Boycott Lululemon – A Call to Yogis by Maya Devi Georg
Maya Devi Georg writes an impassioned piece against Lululemon (one of the big corporate yoga fashion retailers), and really, against the commercialization, corporatization, and bastardization of yoga.
I became a yoga teacher because I personally experienced it as a life-saving practice. Since I began seriously studying yoga in the early 90s, yoga has grown hugely in the west. On the one hand, the popularity of yoga is wonderful, since more people than ever before may benefit from yoga – on the other hand, it’s been frustrating to see and know that what many people experience as yoga is some watered-down, bubble gum pop version of a sacred path.
This is Maya’s article . . .
BOYCOTT LULULEMON
What is Yoga? What does it mean to you? Is it just exercise? Or is it an uplifting experience?
What does it mean to you?
Personally, I feel that yoga is a transformational practice. It has the power to transform us as individuals, and it helps give us the power to transform the world. This transformation comes through action. We have to get on our mat to transform our body. We have to sit on our meditation cushions to transform our minds. And, in order to transform the world, we must act, not as individuals, but as a united voice and force.
We are living in an age where corporations have the most powerful voices. They have the means to advertise and influence through our media (print and online), through our conferences, and through the leaders in our communities.
These corporate entities do not particularly care for yoga as a practice, but as a marketing tool that generates $27 Billion annually. To these businesses, yoga only transforms their bank accounts.
Lululemon has become a recognized brand associated with yoga. This is unfortunate because of the many business practices they participate in are completely antithetical to yoga.
- Lululemon was intended to be a chain of retail stores in Asia. Chip Wilson (Lululemon’s founder) chose the name because of the three L’s in the name. According to Wilson “It’s funny to watch them try and say it.” This is blatant racism.
- The Lululemon empire is also known for promoting the work of Ayn Rand – an author that created an ethical philosophy known as ‘rational egoism’ or ‘rational selfishness’. This philosophy puts self-interest above morality, ethics, and altruism. It is also an ideology espoused by fascists and the far-right wing. This philosophy has also been adopted by the tea-party. Phrases taken from this literature are found on Lululemon shopping bags, and employees are encouraged to read these books. The Lululemon vision is “to elevate the world from mediocrity to greatness.” The underlying message is that you are mediocre.
- Lululemon is also known to discriminate against bigger sizes, never stocking shelves with sizes larger than an 8, and only producing sizes up to 12 (size 14 is the national average).
- Chip Wilson publicly made statements supporting child labor. He rationalized this by explaining that this would provide children with much needed income. The Lululemon response to the collective outrage of this stance was an ad with adults dressed as infants in an office. Many considered this outright mocking of child labor laws.
- Lululemon claims to not use sweat shop labor, but, as of June 2013, many of the factories they employ have been engaged in labor disputes ranging from unfair pay, to safety issues. They recently increased the number of people they use to oversee factories. But not to ensure a living wage or safe work environment. Theses supervisors are there to maintain quality control of their product. They are there to make sure another ‘see-through pants scandal’ does to emerge. And yet, more complaints have just come forward regarding the quality of their product.
- In October of 2013 they released a shopping bag with the word Brahmacharya printed upon it. The word itself was made up of junk food, cigarettes, alcohol, and illegal drugs. The company claims it was an attempt to illustrate moderation. (Because, heroin is ok in moderation?) Lululemon was way off on both the message and the meaning of Brahmacharya.
- Also in October of 2013 a store in Dallas, TX openly mocked a Domestic Abuse charity, during Domestic Violence Awareness month. Even though their customers are primarily women, Even though every 9 seconds a women is battered. Even though one in three women across the globe experiences domestic violence.
These are just a few examples of the corporate mindset at Lululemon.
The message I get from Lululemon in its advertisements and by its policy is one of mockery. I feel that Lululemon mocks yoga and yoga practitioners. These messages exploit our insecurities, and simply tell us that we are mediocre, we are not enough.
I asked my friends that frequently shopped at Lululemon and asked how they felt about these scandals, and only one answered.
“They support my butt, so I support them.”
Simply put, a combination of vanity and shallow ideals masquerading as spirituality are what help keep Lululemon in business.
We must ask ourselves: Are these the qualities one would ascribe to a company providing items for yoga practitioners?
For those of us familiar with yoga philosophy, we understand that yama and niyama are more than mere suggestions. We practice Ahimsa (non-violence) because according to the laws of karma, if we participate in violence we will be subjected to violence. If we shop and support a company that participates in unethical practices, we too are participating as well. And therefore, are subject to the karma of those actions.
I understand that many of you may have shopped at Lululemon.
You might like the clothing, the fit, or fabric. I also understand that many of you were unaware of these egregious actions. Let’s not judge others for shopping Lululemon in the past.
But now that you know, how do you proceed?
When do we say, “Enough is enough!” What is it going to take to make us choose morality over vanity? Making fun of breast cancer? Mocking disability?
I believe that too many are afraid of looking ‘unyogic’ by taking a stand, and so they remain neutral and choose to not act. But, karma yoga, as is described in the Bhagavad Gita, is about activism:
“Freedom from activity is never achieved by abstaining from action. Nobody can become perfect by merely ceasing to act.” We must act to change their practices. Because, even by ignoring this company, we set a new standard for what we, as Yogis and as consumers, will tolerate.
It is very clear that the only thing they value is money. And the only way to influence them is by hurting their bottom line. This leaves us with only one recourse:
BOYCOTT LULULEMON.
- Until they bring their production back to North America where labor laws will ensure employees are paid a fair wage, and children are not employed;
- Until they cease creating shock advertising (no more pole dancers, adults in diapers, drugs, or camel toe);
- Until they stop promoting political ideologies;
- Until they Start producing larger sizes, and stocking their shelves with those sizes;
- Until they train sales associates to be friendly and welcoming to every person entering their stores; and,
- Until they apologize publicly for their previous behavior.
Sadly, boycotts have repeatedly been called against Lululemon since 2011. Therefore, we must engage in sanctions against Lululemon.
Just like Apartheid in South Africa ended after extreme sanctions and boycotts; these boycotts were not just of South African products, but also of any businesses associated or working with or within South Africa. While apartheid was an awful example of racism and segregation, Lululemon is promoting racist ideals and the political ideologies that support such actions. If we believe in equality, compassion, and the practice we need to engage in the same sanctions.
It is not enough to simply boycott the Lululemon stores. We must boycott magazines that carry their ads. We must boycott the conferences they sponsor.
Teachers that offer free classes and act as ‘brand ambassadors’ should think about what they are supporting and step down. And if those teachers choose free pants over yoga in action, we must even boycott those teachers and their classes. And we must do this until Lululemon begins acting in an ethical manner. And if they refuse, we must continue to boycott all business and individuals that support Lululemon until those magazines stop carrying their ads and those teachers stop teaching in their stores.
“Every dollar you spend . . . or don’t spend . . . is a vote you cast for the world you want.”― L.N. Smith
We are far more powerful than we can begin to imagine. We CAN change the world, and we can start by changing the behavior and actions of this large corporate entity. Let the change start here and now.
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