Special Pulse Advertorial
“a great fit with style that can be worn
from studio to street is key,” says Michael
Keefer, manager at Pink Lotus, an apparel
company based in Los angeles, California.
“our clients love how soft our fabrics are
and that they last for years without losing
their color, softness or fit.” Stretch cotton
terry, cotton/Lycra and bamboo/spandex
are some of the brand’s most popular
fabrics.
according to be present founder and
designer amy Lopatin Dobrin, spa-goers
also tend to gravitate toward fabrics with
quick-dry technology. “Light-weight
fabrics that dry quickly are the basis of
our line,” she says. be present’s proprietary fabric, Breathe Weave™, is made of
a high-performance cotton, nylon and
spandex blend, which wicks sweat away
and dries quickly.
Get a retail edge
with “green” brands.
With a growing demand among consumers
for socially conscious products, carrying
brands that use eco-friendly fabrics could
be a selling point for your spa retail area.
Green Dragon, a California-based yoga
and active wear brand, positions itself as
an eco-friendly brand, using only organic,
sustainable, and/or recycled fabrics that
are long-lasting and machine-washable.
Green Dragon and its sister company,
Pink Lotus, use a closed loop manufacturing process when knitting fabrics. “We
repurpose and recycle all fabric scraps
from our cutting room and treat everyone
who works on our clothing lines with
respect and dignity. about 98 percent [of
our lines] are made in the u.S., creating
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March/April 2013
lots of jobs in america,” says Keefer.
be present’s apparel lines are also
made in the u.S., with a majority manufactured locally in Denver. The company
uses eco-friendly fabrics like organic
cotton, rPET (recycled Polyethylene
terephthalate), Modal and Tencel.
Shoji Spa & Lodge owner Roberta
Jordan, who met with be present owners
at the 2012 ISPa Conference & Expo, says
that be present “is a company with a
level of conscientiousness” that she
herself wants to support.
“They are at the forefront of green
business practices and are rooted in practicality, form and function. Price-wise,
they offer excellent options for small
spas, like ours, and align with our philosophy in doing business,” Jordan says.
Find the right partner.
Due to limited retail space, Jordan says
the spa—located in asheville, North
Carolina—started to carry be present’s
woven pant as a trial to test market
response. Jordan claims guest feedback
has so far been positive, and that they
plan to expand the line once additional
retail space is available.
For ana Filipa Batalha, spa & fitness
director at Four Seasons Resort Whistler
in Whistler, British Columbia, part of why
they decided to partner with be present is
because the brand represents a lifestyle
that differentiates from the rest.
“The holistic and ‘earthy’ elements of
the line offer a cohesive connection with
Whistler’s natural beauty,” Batalha says.
on the other hand, anara Spa at Grand
Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa in Koloa,
KEy FEaTuRES
To LooK FoR
l
l
l
l
l
l
Light-w eight and stretchy
fabrics.
Style versatility that can go from
studio to street.
Eco-friendly and sustainable
materials.
Quick-dry technology.
Fits a variety of body types.
Easy to wash and long-lasting.