Is seaweed beneficial?

Erica - you may well skip reading this post. You and I will butt heads over this one!
Lululemon® is a yoga inspired athletic apparel company. It is a Canadian company, however I see that it is available in some American cities, as well as in Sydney, Australia.
Around here you are not considered "dressed" for any excercise class, walking your dog, hanging around the house, reading the newspaper (I think you get it), unless you are wearing Lululemon®! Our children were counting down the hours until a store opened in London, Ontario. My niece visited the store twice-or was it three times?-the day it opened. I will admit to owning one workout top that has the Lululemon label. Hey, I wanted to see how it was constructed!
You can understand the following. Young people (and not so young people) want to jump on the latest bandwagon. Want to be in the it crowd. Want to be seen wearing overpriced, under designed clothing made of the "newest and most innovative" fabrics. Unfortunately too many people blindly follow "labels" often never thinking about questionable claims.
The Lululemon® label is fresh, although the designs to my mind are boring, boring. Their biggest hype lately has been the exciting offerings of fabric. Yes they have hemp and bamboo, but the newest claim is SEAWEED.
Here is what a hangtag proclaims... 24 per cent seaweed content, reduces stress and provides anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, hydrating and detoxifying benefits.
Apparently when you wear it and work out, the beneficial seaweed is absorbed by your skin providing those exciting benefits. So what happens when you wash it? In my mind, those benefits would be washed away after a couple of trips through the washer!
Apparently I was not the only one to think that. Here is an article that was in our local paper this morning


Lululemon prompts probe

Wed, November 21, 2007

By CP


TORONTO -- The federal Competition Bureau is examining the entire industry of eco-friendly materials and how they are promoted.

The probe was announced following a controversy at Lululemon Athletica Inc. that pounded its stock.

The yoga wear retailer was forced to drop its seaweed-related health benefit claims from its VitaSea line of clothing.

Late last Friday, the federal agency revealed Lululemon had agreed to remove the tags with the claims or cover them with a sticker until it could produce scientific evidence to back the assertions.

Bureau spokesperson Larry Bryenton says the Competition Bureau now is focusing on all firms that make health, therapeutic or environmental claims about sustainable fibres such as bamboo and soybeans.

"We'll certainly keep a careful eye on where the industry is going," Bryenton said in an interview. "It's certainly something that's caught the bureau's attention . . . Lululemon happened to be a situation where they made unsubstantiated claims that happened to relate to one of these new types of products out there."

Robert Meers, chief executive officer of Lululemon, said in an interview he doesn't plan to re-institute the seaweed-fabric health claims. "I don't think they add anything."

Bryenton said the bureau is satisfied Lululemon has removed the labels on its VitaSea shirts, which cost up to $69 for a long-sleeved men's top.

The tags said the clothing, with 24 per cent seaweed content, reduces stress and provides anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, hydrating and detoxifying benefits.

Think about it before you purchase any product that touts almost mystical beautifying properties already wouldya!
As a footnote- the accompanying photo featured the "Pose" tank,


which looks eerily like this BWOF tank right down to the crossover back!Now for some seaweed fabric!