The Stretchiest Jeans Ever - reDEW8 Örn

Don't be surprised. This week's review is not yoga pants but jeans. It is the stretchiest jeans I've ever worn, reDEW8 Örn Denim Jeans. Believe or not, its elasticity is on a par with leggings. I don't think there are many jeans in the market that will allow me to do a full split, but reDEW8 Örn Denim Jeans do.

About reDEW8 -

reDEW8, founded by Peter Lantz and Anders Haglund in 2014, is a Swedish denim company. Lantz is one of the world's foremost denim exports with a decades long career working within denim designs. Haglund is an outdoor sales and marketing professional with extensive experiences establishing Scandinavian brands in the global marketplace. Two of them met in Lantz's little hometown of Eskilstuna in 2013. Together, they created sustainable denim, reDEW8 Jeans. 

reDEW8's mission is to make the best jeans on earth without sacrificing the environment for the sake of style. Their jeans are made with 100% organic cotton, recycled polyester (RPET) and elastane (TPU). They currently offers four unisex styles. Among which, I believe two models, Björk and Örn, are more suitable for women in smaller frames because they are available from size W25 and up, whereas the smallest size for Råk and Ravin is W28.

At the 2019 Outdoor Retailer Snow Show, reDEW8 introduced New Zero Cotton™ Jeans using 100-percent renewable fibers. Each pair of Forst jeans, the company says, saves more than 7,000 liters of water and is produced without the environmental impacts of cotton. Zero Cotton Jeans are made with wood fibres from Austrian cellulosic fibre produce Lenzing, woven by Turkish denim manufacturer ISKO. "Zero Cotton represents an important step towards a more sustainable outdoor industry," says Peter Lantz. Zero Cotton Jeans are available for pre-order now!

Details of reDEW8 Örn Denim Jeans - 

Top: Niyama Sol Tie Tank Sports Bra, White, XS/S (true to size).
​Bottom: reDEW8 Örn Denim Jeans, Indigo Preshrunk, W26xL30 (true to size; my regular size is W25, and W26 is a bit loose on me).

reDEW8 Örn Denim Jeans was gifted to me by Aktiv, sole American distributor of reDEW8. I met with the owner in Aug while I was in Colorado for 300 YTT training. In addition to Moonchild outfits, he also provided me a pair of jeans to try. I mostly wear wide leg pants and yoga leggings. I wear stretch jeans occasionally only because they are versatile and go with any outfit; however, they aren't nearly as comfortable as yoga pants. In addition to that, they aren't stretchy enough for me to move freely. It wasn't until I met reDEW8 Örn Denim Jeans did I change the perception of stretch jeans. Its elasticity is unbelievable good, just like performance jeans. I've never looked into performance jeans until now. Apparently, companies like Patagonia are making jeans with stretch and better range of motion. Climbers have been wearing them for years because of the comfort, durability, and great elasticity. I can't speak for others, but reDEW8 Örn Denim Jeans is definitely meeting the expectations. I can move and stretch out however I want in it just like wearing yoga pants. Very impressive!

​1. Size – I wear W26 x L30, which is slightly loose and long. W25 will be a better fit as skinny jeans, but I like the look of the loose fit, similar to girlfriend jeans.

2. Style – Low rise skinny jeans.

3. Inseam – 28.5" long. I wish it comes with petite sizes. It is way too long for me. Luckily, cuffing works well and gives a stylish and casual look.

4. Front Rise – 10" low rise.

​​5. Fabric – 81.7% Organic Cotton, 14.2% RPET (recycled polyester from recycled PET bottles), and 4.1% Elastane. 

6. Design for – Daily wear. It is comfortable for a flight and stretchy enough for impromptu yoga. Some reviewers even recommend it for hiking.

​7. Cost – Retail price is $159. It was gifted to me from Aktiv (use code YoginisCloset to receive 15% off).

It is made in Mauritius. 
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​I wear size W26 x L30, which is slightly too big and way too long for me. I don't mind the loose fit because it looks like wearing girlfriend jeans. It is long but cuffing creates a casual look that goes very well with sneakers. reDEW8 Örn Denim Jeans are available in Black and Indigo two colors. Each color has two finishes, Pre-Shrunk and Implode Surface. What I wear is Indigo Pre-Shrunk.

The differences between the two finishes:

• Pre-Shrunk is a plain finish, which gives the jeans the darkest look.
• Implode Surface has a distressed finish creating a subtle pre-worn look.

Distressed finish is more of my style, but the dark Pre-Shrunk looks just as good. I am considering to purchase another pair in Implode Surface (size W25, one size down) in addition to Zero Cotton Jeans.
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The Örn is heavyweight, in a good way. It is deluxe and durable. That said, the fabric is too warm for me to wear in summer, but perfect for winter. I got the jeans in Aug, but I didn't wear it until recently when the weather is finally cooling down in the Bay Area.
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To prove you how stretchy the Örn is, I have taken few photos of me wearing it in yoga poses, like Hanumanasana (full split in the first picture of the article), Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana B (extended hand-to-big-toe pose shown in the top right picture) and Baddha Konasana (bound angle pose shown in the picture below). I tested it in the most extreme range of motion that I can possible do, and it didn't rip. In fact, there was still room for me to move further if my body allowed me to. I wish I worn the Örn on those days I forgot to pack my yoga outfit to teach classes after work. Yes, it happened to me twice and I had to teach in unstretch stretchy jeans. 
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It is low rise, which doesn't provide much coverage. I prefer mid or high rise jeans to keep my belly tucked in. That said, it doesn't bother me because I can always wear a camisole and have it tucked in to get the same coverage. I like to wear a undershirt in winter anyway. Even though it is a little bit baggy, it still shows body curvatures and gives a flattering look. Overall, it is a cute and comfortable pair of jeans. Thumbs up to reDEW8 Örn Denim Jeans.

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I highly recommend reDEW8 Örn Denim Jeans to everyone. It is by far the stretchiest and most comfortable jeans I've ever tried. Jeans aren't designed for yoga, but I can wear it doing any yoga pose without problems.  Besides its great performance and comfort, it is flattering and stylish. It can easily go with any outfit.

Practice Journal -
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How often do you catch yourself autopilot through the daily routine? From waking up in the morning, practicing morning Ashtanga yoga, taking shower, getting ready for work, driving to the office, turning on the laptop, working, to going home at the end of the day, everyday is different yet feels the same. The routine is repetitive. Without thinking too much, I autopilot through each task. That's the moment when I am not Present, not being Mindful.

For experiment purpose, I decided to change up a little bit in my practice this week. Ashtanga is a set sequence and you always start from the right side. Instead of doing so, I started with the left. Just by making this change, it totally confounded me. My body was confused and didn't know how to react with it. In yoga, most poses are practiced in both sides. It seems like a well balanced practice, doesn't it? I thought it wouldn't matter which side I practice first. It turned out I was wrong. I felt awkward when doing the left side first. There was moment that I didn't know what to do or by default doing the right side first. I had to be more mindful and to be present in order to focus on what I was doing. It was definitely an unique experience and experiment to have.

​Even through Ashtanga is a fixed sequence, always starting from the right side, it doesn't hurt to make some changes from time to time.