The New York Times recently tested some “Vitasea” seaweed clothing from athletic clothing store Lululemon Athletica and could not find any evidence that there was any actual seaweed in the fabric. Lululemon disagrees.

Lululemon claims that the seaweed clothing is “made with vitasea technology consisting of seaweed which releases marine amino acids minerals and vitamins into the skin upon contact with moisture,” and that the “fabric provides anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, stress reducing, hydrating and detoxifying features.”

After intially telling the NYT they couldn’t dispute the paper’s findings, (If you actually put it on and wear it, it is different from cotton,” Dennis “Chip” Wilson, Lululemon’s founder, chief product designer and board chairman told the NYT. “That’s my only test of it.”), Lululemon now claims that they have tests that prove the garments do contain seaweed.

The yoga wear retailer, a market darling whose shares have roller-coastered since the seaweed story surfaced mid-week, said late Thursday that tests done overnight in Hong Kong show its product line to be “consistent with the garment care and content labels.”

Bob Meers, chief executive of the Vancouver-based company, said the new tests were commissioned in light of a newspaper report saying Lululemon’s claims about having seaweed in its VitaSea line of clothing might not be true.

Meers said in an interview the company took batches of VitaSea clothes from stores around the world and sent them to the SGS Group laboratory in Hong Kong, the same Swiss-based company that does quarterly product testing for Lululemon.

After six hours of testing: “They came back and validated it,” Meers said of the company’s seaweed product claims.

Fight! Whose test results are better?

Anyhow, we’re sure your magical yoga pants are awesome and everything but you’ll have to forgive us for remaining skeptical that seaweed in fabric (if, indeed, it’s even in there) will give you vitamins and keep you hydrated.

Lululemon CEO says new seaweed clothing tests should clear company’s name [CBC](Thanks, Cowboys Fan!)
(Photo:Carolyn Coles)

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