YMAA Tai Chi Apparel

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YMAA Tai Chi Apparel

Postby Villicus » Wed Nov 07, 2012 8:01 pm

This summer I purchased the noil silk pants from YMAA and have to say that I am very impressed with the quality, comfort, and utility. My Tai Chi classes are all outdoors in any weather except during bad thunderstorms. This summer the pants, I ordered the black pair, were very cool and comfortable. Now that it is turning cool in the evenings they are still just as comfortable.
Here in Louisiana it is very hot and humid in summer and the pants were not hot to wear at all.
Thanks YMAA!
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Re: YMAA Tai Chi Apparel

Postby caesar » Thu Nov 08, 2012 10:37 am

This was the definetly the most positive, refreshing and honest post for a while...in any forum I'm a member of. :)
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Re: YMAA Tai Chi Apparel

Postby baihe shifu » Sun Nov 11, 2012 2:17 am

My uniforms come from here and are fantastic!

http://www.taichitranquility.com/
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Re: YMAA Tai Chi Apparel

Postby Villicus » Sun Nov 11, 2012 10:14 pm

I choose to support YMAA. That's what I can do.
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Re: YMAA Tai Chi Apparel

Postby Monsoon » Mon Nov 12, 2012 5:03 pm

I too support the YMAA, but there are financial limits on that support in my case. As such, the apparel offered is simply beyond my affordability range. Considering that price is not matched to quality in any equitable way here, it becomes hard to justify support in this fashion (if you'll excuse the pun :D )

Given the choice between information and clothing, I choose to pay for the former.

BTW, being critical of something isn't ingerently a bad thing you know.

peace,
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peace and harmony

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Re: YMAA Tai Chi Apparel

Postby Sanfung » Thu Feb 13, 2014 1:32 am

While I realize that this thread is relatively old I never had an opportunity to reply to it, so I hope this does not appear to be too far out of place. I bought one of the black raw silk uniforms from the YMAA site almost three years ago, and I actually absolutely love it. I use the uniform fairly often for training, due to the wide range of movement it provides. Certainly it was expensive, but I actually feel the price is entirely justified, as it is a handmade garment that really holds up to the rigors of constant use.

I am entirely pleased, and feel that while times are tough I can think of far worse things to spend my money on than one of these uniforms. On the topic of the original poster, I actually find that my uniform keeps me rather warm when practicing here in far more chilly Illinois during the winter months, so I suppose they work perfectly in either extreme.
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Re: YMAA Tai Chi Apparel

Postby Dvivid » Thu Mar 27, 2014 2:27 pm

Thanks for the kind words. I work for YMAA Publishing, who manufactures the Silk Apparel.

Actually, this is incorrect:
While I am sure the YMAA apparel is very nice, there is a massive mark-up as soon as these items are billed for western markets. It's not just the YMAA, nearly all western outlets charge outrageous prices knowing that most people will have a fear of ordering overseas.


There is no "mark up", because we make the uniforms ourselves. We don't import anything but the raw silk. The short version of the story is: we buy whatever bolts of raw silk fabric we can find, because it is increasingly rare. This is 100% raw silk, not a modernized polyester weave, which is what you'll find elsewhere. Then, the fabric is sent to CA, washed, cut, and stitched into our uniforms. Then, it is sent to our warehouse in CT.

Despite the fact these are made in the USA, we've kept the price lower than most apparel made from 100% silk, to keep them affordable. They last for a long time, not only as casual wear, but used heavily by martial arts several days per week.

We could cut corners and do it cheaper in China, but the quality of the cut and stitching is poor and inconsistent. Not an option.

We could make it cheaper by using a blend fabric, like 99% of the uniforms available, but polyester interferes with your energetic circulation, and it gets smelly fast when you sweat in it. Not an option.

We could buy and resell (and mark up) modernized silk uniforms like other companies, but our goal has always been to keep the original high standard of raw silk apparel as in the "olden days". We aim to keep making this raw silk available for people to experience, because it feels better than anything else, lasts longer, and works better.

There is not a lot of profit in this apparel to be honest, but it is a labor of love.

(Silk pants have just been restocked. March 2014)
http://ymaa.com/publishing/uniform/silk/pants

Image
"Avoid Prejudice, Be Objective in Your Judgement, Be Scientific, Be Logical and Make Sense, Do Not Ignore Prior Experience." - Dr. Yang

http://www.ymaa.com/publishing
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Re: YMAA Tai Chi Apparel

Postby Monsoon » Thu Apr 03, 2014 5:02 pm

We could cut corners and do it cheaper in China, but the quality of the cut and stitching is poor and inconsistent. Not an option.


Yeah, way to buy into the whole 'everything from China is poor quality' stereotype. In case you hadn't noticed the world has turned.
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Re: YMAA Tai Chi Apparel

Postby John the Monkey mind » Fri Apr 04, 2014 2:43 am

Monsoon wrote:Yeah, way to buy into the whole 'everything from China is poor quality' stereotype. In case you hadn't noticed the world has turned.


I know people in manufacturing quality control who visit factories in Eastern Europe and China or import products made in China. According to them the Chinese have a really, really big problem with quality control. Maybe its a stereotype but it is also often true.
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Re: YMAA Tai Chi Apparel

Postby Dvivid » Fri Apr 04, 2014 8:44 am

Monsoon - stereotype or not, YMAA has been manufacturing silk apparel in China annually for over 20 years. In the past five years, the quality of the fabric, stitching, and sizing has become so poor that we were forced to bring all our manufacturing into the USA.

Speaking from experience. Not "buying into" anything.

buy into the whole 'everything from China is poor quality' stereotype
"Avoid Prejudice, Be Objective in Your Judgement, Be Scientific, Be Logical and Make Sense, Do Not Ignore Prior Experience." - Dr. Yang

http://www.ymaa.com/publishing
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Re: YMAA Tai Chi Apparel

Postby Villicus » Thu Jun 12, 2014 1:09 pm

Thought I would post an update. Still wearing my original YMAA pants. After much use and many washings they still look pretty much the same. They wear better than jeans. I have worn them in the rain, sat in mud, (I fell in it) and have yet to damage them or feel anything other than comfortable in them. I.used to worry about them tearing easiliy being made of silk, but not anymore. They are tougher than they look and feel.
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Re: YMAA Tai Chi Apparel

Postby joeblast » Tue Jun 17, 2014 8:31 am

I have one of the old old pairs of pants, they shrunk. I just got a new pair, but ma got me a large as a b-day gift and they seem to be about the size of the old XL. I'll have to get a new jacket sometime, mine's gotta be 8 years old at this point and has no sleeves below the elbow :lol:
Even in mildly complex systems, any outcome is the wrong thing to target, with the process being where the focus should be.
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Re: YMAA Tai Chi Apparel

Postby Dvivid » Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:42 pm

Joeblast - that's hilarious. You shredded off your sleeves. Love it.

Villicus - thanks for the feedback. That's what we like to hear.

After many years of perfecting the silks, we feel like the current design has a really classic look and feel, but is much more durable than any other silk apparel.

Most YMAA students are wearing those same silks when training and performing, so they were designed with that in mind; not just for show.

(A few pics of silks in action, if you're on FB: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater)
"Avoid Prejudice, Be Objective in Your Judgement, Be Scientific, Be Logical and Make Sense, Do Not Ignore Prior Experience." - Dr. Yang

http://www.ymaa.com/publishing
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