Soft, stretchy and breathable beats technical and sporty for a yoga flow or a Pilates class. And if you would wear it when you weren't exercising, you have found something far more useful.
There is something very satisfying about a good yoga or Pilates class. An hour of stretching, moving, strengthening and generally paying attention to your body can make you feel like a slightly more functional version of yourself afterwards. What you wear can make a surprisingly big difference to that feeling.
When you're moving through a yoga flow or a Pilates class, you don't want to be thinking about your clothes. You don't want a waistband digging in when you fold forwards, a top riding up when you stretch your arms above your head or fabric that feels restrictive when you're trying to move. You want something soft, stretchy and breathable that moves with you and feels good against your skin.
And ideally, when the class is over, you don't immediately want to rip it off.
What makes a good fabric for yoga and Pilates?
For us, it starts with movement. Yoga and Pilates involve a lot of stretching, bending, twisting and controlled movement, so your clothes need to have some give. But stretch on its own isn't enough. You want a fabric that moves with your body rather than pulling against it, and something that feels soft rather than overly technical or restrictive.
This is one of the reasons we love our bamboo fabric. It has a lovely amount of stretch and a fluid drape, so it follows the body as you move. You can fold forwards, stretch your arms overhead, move through different positions or spend an hour lying on a mat without constantly being aware of what your clothes are doing. It has that rare combination of feeling very relaxed while still looking like a proper piece of clothing.
We also love that it doesn't have that overly sporty feeling that some activewear can have. There is nothing wrong with technical sportswear, particularly if you're running or doing something where you need a lot of support, but for yoga and Pilates we often find that something softer and more fluid feels much nicer.
What about getting hot and sweaty?
Even if your Pilates class looks fairly calm from the outside, you can work surprisingly hard. And a more energetic yoga practice can leave you properly warm. That's when you really notice the difference between fabrics.
Nobody wants to start a class feeling lovely and comfortable and finish it feeling as though their clothes have become a second skin made of cling film. When you're sweating, you want your clothes to feel breathable and light rather than trapping heat and moisture against your body.
Bamboo is particularly lovely for this. It has a soft, breathable quality that makes it comfortable when you're warm, and it doesn't have that heavy, clammy feeling that some fabrics can develop once you've been sweating in them for a while. It feels light against the skin and moves easily with you, which is exactly what we want from something we're going to spend an hour exercising in.
And there is another benefit to a good breathable fabric that you don't always think about until you've experienced the alternative: you still feel relatively fresh afterwards.
Why does my gym kit smell so quickly?
If you've ever taken a synthetic sports top out of the washing machine and wondered why it somehow still smells faintly of yesterday's workout, you'll know what we're talking about.
Sweat itself isn't actually what causes body odour. The smell comes from the interaction between sweat and bacteria on your skin, and different fibres can hold onto those smells differently. Some synthetic fabrics are particularly good at retaining oily compounds and odours, which is one reason that sportswear can develop that slightly permanent "gym bag" smell over time.
We like fabrics that feel fresh as well as comfortable. When you've finished a class, we don't think you should necessarily feel like you need to get straight out of your clothes. A breathable, soft fabric can make a real difference to how you feel after you've been moving and sweating, particularly if you're going on to the rest of your day.
It's one of those things you don't really appreciate until you wear something that doesn't do it.
Softness matters when you're close to the floor
There is also something about yoga and Pilates that makes softness particularly important. You spend a lot of time in close contact with your clothes and your mat, moving slowly enough that you notice how everything feels against your body.
A fabric that is scratchy or stiff can become irritating very quickly. Something soft and smooth feels completely different, particularly when you're stretching or holding a position for a while.
This is one of the things our customers often comment on when they try our bamboo pieces. They immediately notice the softness, but they also notice the way the fabric falls and moves. It doesn't feel like you're putting on a piece of sports equipment. It feels like you're putting on something you actually want to wear.
That distinction is quite important to us.
Do yoga clothes have to look like yoga clothes?
This is where we think things get interesting.
There is now such a strong visual language around activewear that you can often tell what someone is wearing it for before they've even started exercising. Matching sets, sculpted leggings, technical fabrics and very sporty silhouettes all have their place, but we don't think clothes have to announce that you're going to Pilates.
Some of the things that make a good yoga or Pilates outfit are actually things we want from our everyday clothes anyway. Softness. Stretch. Breathability. Comfort. A flattering shape. Something that moves easily with your body.
So why not make those qualities part of your everyday wardrobe too?
One of our favourite things about designing pieces like our bamboo tops and trousers is that they can work beautifully for movement without looking like traditional activewear. You can wear a top to Pilates with leggings and trainers, then throw a jacket over it afterwards and go for coffee. Change into some trousers, add jewellery and suddenly the same piece feels completely different. You haven't had to carry a second outfit around with you, and you don't have to feel like you're still dressed for the gym for the rest of the day.
It's not that we think you should never own proper activewear. It's more that we don't think every comfortable, stretchy thing in your wardrobe needs to be labelled as sportswear.
Clothes that can keep up with your day
We like the idea that the best clothes can move between different parts of your life without needing a costume change in between.
You might start the morning with Pilates, walk home afterwards, sit down to work, meet a friend for lunch and then end up having dinner somewhere later that evening. Your day doesn't divide itself neatly into "exercise" and "normal life", so why should your clothes?
That's particularly true of soft, drapey fabrics. You can get the comfort and freedom of movement you want from activewear without necessarily getting the look of activewear. A relaxed shape can still be flattering. A stretchy fabric can still look elegant. Something breathable enough for a workout can still be lovely with a jacket and jewellery.
For us, that is the sweet spot.
So what should you actually look for?
If you're looking for something to wear for yoga or Pilates, we'd start with a fabric that feels genuinely good against your skin and has enough stretch to move freely. Look for something breathable that won't leave you feeling hot and clammy, particularly if you know you tend to sweat during class. Think about the fit too. You want enough movement that you aren't constantly adjusting your clothes, but enough shape that you still feel good in them.
And then ask yourself a slightly different question: would I want to wear this if I wasn't going to yoga?
Because if the answer is yes, you've probably found something much more useful than a piece of activewear.
We design Maili around that idea. Our bamboo fabrics are soft, stretchy, breathable and beautifully drapey, which makes them lovely for moving in, but those same qualities are what make them so good for everyday life. You can wear them to Pilates, throw on a jacket afterwards and carry on with your day without feeling like you've spent the afternoon in your gym clothes.
We don't think your wardrobe needs a separate category for every activity you do.
Sometimes you just need really good clothes that can keep up.
