Beyond Yoga

So here's the thing about Beyond Yoga-it's basically what happens when two women decide the activewear industry needs a serious reality check. Founded in 2005 by Jodi Guber Brufsky and Michelle Wahler, this LA-born brand has spent the last two decades proving that "buttery soft" isn't just marketing speak. It's actually a thing.

And they're not messing around with the body positivity angle either. While most brands were still photoshopping models into oblivion, Beyond Yoga was over here refusing to retouch their images and making sizes from XXS to 4X. That's not a small range-that's 4X, which matters when you consider how many activewear brands still treat anything above a size 12 like it doesn't exist.

The signature fabric everyone obsesses over? It's called Spacedye, and if you've ever felt it, you know why people keep coming back. The brand has built a thriving community around its signature Spacedye fabric and versatile active lifestyle essentials across outerwear, dresses, fleece and beyond. Notice how they said "beyond" there-because yeah, this isn't just yoga pants anymore. They've expanded into basically everything you'd want to wear when you're not quite working out but also not quite lounging. That in-between space where most of us actually live.

Beyond Yoga joined the Levi Strauss & Co. family in September 2021, which is kind of a big deal. Levi's doesn't just acquire random brands-they saw something here worth investing in. And the numbers back it up. As of August 2025, Beyond Yoga's annual revenue reached $35M, with over 1,218 wholesale accounts in both U.S. and international markets. That's a lot of retailers betting on buttery-soft leggings.

But here's what's actually interesting: they're not just an online brand hiding behind a website. They've been methodically opening physical stores-seven of them now, scattered between California, Chicago, and Seattle, with their first East Coast location opening in Greenwich, Connecticut. That's a calculated expansion, not a desperate grab for foot traffic. Each store apparently focuses on "an elevated personal shopping experience," which is retail-speak for "we actually train our staff to help you find stuff that fits."

The brand's also leaning hard into the sustainability angle, which-let's be honest-every brand claims these days. But Beyond Yoga has the Blue Sign certification, which is apparently the strictest chemical safety requirement for textiles. They use Tencel Modal, waterless printing on their bestselling printed leggings, and ship with 100% recycled polybags. Small details, but they add up.

And get this-in 2025 it launched a new brand platform and creative campaign with an original spoken word anthem written and performed by Issa Rae. That's not your typical activewear marketing. That's someone understanding their audience actually cares about more than just whether their leggings are squat-proof.

The product range has gotten pretty extensive too. Started with women's yoga wear, now they've got men's stuff, maternity lines, toddler leggings (yes, really), and even sleepwear at their flagship Santa Monica location. It's like they looked at the "athleisure" trend and said, "Okay, but what if we actually made clothes for every part of your day?"

One thing that stands out: they're female-founded and still 89% female in leadership and staff. In an industry that's supposedly all about empowering women, Beyond Yoga actually walks the talk. Their headquarters in Culver City has 50-foot ceilings, natural light, and standing desks-because apparently they believe in practicing what they preach about wellness.

The return policy is straightforward-30 days, free shipping both ways for U.S. customers, which is pretty standard but appreciated. And they've partnered with ThredUp for a resale program, so you can trade in old stuff for store credit. It's a nice touch that shows they're thinking about the full lifecycle of their products.

Beyond Yoga carved out a niche by actually meaning it when they say "for every body." Twenty years in, with steady growth and a parent company that believes in them, they're not going anywhere. And in the crowded, often superficial world of activewear, that's kind of refreshing.