Our Story
Aiua (eye-YOU-ah) comes from the Sanskrit word āyu — life, vitality, the whole of being. It felt representative of what I wanted to bring into the world.
I'm a yoga teacher and lifelong mover based in Seattle. Whether it’s running, lifting, dancing, getting outside, movement is an important piece of how I process life. Like a lot of people in the Pacific Northwest, I practically live in activewear. It's what I wear to teach a hatha class, grab coffee after, and carry on with the rest of my day.
For years I never thought twice about what that activewear was made of. Then I started learning about microplastics — the tiny synthetic fibers that shed from polyester, nylon, and spandex every time you wash them, flowing into our waterways and eventually into us. I realized the "performance fabrics" I wore every day were petroleum-based plastics engineered without care given to their impact on the environment or human health. I felt that there must be a better way, and went looking.
I didn't have to look far. Merino wool, popular among hikers and skiers here in the PNW, was nature's performance fiber for centuries long before synthetics came along. It's naturally thermoregulating, breathable, odor-resistant, and antimicrobial. It biodegrades completely. It comes from a resource that regrows every year. The more I learned, the more baffled I was at why we'd all collectively decided to wrap ourselves in plastic instead.
But when I went shopping for merino activewear, I got discouraged. Most brands marketing merino are selling blends — cut with polyester or spandex to bring down cost. A blended garment may feel similar, but it doesn't biodegrade the way pure merino does, and it still sheds microplastics. I wanted activewear made from 100% natural materials, without compromises. I couldn't find it. So I made it.
Aiua is the brand I wish had existed years ago. Every piece is 100% merino wool. No synthetic blends. No plastic fibers. No asterisks. Our wool is Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified, ensuring ethical animal welfare, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility across our entire supply chain. We carry OEKO-TEX Standard 100 and BSCI certifications, because anything worth doing is worth doing right.
In practice, that means:
- Zero microplastics in our waterways
- Natural thermoregulation, breathability, and odor control
- Full biodegradability at end of life
- Fewer washes needed, saving water and energy
- A renewable fiber that regrows every year
Straight from the pasture, Aiua is activewear that works as hard as you do without costing the planet. It turns out that performance and sustainability never had to be trade-offs.
Āyu means life — lived fully, moved through freely, passed on in better shape than we found it. That's what this brand is for.