Let’s create good karma together

Why we create organic yoga wear? Karma, in yoga, is the path of selfless action. To act to benefit others, and to make choices to do good, without expecting anything in return. That’s how we aim to act, and the philosophy we are trying to spread.

We know, it’s difficult to live sustainably. So we try to provide you with a helping hand. This means: making it easier for you to choose items that are entirely guilt-free. To contribute to your your good karma as well.

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Why guilt-free clothing is essential

You were probably aware of the difficulties in the fashion industry before you started reading this page. That’s probably why you’re here: to find out how Urban Goddess is doing things.

Simply put, every item that is produced has some impact on our environment. It needs raw or recycled materials, and has to be touched by many hands before it lands on your doorstep. That means there are many steps where we should try to do right.

As a conscious company, this is our challenge. As karma yoga prescribes, reducing our impact on the environment should not be an ‘added benefit’ or a ‘marketing point’ of a product in order to sell more. It should be the basis of any production, and for Urban Goddess it has been since our start in 2013.

Let’s dive into our journey!

Our sustainable journey

2013

Urban Goddess was founded and we released our first collection. From the start, we wanted to create good karma. Our aim was to provide comfort, quality and good ethics that was affordable for all yogis. A purpose that still drive us to this day!

2014

When the first drop was a hit, we knew it was time to get real. We developed our second collection (and all the ones that would follow) with GOTS-certified fabrics only. Moreover, we created our own recycled polybags (yes, that’s those see-through bags you still receive your item in today!)

2016

We introduced our first organic cotton & bamboo-mix item: our long-loved Satya leggings! These are perfect for yogis who don’t mind breaking a sweat in their practice. The anti-bacterial, quick drying and comfy fabric has become a staple in our collection.

Moreover, we got PETA-approved as a 100% vegan brand. Urban Goddess Vegan Yoga Wear PETA approved

2017

We started working together with our current factory. They share our love for quality and ethical clothing and the collaboration has improved our expertise and development over the years.

2018

We started handling our orders with our current processing partner. With their highly optimized and automated processing, your order will be picked and packed as effectively (and therefore sustainably!) as possible.

Moreover, in true Amsterdam fashion, we started delivering packages by bike within many cities in the Netherlands!

2021

Our factory changed to a fully solar-powered production, lowering our CO₂-emissions by 97.5%

2022

All deliveries from our factory to our warehouse are delivered by train, to even further reduce CO₂-emissions.

2023

We got officially certified according to the Global Organic Textile Standard. From raw material to the final product: all items that are being restocked and newly launched will be completely GOTS-approved.
Urban Goddess GOTS organic cotton yoga wear

To be continued in 2023…

We have currently mapped all our CO₂ emissions, to identify areas where we can still further reduce our emissions. Currently, we are carbon neutral.  Our aim is to become carbon negative next year.

To be continued in 2024…

We are aiming for full supply chain transparancy in 2025, by registering our entire supply chain in the blockchain. This means that you will easily be able to trace each item to see its production process. We want to be able to show you all the steps of creating our clothing, from where the fiber originates to where it is stored in our warehouse.

GOTS-certified organic cotton

We are happy and proud to be certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard! This means that we adhere to strict guidelines with regard to organic materials, ecological production and socially responsible manufacturing. We are audited by this independent authority on a yearly basis to ensure we stick to our vow.

We have been working with GOTS-certified organic fabrics since 2014, but our brand itself was first audited in May 2023. Therefore, all items launched from this moment on, are tagged with the GOTS logo. You can find the precise information on each product page.

Read more about GOTS key features

OEKO-TEX STeP & FSC 100% certified bamboo 

Bamboo is a fantastic plant: it grows fast and requires no pesticides or insecticides. However, not all bamboo fabric is created equally sustainable, as the manufacturing process is intensive.

Therefore, we use OEKO-TEX STeP certified Tanboocel. This specific type of bamboo viscose fiber is created in a closed loop process, meaning that 100% of the (limited) chemicals used are being recycled and don’t end up in nature. Moreover, the process is done completely sealed and there is no danger of any solvents coming in contact with humans. Lastly, Tanboocel is FSC 100%-certified, meaning that our materials are grown in responsibly managed FSC-certified forests, and no natural forests are damaged.

Naturally, all our items that contain bamboo are OCS-certified according to the Global Organic Textile Standard.

PETA-approved vegan yoga wear

Animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way. That is what PETA stands for.

As we operate according to the yoga principle ‘Ahimsa’, we live with respect for all living things and to not bring any harm to them. That means we decided to not work with any animal products for Urban Goddess, ever.

Our production 

Curious about how your favourite Urban Goddess item was made? Let’s take a look into the process from raw material to that comfy item hugging your body.

We are a slow fashion brand and release two main collections every year, with timeless colours that can be mixed & matched easily with previous launches. All clothing from Urban Goddess organic yoga wear is designed by our founder Marlene. She is continuously in contact with our factory, to ensure that creative ideas can be turned into dreamy pieces with the right fabric and fit. Every piece is designed with love and attention for comfort. 

When the designs, weight of the fabric and sizings are all perfect, the ‘raw’ yarns from our organic cotton and/or Tanboocel bamboo fibers are woven into a fabric. That fabric needs to be thorougly checked and approved for flaws before it can go to the dyeing factory. All dyes are GOTS-approved and therefore free form harmful substances. After dyeing, the fabric goes through another quality check before it is cut and sewn into the final product. 

Finally, after yet another round of quality control, each item is ironed and packed, to be transported by train to our warehouse in The Netherlands. Our team in the warehouse makes sure everything is well stocked and from then on, we are ready to process your order.

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CO₂ neutral production

For years, we have been reducing our carbon footprint (for all the highlights, refer to ‘our sustainable journey’ higher up on this page).

The biggest milestone was when our factory became fully solar-powered in 2021, which reduced our the carbon emissions from our garment production by 97.5%. By the end of 2023, we are completely carbon neutral, and in 2024 we’re aiming for carbon negative.

More info on where we reduce our impact can be found in the infographic below.

Production page - Infographic (mobile)
Production page - Infographic desktop

Clothing care guide: how to treat your organic yoga wear well

It’s a whole process to create one item of clothing. Therefore, we would like everyone to be aware of your impact on the planet when you buy new. We encourage you all to think twice before you buy, and treat your items with love and care.

So, before you buy. Do you really need this item? And do you know your size? Refer to our size guide to find your best fit to make sure you don’t have to return your item.

Found your perfect item? Great! Refer to our blog on how to treat it with care via the button below.

Read more about care