I was recently sent a pair of Organic Basics yoga pants to review. I received the spring/summer pair in spring colors and the winter pair in winter colors. I received the pants in a medium and they fit me very well. I found that they fit me well in the waist, hips, and thighs but they were a little short in the length for my taste. The pants were too long for my taste for the length and it felt a little odd to where them past my ankles. I did not mind this feeling though, since they were made to be worn higher on the waist.
Last summer, after seeing my first yoga class, I dropped everything and decided to start practicing yoga myself. I started with Ashtanga, the most intense form, and then moved to the more gentle Vinyasa flow after a few weeks. I was hooked. It was a breath of fresh air. The practice was so different from the usual gym routine I was used to, and I loved every minute of it. Why had I never tried it before?
I have been practicing yoga for over a year now and I have to say I am enjoying it more than ever. There are so many benefits to yoga that make me feel good. For example, a lot of the poses are great for increasing flexibility and I feel more limber. A few poses I feel really good after doing are the sun salutations which are great for detoxing and the restorative poses which are great for just taking a nice break and relaxing. Also, I like that the poses are the same for every level, so it is easy to keep improving.
In 2020, it’s fashionable to be green. Every month there is a new fashion brand that boasts and touts their products as being environmentally friendly. Don’t get me wrong, it’s really great to see green practices going from innovation to mainstream. But there is one important thing that many brands overlook in their pursuit of a greener future: Quality. Sustainability is important, but if we don’t focus on longevity, we won’t reduce our footprint. We just buy the same amount of short-lived products that end up in landfills. Let’s talk about it today:
- Why sustainable does not always mean permanent
- Why do brands need to focus on both sustainability and longevity to make a real difference?
- My second impressions of organic fashion brand Organic Basics and whether their linens have stood the test of time.
Table of Contents
Sustainability: What is the difference?
So I recently conducted an experiment and asked a few of my friends what they thought of organic food. Environmentally friendly, good for the planet, recycled, manufactured with attention to resources. There weren’t many answers. Except for one thing. Almost everyone mentioned the adjective sustainable. This is strange, because in reality durability and longevity can be very different concepts. So what’s the difference? Durability is the ability of a product to withstand wear and tear and retain its value over time. Sustainability, on the other hand, is a much broader concept that focuses on how a product and its manufacture affect the environment, people and the economy. Here are some examples of how brands can adopt sustainable practices:
- Use of more environmentally friendly or recycled materials that require fewer resources;
- Supporting local communities where materials are mined without limiting their access to these resources;
- 3) Create fair working conditions and pay workers a fair wage; 4) Minimize the effect of products on the afterlife.
And now comes the hard part. Lifespan and durability can overlap. But you don’t have to do it! Look only for yoga mats made of natural rubber and PVC. The first type can endure about 2 years of regular yoga practice. And even if it is made in an environmentally friendly way, yoga lovers would have to buy at least 15 new yoga mats within 30 years, each with its own footprint, however small. Manduka’s PVC mats, on the other hand, are extremely durable (they come with a lifetime warranty) and are manufactured in an environmentally friendly manner. Which one is better for the environment in the long run? I guess in a world where the waste weight charts look like the one below, the answer is not 
Source: retailildive.com
My point is that buying a lot of products, even if they are environmentally friendly, won’t make much difference. But changing our consumption habits by choosing ecological and sustainable products will help. The longer products last, the better they are for the environment (and your wallet). Fortunately, there are brands that manage to combine sustainability and sustainable development. Danish ethical brand Organic Basics is one of them.
Organic Basics Underwear : Second edition
I have already discussed the basics of organic farming in my articles here and here. Thanks to the transparency of the brand, I had no doubt that it was produced in an environmentally friendly way. It seems they have already invented the concept of sustainability. But what about sustainability? After all, you can’t judge the quality of a product after a few weeks of use. Eight months seems like a reasonable amount of time – that’s how long I wore my organic cotton panties and triangle bra. 
Let me start by saying that I did not expect exceptional longevity. Underwear does not last forever, simply because it is used and washed so often. Organic Basics underwear is not your average underwear though, and it is priced a little higher (read: higher than expected). The beige organic cotton set fits very well into my wardrobe. It’s totally invisible under white shirts and pants, so it’s no surprise that it’s become a must-have in my spring and summer outfits. Considering I wore it almost continuously during the warmer months, the whole thing has held up very well. However, in the last two months of my pregnancy, I had to take a little break from the triangle bra and switch to a more stretchy Tencel bra. Maybe that’s why he’s still so impressive.
After approximately 8 months of use, the triangle bra is as good as new. The organic cotton panties, on the other hand, were stretchy enough to accommodate my growing body and my extra weight during pregnancy. None of the seams came loose and, surprise, the panties didn’t warp. 
The pantyhose withstood the weight gain during pregnancy and after childbirth without problems. 
There’s some wear and tear. The thin elastic band around the hips stretched a little (see below at #1) and started to come loose (#2). One section also began to show pieces of dilated tissue that are invisible on the body but visible in light (#3). 
After 8 months of intensive use, there are some signs of wear. After 8 months of intensive use it is normal that the panties have lost their original appearance. But I have no intention of parting with them any time soon. They’ll serve me well for a few more months. When the shorts are worn out, I’ll probably recycle them by making them into cleaning mats – a great way to give clothes made from natural fabrics a second life.
Baseline
Since I started working with Organic Basics 8 months ago, a lot has changed. I moved from country to country, survived several arrests and even gave birth to a little person. Fortunately, what hasn’t changed is my initial positive impression of OB underwear. The brand has managed to create something very special – a stylish and environmentally friendly product that lasts. Are you looking for a stable and durable foundation? 
We’ve done a bit of research and came up with the following 5 points that make Organic Basics a great yoga mat:
- The extra padding between the mat and the floor is designed to prevent slipping
- The mat is made from natural rubber, which is non-toxic and non-allergenic
- The mat is super absorbent, which means it is a great mat for sweaty yogis
- The mat is antimicrobial, which means it can fight off bacteria and prevent odors
- The mat is a non-slip mat, which means it won’t move when you’re doing downward dog.