stores. A store recently opened in Chicago covers both lululemon and OQOQO. The company is in the midst of further expansion. Advent International - a U.S. private equity firm - bought a minority interest in lululemon for CAD $225 million.

The company is well known for their yoga pants and crops made out of Luon, a nylon/lycra blend that has a matte appearance. Lululemon also offers a performance fabric called Silverescent. Silverescent integrates silver into the fabric, which adds therapeutic, anti-bacterial and anti-odor properties to the garment^{[citation needed]}. Silverescent can be found in a variety of lululemon tops and socks. A third technology called Vitasea - usually used in shirts - integrates seaweed fibre into the fabric.

lululemon athletica is known for building relationships with athletes as well as yoga and fitness studios near their stores. The company runs events in their communities throughout the year. Each store includes a community bulletin board containing a wealth of information about yoga, fitness, athletes, and community events. The company welcomes and integrates customer and athlete's feedback into their design process. lululemon touts ethical business practices - retail employees are paid above minimum wage and good working conditions are ensured at its manufacturing facilities. lululemon's main factory is in Vancouver, Canada. In 2004 production expanded outside Canada and currently includes the United States, China, Israel, Taiwan, India and Indonesia.

Free yoga classes are one employment benefit at lululemon athletica.

The company was recognized by the Retail Council of Canada as the 2003 Innovative Retailer of the Year in the small store classification.