Vuori vs. lululemon: Everything you need to know

lululemon may have invented athleisure, but since 2015, Vuori has been giving the Vancouver-based brand some serious competition.

After putting both brands through every scenario imaginable — from morning workouts and WFH days to cross-country flights and weekend coffee runs — I can confirm they’re both worth the investment. The real question isn’t which brand is better, but which one better suits your style. Here’s what you need to know.

Vuori vs lululemon: How they stack up

I’ve tested products from both brands over a number of years across workouts and daily life. In fact, as I write this I’m wearing a lululemon Metal Vent Tech tee, which has become one of my go-to day-to-day tees. I also own Vuori’s Tuvalu Tee and Strato Tech Tee, as well as the brand’s Sunday Element Jacket.

Both Vuori and lululemon leading athleisure brands for a reason. They make high-quality, comfortable and versatile gear. Choosing between these two brands comes down largely to personal preference and style. lululemon tends to focus more on technical workout clothes and activewear. Vuori, while also offering plenty of performance and workout gear, leans toward elevated comfort with a more relaxed approach.

Vuori’s AllTheFeels™ leggings and bra and lululemon’s Align™ range.

When it comes to pricing, both brands sit in near identical territory. A side-by-side comparison shows minimal differences: lululemon’s Align Pant ranges from $98-$118, while Vuori’s AllTheFeels™ Legging comes in at $98. The same holds true in menswear, where lululemon’s ABC Jogger and Vuori’s Meta Pant both retail for $128.

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Kenny Santucci, a personal trainer who counts Jon Bon Jovi, Liev Schreiber, and Frank Ocean among his A-list clients, is a big fan of Vuori joggers. “The chances of running into me and I don’t have something Vuori on are slim to none,” he told Wellworthy. “The fit and material are perfect, plus lightweight and comfortable. It’s hands down my favorite brand when it comes to athleisure.”

lululemon has its own roster of influential fans. Peloton instructor Mariana Fernandez — who teaches yoga, meditation, and tread classes — never leaves home without her lululemon yoga mat. Meanwhile, Methodology co-founder and CEO Julie Nguyen relies on the brand’s Align collection for her daily workouts.

Key products: Vuori

Kore Short

Versatility meets comfort in Vuori’s signature shorts. Built for everything from morning runs to afternoon yoga, the Kore Shorts feature a classic cut that hits just above the knee. The built-in boxer-brief liner provides breathable support, while 4-way stretch fabric ensures unrestricted movement. Available in 5″, 7″, and 9″ inseam length, and party made from recycled materials, the Kore shorts are designed for daily wear.

Sunday Performance Jogger

Vuori’s Sunday Performance Jogger blends athletic functionality and everyday style. With a slim fit and thoughtfully tapered leg, the Sunday Performance Joggers offer a more refined silhouette than traditional sweats. The mid-weight technical knit fabric delivers premium comfort with less bulk, while the 28″ inseam creates a modern above-ankle cut.

Ponto Performance Pant

Crafted from Vuori’s signature DreamKnit™ fabric, the Ponto Performance Pant combines technical performance with butter-soft comfort, making them ideal for travel, remote work, or casual outings.

Vuori AllTheFeels™ Legging

Engineered with Vuori’s BlissBlend™ fabric, these high-rise leggings deliver next-level comfort without sacrificing performance. The breathable, lightweight construction offers supportive compression while maintaining exceptional freedom of movement. With a snug, second-skin fit and 24″ inseam, these leggings are designed to stay put through any activity.

Performance Jogger

The ultimate everyday jogger gets an upgrade with Vuori’s premium DreamKnit™ fabric. Featuring a relaxed-yet-tailored silhouette and a cropped 25″ inseam, these mid-rise joggers nail the sweet spot between comfort and style. Side pockets and a signature drawstring add functionality, while the tapered leg and above-ankle cut create a polished look that works for both active and casual wear.

Key products: lululemon

Define Jacket

The Define Jacket has earned its bestseller status for good reason. Built with buttery-soft Nulu™ fabric, it offers four-way stretch and added Lycra® fiber to maintain its shape. And thanks to its sweat-wicking properties, you’ll stay comfortable from morning workouts to afternoon errands.

Align™ High-Rise Pant

Another of the brand’s bestsellers, these high-rise lululemon leggings deliver unrestricted movement for yoga, training, or everyday wear. The thoughtfully designed wide waistband provides secure coverage without digging, while super-stretchy Lycra® fabric maintains its shape through every bend and stretch.

Scuba Oversized Half-Zip Hoodie

This perfectly proportioned half-zip hoodie takes cozy to new heights with premium fleece fabric and thoughtful details like a kangaroo pocket conceals a phone sleeve and an elastic zipper pull doubles as an emergency hair tie. The exaggerated fit provides roomy comfort without overwhelming your frame, hitting just right at the waist.

Metal Vent Tech Short-Sleeve Shirt

One of my personal faves, this reimagined training tee has a “just right” fit that offers more movement and less cling. The seamless side construction eliminates chafing, while silver-threaded fabric fights odor-causing bacteria.

ABC Jogger

One of lululemon’s bestselling men’s pieces and another of my wardrobe staples, the ABC Jogger has earned its cult following. As someone who’s worn these for years, I can attest to the comfort of the brand’s Warpstreme™ fabric. The ABC Pants also offer four-way stretch while maintaining their shape — no bagging or sagging.

Lululemon vs. Vuori: Brand history

Founded in Vancouver in 1998, Lululemon started with a clear vision: create stylish, technical athletic apparel that women actually wanted to wear. Its founder Chip Wilson founded the brand as a design studio by day that transformed into a yoga studio at night, before opening the first standalone store in 2000 in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighborhood.

Initially, lululemon was a yoga-specific brand, offering clothing designed for the practice. Now, it makes a wind range of workout clothes and athleisure wear for both women and men — though its yoga roots are still at its core.

lululemon’s Vancouver flagship store.

Vuori entered the scene in 2015, at a time when Lululemon and brands like Alo Yoga dominated the women’s athletic and athleisure wear markets. Vuori founder Joe Kudla saw an opportunity: the men’s market lacked activewear that could seamlessly transition from workout to everyday life. What began with a single pair of shorts has since evolved into a comprehensive line of men’s and women’s offerings, all infused with the brand’s signature California-cool aesthetic.

Both brands have seen remarkable growth across the globe with lululemon opening 711 stores in 22 territories around the world. Vuori, meanwhile, operates across 18 countries with plans to exceed 100 stores by 2026.

Vuori’s East Coast Flagship in New York City’s SoHo (credit Leandro Justen).

Lululemon vs. Vuori: Fabric

Let’s talk fabric — because when you’re dropping $100+ on workout gear, what it’s made from matters. And nobody knows this better than lululemon and Vuori, two brands that have built their empires on getting performance materials just right.

lululemon’s range starts with Luon®, its original performance fabric, which offers a cottony-soft feel with four-way stretch for yoga. The brand’s Nulu™ fabric delivers what it calls a “naked sensation,” designed for yoga with light compression and four-way stretch. For higher-impact activities, its Luxtreme® fabric provides a smooth, cool-to-the-touch feel with sweat-wicking properties, while Warpstreme™ offers durability for office, travel, and commute wear.

Vuori collection is centered around its DreamKnit™ fabric, made from 89% recycled materials, it combines four-way stretch with moisture-wicking performance qualities. Alongside DreamKnit™, Vuori’s fabric innovations include BreatheInterlock™, which provides breathable compression with a second-skin finish, and VCycled™, which repurposes plastic bottles for adventure-ready gear.

Lululemon vs. Vuori: Sustainability

Both lululemon and Vuori are heavily focused on sustainability. Vuori has achieved Climate Neutral certification and maintains transparent carbon accounting—reporting a specific 2023 carbon footprint of 85,757.86 metric tons. It’s also targeting a 42% reduction in direct emissions and a 48% per-unit reduction in supply chain emissions by 2030, measured against a 2021 baseline.

Lululemon’s environmental strategy operates on multiple fronts: investing in renewable energy, developing products with sustainable materials, and working toward a circular ecosystem. Its practical initiatives include a free repair program that extends product lifespan by fixing issues like unraveled stitching and broken zips, and a commitment to eliminating operational and textile waste. The company has specifically targeted packaging waste, pledging to eliminate, reduce, reuse, or recycle wherever possible.