The shorts (hotty hots) from lulu are partially made out of recycled polyester, so I was happy to see that.

I agree though, I'd like to know what they are doing for sustainability.

Making high quality clothing that last years is more sustainable than the majority of the clothing industry.

As someone who works for the company, I know they are working on making what they do more transparent to the public. A lot of their synthetic yarns are from recycled sources, but they admittedly do a pretty bad job making that info known even to us who work there. It came as a surprise to me during a special training. They now know that our guest WANTS to know that and sees huge value in reading that info on a WWMT tag or online when choosing what to purchase.

Here’s a link to what they have on their website about sustainability.

At our special training they shared that they’re working on getting to a much more traceable and standardized place with sustainability, and are looking at using more environmentally-friendly dyes, fibers and materials, and offering organic cottons and other cool stuff. I’m excited to see how they roll it out across our massive company. Unfortunately it isn’t instant, but if they’re gonna do something they’re gonna do it right.

Outdoor voices is a great sustainable workout clothing brand!

Try Gracefituk’s brand, Tala. It’s hard to get your hands on, but they’re very environmentally friendly and cheaper than Lulu. I don’t know anything about the quality as they’re a relatively new brand. I’m sure you could find some reviews online!

Never heard of them but I did a quick read on the Good on you article about them and they are rated “not good enough”. They give in detail why they are rated like so, if you want to have a look.

Just peeping at their site, they’ve made some good sustainability commitments by 2025, but I can’t find anything about their current practices. I would imagine that they’re at the very least better then cheap forever 21 leggings, if for the fact that they’ll last a bit longer. If you really like their products, try buying second hand if that’s an option for you. Otherwise I really like Girlfriend Collective as an an alternative!

I don't think they are, I've heard that they are quite bad actually from an environmental point of view, which is a bit of a shame considering the price!

Absolutely not.

Remember if the detail is hidden that means there is something to hide.

Don’t know about sustainability but as far as ethics: I have heard repeatedly the founder is a creep and a racist

The linked resource is 55 pages long and has a list of restricted chemicals that are no longer present in LLL clothes. I don’t know if the previous dyes or conditioners used in the fabric contributed, or maybe they cut ties with the previous warehouse manufacturers that produced the Forever chemical outside of North America.

It would make sense that if one manufacturer is using forever chemicals, other materials would be exposed, synthetic or not. I doubt their dyes are “chemical free, plant-based, organic,” or we see it in the marketing material. I’m not a buyer for Lululemon or in product development. It could simply be that the manufacturer has limitations or uses x material and can manage the Lulus brand.

I dated someone for years in auto part manufacturing. Not everything is up to the company's name on the tag. You have governments, countries, contracts, prices, different companies, and agencies all that play a part in the production of a product. And mind you, LLL had a lawsuit two years ago about those same chemicals.

Anyway, that’s just my guess.

1. The first paragraph in your post (as well as some of your replies to people who have commented on your post) is a little condescending. It’s also obvious you’re singling out a specific user who made that post earlier about post-2020 quality decline…. considering the dozens of posts that talk about a quality decline over the past decade, not just since 2020. Yet you chose 2020 specifically, despite quality decline beginning long before that.

2. No, this post does not answer- nor actually address all “the quality complaints regarding how ‘back in my day...the clothes last a lifetime.’”

Because a lack of PFAS has nothing to do with the overall quality decline. PFAS have been banned from most clothing across various places in North America for a while now, and yet other brands have been able to upkeep their quality since eliminating PFAS. Another thing, that relates to my earlier point, if the elimination of PFAS was the sole reason for Lululemon quality decline then why did the quality begin to decline nearly a decade before they started phasing out PFAS in 2020?

3. Quality doesn’t only relate to fabric material. There’s been a noticeable difference in stitching quality too (ie incomplete seams, broken seams on brand new unworn garments, unraveling seams that indicate they weren’t finished properly when on the machines). As someone who sews using a machine I’ve noticed a huge shift in the (lack of) finishing of seams. I’m sure this is (in-part) related to Lululemon sourcing from cheaper labour practices.

4. PFAS don’t relate to material thickness, for example- Scuba Hoodies. Again, overall material thickness drastically decreased PRIOR to 2020. More like 2015.

5. Your source is a link to a Corporate Lululemon page (ie it’s inherently biased).

6. Your source doesn’t mention anything about PFAS affecting quality. So not sure exactly what it proves.

7. There’s no need to reply “Not sure what you would have wanted as a response to an individual’s post about a corporation’s choices, but here is their contact information for your convenience:

https://shop.lululemon.com/contact” to my comment like you have for others.

Because contacting Lululemon and outright asking why the quality has declined won’t yield any meaningful answers. They’ve been getting complaints for years about the quality, and their reply will be the same scripted corporate-created version they give everyone else.

They’re fully aware of the quality decline.

PFAS aren’t the magical answer for the quality decline.

It’s more likely a result of the same reason why so many other companies start declining… late stage capitalism, greed, profit maximization, cheaper manufacturing processes, and public shares.

ETA TLDR Sorry for the novel, but in short- no, your copy/pasted information from a corporate Lulu page that talks about phasing out PFAS (with no mention of PFAS elimination affecting quality) doesn’t “address all the quality complaints regarding how ‘back in my day...the clothes last a lifetime.’”

“broader effort to increase sustainability” lol ok, but when I QP leggings regularly because they are falling apart after one wash where do those end up? In some clothing landfill somewhere. How is that helping be more sustainable?

Changing the fabric is one thing but the manufacturing has also completely declined and making the products lifespan so much shorter.

For your convenience, to find a better answer:

https://shop.lululemon.com/contact

I don’t think that PFAs are an excuse for it.

Plenty of outdoorsy brands avoid PFAs while still producing durable clothing. Fjallraven, for example. Their clothing(even leggings) is famously durable yet still light and technical. Patagonia is also committed to avoiding forever chemicals.

Deuter bags are PFA-free and have been for a long time.

These are some of the articles I read and got information from. Again I’m not telling anyone where to shop or what to do with their money that’s their decision i was just surprised about learning this and wanted to share.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/amp/politics/article-more-than-100-retailers-including-lululemon-at-high-risk-of-having/

https://www.insider.com/lululemon-factory-workers-allege-mistreatment-2019-10?amp

https://goodonyou.eco/how-ethical-lululemon/

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/amp/report-on-business/international-business/asian-pacific-business/labour-woes-in-asia-the-latest-snag-for-lululemon/article12762550/

It bothers me :( I mostly only buy second hand lulu but it still makes me sad. Not to mention the predatory release/restock game they play that convinces people to buy stuff they don't need for fear of it selling out, and the whole collection hype that brainwashes people into buying 16 pairs of leggings in different colours that they definitely don't need.. consumerism will be the death of the environment honestly

A good alternative is girlfriend collective or second hand shopping

lululemon isn’t ethical or sustainable and it’s a sad reality. for a really long time, i associated lululemon’s high prices with the company being ethical and sustainable, but the truth is that they’re just overpriced fast fashion.

That is very true. I recall YEARS ago when I was buying lulu that I’d buy a few odd pieces here and there and have my fix for literally months and sometimes years. FFWD to 2020/2021 when I joined Reddit and saw there was a lulu sub and I admittedly, went insane. I realize that I let FOMO be a trigger and of course the end of 2021 was a lulu hangover. I still will grab the odd item here and there but it isn’t multiple new items each week like it was in the past. I love lulu stuff but as others have said it does have its impact in the environment and for some, can screw them up financially too. I have opted to go on an ultra low buy for as long as I can hold out and hopefully I won’t succumb to temptation. Fortunately, I didn’t buy all my lulu stuff for the sake of buying. I am forcing myself to pick a top and bottom daily to wear for my workouts to see how long I can actually go without picking the same item that I just washed. It’s been a month and while I washed my dirty lulu, they’re still in my laundry basket and I continue to pick away at stuff in my closet and I see NO signs of running out. Crazy to know just how much stuff I have and I suspect I will be able to go for three straight months before I am out of lulu to wear. The silver lining to my particular situation is that at least I am wearing all the stuff I bought and will likely never need to buy lulu for the next 10 years lol.

That’s interesting I realized I started shopping there end of 2020 and yeah, I bought TOO much in the last year & a half 😬 but I did quit shopping AT lululemon on the first of February because of their final sale policy, the manipulation tactics, and now I am going to add this to the list. A good alternative is Athleta. Their products are on par with lulu imo.. and they are a certified B corporation which makes me feel better about shopping there.

It’s sad that it’s uncommon to have companies that practice fair and sustainable manufacturing but here we are

Nah there have been mega lovers of lululemon long before the pandemic, but the pandemic definitely had big affects on peoples’ shopping habits and blew it up a bit. This sub got big with the pandemic, but there were dedicated blogs for a long time that would stalk store social media posts (back when stores had individual accounts) and make upload notifications. Most are defunct now, but lulumum aka The Sweat Edit are still kickin in Canada.

I remember when items would sell out instantly online or last a single day in-store because of hype or being some hot new pattern. Highly sought-after color ways in certain items would be found on eBay for more than double or triple their original price, and people would buy them so they could add them to their collection. It’s for sure grown a LOT since 2020, but the brand has had a loyal following for a LONG time.

I think it’s a two way street. I think society and big businesses so far has mostly encouraged ppl to buy a lot since having a lot of stuff is seen as desirable (like you’re successful, wealthy, etc). The truth is no one needs a bunch of stuff, there’s only so many leggings and hoodies one can realistically wear. People spend their money on this stuff and the the incentive for businesses to encourage this behavior is profit. They can also make profit faster than ever thanks to e-commerce. There’s also pressure to produce more to keep up with demand. Slowly people are becoming aware of environmental impact, but I still think the dominant mindset is more is better. I think it may take a generation or two for people to really think differently about this.

Real talk: me, in particular, not buying Lulu will not automatically make them fossil-free. I’m sure you’re not just virtue signaling but also I’m sure you know people here know that Lulu is not one of the “sustainable” brands.

For me, buying quality pieces to wear for a long time is so much better than buying (real experience) Carbon38/Girlfriend Collective recycled plastic leggings that I have to replace more often and don’t even fit right. So in a way- getting Lulu for me is saving shipping, trips to the store, clothing waste etc. In the end, we do our share in our way and it’s not the same for everybody. On a bigger scale- governments should be the ones implementing the laws.

But, if we bought another brand of clothing at the same frequency each individual currently is buying would we not just be doing the same thing with another brand? “Fast fashion” - sure, generally poorer quality and for some people they might toss after the season.. but lulu builds their products to last? Meaning they wouldn’t need to be replaced as quickly as the lesser quality items. The frequency and purchases is still individualistic by each person having their own style and colour preferences.. then after the person is done with the item, they hold value and quality for the next person to purchase secondhand. The byproduct of clothing production will be evident regardless which brand you buy, no?

I don’t think it’s just brands…I think if we bought less in general and buy quality pieces that would better help the environment. It doesn’t help if we spend the same and simply move to another brand. Buy secondhand and buy less.

Thank you for bringing awareness!

Listen I’m all for reducing consumptions. But you’re beating a dead horse here. Consumers taking a stand against a company never works well. Consumers have to lobby the government to bring in regulations regarding emission. You can’t just guilt people out of a shopping addiction created by capitalism and other systemic issues. It won’t work. I’m pretty sure everyone is aware that they could reduce their shopping, and quite frankly the issue is bigger than them.

Isn’t the lululemon guy a big racist?

All the comments are about the visual appeal of the man. Not one comment so far about the actual meat and potatoes of what this is, what this will do, etc. So I'll start.

It reads a lot like corporate jargon to try and reconcile different aspects of Lewis' brand. The part I'm interested in is Mission 44, and if this is a proper and effective way to fund their efforts without any dilution of their goals and visions, then I'm all onboard.

I'm honestly curious as to how little Ferrari even has to spend on their F1 budget for the next few years. It seems like sponsor heaven - everyone wants a slice of this pairing.

Now, drop some 44 inspired ABC pants you cowards.

He’s an incredibly attractive man, isn’t he.

He gonna be sporting mens leggings in the paddock?

What website gives you a ranking like that? Tia

Not surprised. Glad I’ve never bought a single item from them.

The leggings aren't even that good in my experience the legs are far too long (although I'm not that tall" and they get stretched out really easily

Don’t forget the founder of Lululemon said they shouldn’t make plus sized clothes because he didn’t want bigger women wearing them and that it was better to be exclusive than inclusive. I believe the term he used was thigh gap, as in women without one are the women he doesn’t want wearing his brand. 🤬🤬🤬 pure human garbage. But most (if not all) rich people are.

The ad bots are out posting this extension a ton recently. 

Just saw this post when searching them on google. Do with it as you will

I have a pair! I like them a lot.

98$ for a pair of pants.

I have MATE. Love all of the pieces