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BigHeart is an NYC-based, woman-owned yoga products company dedicated to
serving the needs and satisfying the sensibilities of urban yoginis.
I was inspired by the sight of fellow yoginis leaving a NYC studio after
class. With their mats in tow, they looked like urban warriors on a
divine crusade. I imagined the yoga mats as sacred scrolls and their
owners, modern seekers.
 I
fabricated a mythical context for the modern practitioner and
designed a yoga mat carrier to match.
In its current incarnation, the BigHeart yoga mat carrier is lined
in camouflage to reflect the warrior concept, while the clean lines, coupled
with modern fabrics like denim and vinyl, make it suitable for
an urban setting. In designing the BigHeart carrier, I took
into account the specific needs of the urbanite by allowing form
to organically follow function. The pocket serves two purposes:
it hugs the waist to secure the carrier against the body and is
expandable to accommodate modern essentials, such as a cell phone,
subway card and an MP3 player. The diamond-shaped leaf wraps around
the mat and is secured in place with adjustable webbing and a
quick-release buckle. The shoulder strap and leaf are padded to
ease strain on the back and shoulder. The sum of these design
elements is greater than its parts. The BigHeart carrier is comfortable
and practical and, above all, will inspirit the warrior in you.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office agrees. Our unique yoga mat
carrier has been awarded a design patent and is in the
annals of The Department of Commerce!
The eight limbs of yoga have guided BigHeart's business plan and
will continue to steer our future growth. For instance, in choosing
our manufacturing facility, our main criterion was to observe
the first limb of ashtanga yoga -- yama. Five principles,
or abstentions, make up yama. The first of these, ahimsa,
is non-harming. We, at BigHeart, have chosen a factory that respects
the health and welfare of its people. As a result, our production
costs are not the lowest, but our karmic bank account is growing.
Aparigha,
or non-greed, is the fifth principle of yama. BigHeart
plans to donate a percentage of its profits to organizations that
protect the environment, non-human animals and disenfranchised
groups.
We have several new and radically-different designs in the works.
So, visit us again or join our mailing list for product updates.
Peace.
Maria Coler, BigHeart Founder
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