Organic cotton is something that Prana does not take for granted. 84% of the cotton they use in their product line is organic. When a consumer buys organic cotton they are saying they want to make the world a better place because they care about the farmers and the communities in which that cotton was grown in.
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Hemp Matters
Hemp is a medicine, a source of food, and a sustainable crop that can be used to create soft, vibrant clothing. It has a short life cycle, is anti-microbial, and thermo-conductive. Find out what all of this means for the apparel industry, the environment, and you.
Prana Sponsors Event at EMS in North Conway
The Curtis Group helped outfit the staff at Eastern Mountain Sports in Prana for their November 2016 Women’s Night event at the store in North Conway, NH. Don’t they look great? This is just one of the many ways The Curtis Group and our brands can partner in your success.
Eastern Mountain Sports reported they had 75 attendees for their November 2016 event. All attendees really seemed to enjoy everything; from topics addressed, the raffle prizes and all the shopping.
Are you currently one of our retailers? Do you have an idea for an event but need some sponsors to get it off the ground? Do you need help promoting or marketing? Or maybe you need a little something for your staff who will generously donate their time for the event? And then there’s always raffle prizes or goodie bag schwag. We can usually help there too. Talk to us.
The Not Impossible Mission of the Conscious Consumer
Are you a part of the conscious consumer movement?
It’s about trying to live a healthy, inspired lifestyle. Pursuing your passions. It’s about trying to make a difference. Learn more about Prana’s sustainability mission and the simple choices you can make to effect change in the fashion and textile industry.
Buckets, Baskets and Wooden Crates
Unusual visual merchandising props
Sometimes the most unusual found objects make the best visual merchandising props. At this chic shop in Bozeman, Montana they used old sewing room items to display this selection of women’s jewelry beautifully. The vintage, and well-used stained muslin sleeve ironing board works well to focus your eye on a collection of similar small items like earrings. The bust forms uphold the sewing room theme, while displaying necklaces nicely. Old wooden shoe lasts and large wooden bobbins with thread on them could work well here too. Multiple heights and textures create interesting lines for the eyes to follow and will make the shopper look more closely at what it is that you are displaying.
Paint a picture
Literally. This clean black and white image of a bulls scull works perfectly near the very ornate and colorful western boots. It sets the tone without stealing the show from these beautiful (neatly lined up) boots.
Recycle household items
Make a habit of going to yard sales and barn sales. Keep you eyes open for anything that could be used as a visual merchandising prop. Buckets, baskets, wooden crates work great to showcase products! The contrast of wood, galvanized metal and painted metals also makes a nice visual. Also vintage suitcases and coolers are perfect for visual merchandising because they can be stacked on top of each other to create layers and depth.
Onion River Sports
Charlotte Brewer and her husband Leeds from Onion River Sports and The Shoe Horn in Montpelier, Vermont were some of my first friends in the industry. Charlotte is so much fun. Everyone’s favorite client at the trade shows. She has great taste and an energy that is infectious and it shows in her stores. Stop in to Onion River Sports or The Shoe Horn sometime to see what we love so much about her and her businesses.
Where to shop in Montpelier Vermont
Onion River Sports is one of the best outdoor gear stores in Central Vermont. Located at 20 Langdon Street in Montpelier, VT. Their motto is “muscles not motors”. Whether you are cycling, running, hiking, backpacking or walking the dog, their friendly and knowledgeable staff can help you find the right clothing and equipment to fit your needs and to make the most of your adventures.
The Shoe Horn is located at at 8 Langdon Street Montpelier, VT. Right next door to it’s parent store, Onion River Sports. They started out as a small shoe store that sold comfortable shoes for the Vermont lifestyle. Since then they have doubled in size and expanded their footwear to include brands that are as fashionable as they are comfortable. They are now known for carrying shoes AND clothes for the Vermont lifestyle. They are the source for clothing that can go from work to play and back again, and that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Kari Traa 2016 Collection
For Nuns and Knockouts
The designs in the Kari Traa 2016 collection are bright and fun. What started out as a small selection of feminine headwear has grown into a complete and extensive brand for women. With unmistakable designs and a strong color palette the collection stands out from the crowd.
Dare to play
The Kari Traa 2016 collection is designed to fit the female body, but still meet the rigorous demands of an active, sporty and adventurous lifestyle. The line features base layers, fleece, workout wear, lifestyle apparel, sports underwear and accessories.
About the brand
The Kari Traa brand started as a hobby for champion freestyle skier Kari Traa knitting beanies in between training and competing and customizing her own ski wear. It has turned into the fastest growing sports brand in Europe. Available internationally since 2006 and in the US since 2015, the brand has grown consistently year over year.
Pistil Fall 2016 Collection
Playful Yet Refined
The Pistil fall 2016 collection includes brand new styles and updated favorites. They have updated colors on their best selling headbands like the Petra and the Ginger. These cozy cold weather headbands are perfect for women who want winter weather warmth without a full hat. Teal, Marine, Poppy and Orchid are new colors for the Pistil fall 2016 collection that coordinate perfectly with outerwear styles for the season.
Lifestyle bags
Pistil Designs has expanded their lifestyle bag collection for fall 2016. New to the line is the Bust a Move bag. It’s the ideal get-away bag. Perfect for a day trip or a weekend adventure. They’ve also got some great native American blanket inspired designs Sahara and Poncho that look great on the Finders Keepers backpack. Practical, functional and fun, the bags in the Pistil fall 2016 collection have a simple, relaxed aesthetic that fits right in with the trademark Pistil sense of style.
Handwear
Wristlets are one of the fastest growing segments of the Pistil fall 2016 line. They are a great way to keep your hands warm, but still be able to use your smart phone. Plus they are super cute too! New for Pistil fall 2016 is the Mindee Wristlet in black, teal and fuchsia. Their best selling Anika Wristlet gets updated colors of marine and jade.
Fedoras and wide brims
Their curated collection of fedoras and wide brim hats is all about grace, fun and style. Rich colors perfectly suit the season while felted wool keeps you toasty and warm. Their best selling fedora, Soho, meets you at the intersection of bohemian and classic. All of the women’s fedoras in the Pistil fall 2016 collection have a true mountain aesthetic and are right at home among the falling snow and aspen trees near your favorite ski slope.
Pistil for men
Don’t forget Pistil Designs makes great knit beanies, belts, caps, handler, neckwear and slouch hast for men too. A new cap for fall 2016 that is sure to be a hit is Detour. It’s a mid-volume ball cap made out of cotton canvas that is sure to be a hit for apres-ski.
Bronwen Jewelry 2016
Active Jewelry
Bronwen Jewelry makes active jewelry. Jewelry that speaks to busy, confident women with an active lifestyle. It is for women who need their jewelry to keep up with both their workouts and their life. Women with a keen eye for style and a need for function. It’s for climbers and runners and yogis and surfers and skiers and busy moms on the go. Bronwen feels that you should be able to pursue the sports you love while still being feminine in jewelry that will stand up to rocks, water, sand and sweat.
Inspired by a bohemian approach to life, Bronwen collections are sturdy yet sexy. Simple, yet sophisticated. Delicate yet powerful. Just like the women who wear it.
The company conveys a simplistic beauty with a lot of soul. — Kim Havell, Professional freestyle skier
Bronwen makes bracelets, charms, necklaces, rings, anklets and earrings. They use nylon, leather, glass beads, wood beads, ribbons, shells, nuts, semi-precious stones and gold and silver in their designs. They have partnered with Carve Designs for a special collection of swim bracelets that turns leftover swim fabric scraps into beautiful, 100% recycled, fully adjustable, water friendly bracelets.
All Brownwen Jewelry is hand crafted in their studio in downtown Bend, Oregon and has a lifetime warranty.
Prana Summer 2016
Thoughtfully Designed
The prAna summer 2016 collection does not disappoint. With the prAna summer 2016 collection, prAna has created versatile, stylish and sustainable clothing and accessories that you can wear everyday during every adventure and every activity all summer long.
Lightweight, stylish, sustainable
Prana uses sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, recycled polyester and hemp in their summer line to create clothing and accessories that are lightweight, stylish and sustainable. Their summer board shorts for men are are all-purpose performers designed to work in the water and on land.
Styles designed to let you move
With versatile styles created for every activity in the water and out, prAna has a something for everyone. Swimwear, dresses, shorts, tops, jeans, pants, cover ups and accessories for women. Board shorts, pants, shirts, and accessories for men. PrAna apparel is more than just stylish – it’s style that performs. They use echnical fabrics designed to keep you cool and comfortable on even the hottest of days. There is a versatile style available from prAna for every activity you do.
Must have for men
A must have from the prAna summer 2016 line is the mens’ Brion short and pant and Stretch Zion short and pant. All are made from the Stretch Zion fabric, which is lightweight, durable and breathable. It is a unique stretch fabric that is wrinkle resistant, quick drying and DWR coated to repel water and spills. Consequently these pants and shorts are perfect for travel or just wearing around town.
Go to for women
There is so much good stuff in the prAna summer 2016 line for women it’s hard to pick just one to talk about. The Cali Dress reflects the effortless style of California beach wear. It’s stylish scoop neck and supportive racerback highlight the versatility of this dress. The empire seam and dropped hem look great on everyone. The lightweight and stretchy recycled polyester/spandex blend is stretchy and quick drying enough for all your adventures. This dress is perfect to throw on at the beach or wear out on at hot summer’s eve.
The mission of prAna is to inspire healthy, active and free-spirited living. PrAna apparel reflects who you are, how you feel and what you value the most. It is thoughtfully designed with you in mind.
Boutique Hotel Obsessed
I am obsessed with boutique hotels. There is a chain called The Lark Hotels that is fantastic. This is the lobby at Whitehall boutique hotel in Camden, Maine.
A boutique hotel has so much more ambiance than a standard chain hotel and is available at comparable prices. They are usually run by the proprietors, or a small group of local people who really focus on customer service. Check out Whitehall if you are ever in the area, or look for another cool boutique hotel in the Lark hotel group in your travels.
Prana: Clothes with a Conscience
Prana makes the beautiful and functional products we love. And they produce them in a way we can all feel good about. By using sustainable and socially responsible materials and partnering with companies and factories that adhere to strict guidelines for safety and efficacy, they are able to minimize the impact their fabric production has on the world. Sustainable clothing production is an important part of the brand.
Prana is part of the sustainable clothing movement
They seek out materials from sustainable sources. Treat their people fairly and improve the industry with the processes they use. Here’s a little more information about the materials they use for their sustainable clothing:
Organic Cotton – prAna uses organic cotton. Conventionally grown cotton is loaded with insecticides and pesticides. Approximately 25% of the insecticides and more than 10% of the pesticides used in the world are used in conventional cotton farming. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the rate of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers and build biologically diverse agriculture. Third party organizations verify that organic producers use on methods and materials allowed in organic production. Meaning no toxic and persistent pesticides or synthetic fertilizers and no genetically engineered seeds are used.
Recycled Wool – The wool used by prAna comes from old garments and the cuttings from new garments. The process to recycle wool has a much lower impact on the environment than creating new wool. It also removes waste from the world that might otherwise go to a landfill. After being sorted, cleaned, and reduced down to fiber in a facility, prAna’s recycled wool is spun into yarn and knitted into new, warm and snuggly pieces.
Hemp – Because growing hemp is illegal in the US, the hemp prAna uses comes from industrial hemp plants grown in China. While not certified organic, it is grown as organically as possible. Because of the hardiness of the hemp plant, no chemical pesticides or fertilizers are required to grow it. This makes it safer for the farmers to grow and safe for the land it is grown on. In fact, this drought resistant plant does wonders for the soil it’s grown in. In addition, farmers who grow hemp are able to plant food crops in the same fields immediately after hemp harvest. This is not possible with a lot of other crops.
Recycled Polyester – Recycled polyester is a better alternative than manufacturing virgin polyester material because it relies on recycled materials, which mean you don’t have to factor in all the toxins and energy used in manufacturing plastic in the first place. Recycled polyester primarily comes from post consumer plastic, aka PET. Meaning water bottles and soda bottles. But it can also comes from pre-consumer waste as well. Recycling means less energy used. So less Greenhouse Gas emission. Less water used. All around better for the environment.
Repurposed Down – PrAna values ethical, sustainable manufacturing processes. They are committed to supporting these values throughout the entire supply chain. As of Fall 2016 they are working with Responsible Down Standard to certify that all down used in prAna products is 100% Responsible Down. Ini order for down to be certified as Responsible Down it must be certified that there was no live plucking, no force feeding, and lifelong humane treatment of the waterfowl. This is traced through the entire production process right up to final shipment. The entire supply chain is audited by a 3rd party certification body. Only products with 100% Responsible Down carry the RDS Certified logo.
All of these materials meet the highest quality standards and produce a fabulous end product. Try out some of the sustainable clothing from prAna for yourself and see!