Comprehensive lululemon Legging Guide for an Ex-Employee

@gudjen Yes!! I will say repairs of holes in non-seam areas are slightly more noticeable (i.e won’t look brand spanking new). However, they should disclose that to you and will send it into repair if you’d like to proceed.
 
@silkybunny Hi I have a question I’ve always been too embarrassed to ask when I go in!

I have a pair of aligns that are 6ish months old. I only wear them for lounging or to run errands/be comfy on the weekend. I wash in cold water and hang dry. They are pilling and starting to unravel at the seams at my inner thighs. Would this be a reason to repair or just a big thigh problem? Lol

Thank you for writing all of this up!! It was very informative!!
 
@novusaugustus No embarrassing question here! We get that a lot :)

And we get repairs for the inner thigh area a bunch too! Cause let's be real--most women don't have a thigh gap and if you have two legs that can walk ... well, friction. Unfortunately, Aligns are the most delicate of the fabrics, so it's not great with friction, but it's a problem we're well aware of. If you bring it in store, they will happily repair what they can and depending on the employee/store manager, they could issue you a replacement (though this is highly dependent on the store & the individual you speak to).
 
@silkybunny Do you think a pair in the full on luon would still pill from thighs that rub? I actually worked at Lulu myself many years ago and used to have so many pairs but it’s been so long I can’t remember if they pilled on me or not. It seems like every kind of leggings I buy ends up pilling there and I need to find a solution 🙈 Because no matter what my thighs will never not touch.
 
@undercover7 Aim’n leggings have never pilled on me in about two to three years of use, but it's definitely a different type of fabric. Still feels very soft though, and might be worth a try for you? I have absolute thunder thighs.
 
@undercover7 I am sure that the electric de-pillers are much better than they used to be, but after having used one years ago that kept making holes in my clothing, I now use cheap razors from the dollar store. Just make sure the fabric is laid out on a flat surface with no creases and go slowly. Stay away/be very careful around seams. Use a lint roller to remove the pills. Change out the razor when it gets dull. Works amazingly well to restore fabrics to their original condition.
 
@undercover7 Hahaha agreed!
I think pilling in the thighs is one of the most common complaints we got. I feel like over time they definitely pilled, but they did better than the Aligns. Wish there was a magical solution to this! :(
 
@silkybunny I have 2 pairs of wide leg Lulu "sweatpants" that are about 12 years old that have little to no pilling. I wear them ALL the time. So that speaks to the quality (12 years ago anyway)
 
@silkybunny General question - how has the quality changed over the years in your view? I’ve been a customer for 10+ years and the newer things are pretty hit or miss on quality in my experience.
 
@wwbb I'm not an employee but I've been a regular Lululemon shopper and wear-er since 2004. The quality really has not changed for me at all, I wear my items literally everyday and I've had zero quality issues with anything except for one Cool Racerback tanktop several years ago that the stitching started to unravel after one wear, and they exchanged it for me no questions asked.

However, I make sure that I wear the items for their intended use and wash according to the directions (cold water, only workout clothes in the load, hang to dry). I feel that a lot of the "quality issues" stem from people not using the items properly, like the example of wearing Aligns at the gym @silkybunny gave. At least, that's been the problem I see with a lot of my friends who complain about Lulu's quality.
 
@fivequestions I've had a similar experience. My first Lululemon item (the old Groove pants) was a gift in 2005 and that was my gateway drug to the brand. I have since collected quite a bit of Lulu (majority purchased between 2010-2014) and I have never experienced any of the issues others have so IMO the quality has not changed. But I would say where Lulu used to be a trend setter in athletic wear, now they are more of a trend follower. I really miss when they used to do feminine designs. Now they just do what everyone else is doing.

I still buy Lulu but I have so much already that for the past few years I may buy 1-2 things per year. I have also tried many other brands in the past 6 years and I still find the quality of Lulu to be superior to them (I've tried Teeki, Karma, Lole, Alo Yoga, and many more in the same price range as Lulu).
 
@fivequestions
However, I make sure that I wear the items for their intended use and wash according to the directions (cold water, only workout clothes in the load, hang to dry).

I feel like this is what a lot of people get wrong. They try to save on time by throwing too much into a load and the result is pilling. You should not wash your leggings with sweaters, even if both are wash cold delicate and hang to dry.

However, I have noticed myself that there are more duds in their product line than there used to be, and that some of the small details, specifically on their jackets and bags, have diminished in quality and quantity.
 
@fivequestions I respectfully disagree - there’s been a really dramatic change in my experience. My first pair of wunder unders is probably 12 years old now and still going strong, and I’ve worn them for everything from yoga to rock climbing. My more recent pairs have noticeable pilling and some of the seams have needed to be repaired. Yes, I have used my first pair for “improper use”, but they’re also basically indestructible, where the more recent ones will pop a seam if you use them for fairly normal gym activities.

Edited to add: I’ve worn the same size for years, and some of the new leggings are see through standing straight up. I’m for sure wearing the right size, and there’s no way that’s not a quality issues.
 
@wwbb Sorry to hear that! I’m not doubting there are any issues, just sharing my personal experiences. That’s why I said that “for me” there’s been no quality issues, because there truly hasn’t been.
 
@wwbb A testament to quality: I still regularly wear a lululemon bra I bought in 2007. Color has faded a lot but quality is still solid. Best bra I’ve ever purchased.
 
@wwbb I only worked at lululemon for about 9 months so I can't attest to quality over time from an employee point of view, but during my time there, we've had several people come in and tell us that the quality of some of our pieces nowadays aren't what they used to be. We pass along this feedback, but from an Educator (retail) point of view, there's very little else we can do. However, for long-time guests (like you!)--especially ones that are typically polite & kind--we will often swap out used clothing for store credit or new replacements.
 
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