15 Awesome Yoga Brands Besides Lululemon

Athleta, which is owned by Gap, has been rapidly expanding its store base. Like Lululemon, Athleta puts emphasis on community and in-store events.

There were even rumors that Athleta was poaching yoga instructors from Lululemon. Athleta could be Lululemon's greatest threat because it has the resources to expand quickly and offer similar clothing at lower prices.

Zella is Nordstrom's in-house yoga brand. The brand caused a stir with yoga fans in 2009 after it was revealed that Nordstrom had poached one of Lululemon's top designers.

Zella has the same elite client base as Lululemon, and has received rave reviews among yoga fans. Unlike Lululemon, the brand comes in plus and kid-sizes.

Calvin Klein's yoga brand is carried in major department stores like Macy's.

Its aesthetic is so similar that Lululemon sued the brand for allegedly copying its "Astro" yoga pants. The companies settled out of court.

Certified yoga instructor Jamie Hanna started the Zobha brand in 2008. Today, its is available at 350 stores around the world.

Like Lululemon, Zobha is considered luxury. It opened a 2,000 foot flagship in San Francisco last year, and has a popular men's line.

Under Armour decided to invest in its women's business. The company, which is already known for its moisture-wicking fabric, is expanding its store base.

To appeal to women, Under Armour is redesigning many stores and acquiring top talent. Wall Street sees its Studio yoga line as a top competitor.

Lily Lotus is an ecologically-friendly Hawaiian brand that's available in boutiques around the world. The brand is known for its eclectic, stylish look.

As a boutique brand, Lily Lotus could appeal to Lululemon fans who are disillusioned by the retailer's rapid expansion and quality control problems.

Soybu is a sustainable active wear brand available at many major sporting goods stores. Its clothes are made from soy, organic cotton, bamboo, and recycled materials.

Soybu's environmental values are increasingly appealing to consumers. It's also more affordable than Lululemon.

Gap's Old Navy brand also got into the high-tech yoga business. Old Navy expanded its active wear line in 2011, and the move has been credited with improving sales.

Old Navy's yoga line comes in tall and plus sizes. At $12, the yoga pants are irresistible to consumers.

Prana is available in outdoor stores around the country. With $50 tank tops and $80 yoga pants, the brand is similarly-priced to Lululemon.

Prana is already established in the men's business — a market that Lululemon is going after aggressively. Despite the brand's growth, many of the original employees remain.

Victoria's Secret has been expanding yoga offerings in its VSX and Pink lines. The brand has posted record sales for several years, and is beloved by women everywhere.

Victoria's Secret is more visible than Lululemon. It's also big enough to know how to grow without quality control problems.

Mika makes clothing for women and has a respectful e-commerce business. It also has about a dozen stores around the U.S.

The brand offers specialty apparel for hot yoga, pilates, and even pole-dancing. Instead of using real models, Mika uses real-life athletes for its promotional materials. It's recently been featured in The New York Times and Maxim.

Nike has recently built a formidable women's yoga line, with plans to expand even more.

With its ubiquitous store presence, Nike has the opportunity to hook customers who Lululemon can't even reach yet.

Gaiam is a fitness lifestyle brand that also sells home goods and instructional videos.

The Boulder-based brand is already popular with the yoga community. Its best-known product is its basic yoga mat, which is readily available in supermarkets and has been described as the perfect beginner's mat.

Foot Locker, once considered a men's brand, is quickly gaining momentum with women. The brand is wooing women by redesigning many of its stores and offering more yoga clothing from Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour.

Like Nike and Victoria's Secret, Foot Locker is a better-known brand than Lululemon. Foot Locker is also working hard to make its stores "more in the Lulu mold," according to Bloomberg.

The Adidas/Reebok brand is one of Lululemon's biggest competitors, according to John Zoldis, senior vice president at Buckingham Research Group.

The brand has the advantage of being offered at lower prices than Lululemon. Consumers are also more familiar with it.

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