The clothing one wears to a yoga class has a significant impact on comfort and performance. Yoga is about the alignment of breath and movement. It is therefore important that one's yoga wear aligns with one's yoga practice. Yoga apparel that is light, comfortable, and allows one's body to move freely is best.
Hot Yoga Clothing
Hot yoga students will have special clothing needs due to the hot and humid environment. Clothing for hot yoga should ideally be lightweight, breathable, and have sweat-wicking, anti-bacterial properties. It is best to wear minimal clothing to a hot yoga class, as the sweat should be allowed to flow freely from the body.
Women will generally wear a sports bra or tank-top combined with shorts or yoga-style lightweight pants. Men usually opt for athletic-style shorts. Some men combine this with a t-shirt, while others prefer to go shirtless, depending on their comfort level.
Eco-Friendly Yoga Clothing
Many yoga apparel manufacturers are opting to produce yoga wear that is environmentally sustainable by using eco-friendly fabrics that are both good for the earth as well as comfortable and functional for the wearer. Three of the most popular eco-friendly fabric choices include hemp, bamboo, and soy.
Hot Yoga and Hemp Fabric
Hemp is becoming increasingly popular in the clothing industry due to its significant eco-friendly qualities. Hemp is highly renewable, is much easier to grow than cotton, without the use of pesticides or other chemicals, and is an extremely tough, natural fiber that is both durable and versatile.
Hemp is an excellent fabric choice for hot yoga. It is both extremely soft and incredibly long-lasting. Unlike cotton, hemp wears in with age and becomes stronger the more it is used. Hemp is also easy to clean and does not break down through repeated washings, making it an ideal fabric for the rigorous hot yoga practice.
Hot Yoga and Bamboo Fabric
Bamboo is relatively new to the clothing industry. The bamboo plant grows quickly and easily without the use of pesticides or fertilizers. Bamboo has been described as similar in feel but more affordable than silk.
Bamboo clothing is soft, naturally moisture-wicking and hypoallergenic, all of which are desirable qualities for ideal hot yoga apparel. Bamboo can be expensive, however, and there is some concern about the chemicals used to process the raw bamboo into clothing fibers.
Hot Yoga and Soy Fabric
Soy fabrics are made from the by-products of the soy food industry, and thus production of soy clothing has minimal environmental impact. The soy plant is easily renewable, and soy fibers are quickly biodegradable.
Often referred to as "vegetable cashmere", clothing made from soy is soft, breathable, and has excellent absorption qualities, making it another excellent eco-friendly option for hot yoga clothing. The main drawback to soy clothing is the price-tag. As soy clothing is not yet widely available, it can be a bit expensive to purchase and harder to find.
Educated Choices in Yoga Clothing Will Increase Clothing Options
As consumers of yoga clothing are starting to demand more environmentally friendly yoga-wear, the marketplace is responding with more sustainable fabric options. There is a wide selection of comfortable, earth-friendly yoga clothing in today's market, which will only continue to grow as consumers become more educated about the effects of the clothing industry on the environment.
Further Reading:
Learn more about the benefits of hot yoga in the article Hot Yoga: A Beginner's Guide
Find out which yoga mat is best for you in the article Choosing a Yoga Mat
