Roots Buzz

Lining Up for Roots!

In Taipei, Taiwan this morning, scores of people lined up outside the latest addition to the Roots presence in Asia. With great anticipation, they awaited the opening of the 31st Roots store in Taiwan.  The flagship store in the Ximen district of Taipei boasts a new design concept for Roots in Asia.  Based on the crowds that filled the store shortly after it opened, it would appear that shoppers in Taipei love their Roots. The new store will celebrate its Grand Opening on Monday, July 13.

_{The line up to get into the new Ximen Roots store in Taipei before it opens}

_{The first floor entry of the store shortly after opening}

_{Shoppers browse through the second floor women's section of the new store}

Top Ten Things to Bring on a Road Trip

If your vacation somewhere exotic this summer has been put on hold consider taking a road trip instead! Whether you're heading to Ottawa for the weekend, or Disney World, our friends on Twitter gave us their essentials for the road.

10. Beef Jerky @Miranda "I always bring beef jerky"

 9. Ipod/CD's/tapes @Yvonne Cunnington "Lots of music for the car."

 8. Favourite book or magazines

 7. Your favourite Roots hoody 

 6. First Aid kit with sunscreen

 5. Favourite Sandals @Kimberly Lyn "Pack comfy sandals, stretch pants & iPod w/ music and podcasts"

 4. Travel Games

 3. Backpack/Duffle Bag

 2. Travel DVD player

And last but definitely not least.......

 
1. Camcorder @Nicole Drummond "You never know when something wacky is going to go down"

Thanks to our Twitter friends for sharing your road trip essentials! Want to join our conversation? Follow us on Twitter

Rent or Buy the Movie "One Week" for a Chance to win $1000 at Roots!

The Contest

To celebrate the June 16th DVD release of Michael McGowan’s One Week, you could win a $1000 Roots Shopping Spree courtesy of Mongrel Media,  Roots Canada and Blockbuster. Celebrate the summer in style with Roots quality clothing and accessories when you rent or buy One Week at any Blockbuster Canada location, then enter the contest using an online forum, or by mail:

To enter by mail, send a 3x5 postcard with your name, address, age and telephone number and mail to:

Mongrel Media Inc. -- "ONE WEEK" Contest

1028 Queen Street West

Toronto, Ontario

M6J 1H6

About the Movie:

When confronted with his mortality, Ben Tyler (Joshua Jackson) impulsively buys a vintage motorcycle and sets off on a road trip that starts in Toronto and ends up on Vancouver Island in the town of Tofino. Humourous, profound and extremely moving, One Week uses the great Canadian landscape as the backdrop to the story of a man and his life's journey. In the search for himself, he finds out what makes this country, and his life, so beautiful.

Watch the Trailer

* NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. OPEN TO INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS OF CANADA WHO HAVE REACHED THE AGE OF MAJORITY AT TIME OF ENTRY.

The Mongrel Media Inc. "ONE WEEK" Contest (the "Contest") begins on June 16, 2009 and ends at 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on July 31, 2009 (the "Contest Closing Date") (collectively, the "Entry Period").

Roots Green: What is Bamboo Clothing?

Roots is committed to the environment, and we are trying to produce more "eco-friendly" products each season. As some of you may have noticed, we carry items like tees and jumpsuits that are made of bamboo. The clothes are super soft and cute, but you might be wondering, how is bamboo clothing "green"? We're here to fill you in on why bamboo is an excellent eco-friendly resource.

Bamboo is one of the world's most sustainable resources. Bamboo fibre is a revolutionary new fabric that has unparalleled advantages, including strength, versatility, and luxurious softness.

How Bamboo is "Green"

• Cleans the air: Bamboo gives us clean air to breathe, consumes carbon dioxide and, because bamboo forests are so dense, returns 30% more oxygen to the atmosphere than trees. Some bamboo sequester up to 12 tons of carbon dioxide from the air per hectare.

• Requires less energy and water to grow: It takes much less energy to grow and sustain bamboo than other similar trees and plants used for fiber production. Bamboo plantations require very little maintenance. Bamboo also requires very little water and can survive drought conditions as well as flooding.

• Reclaims land: Because of its rapid growth and root structure, bamboo can, in a very short time, reclaim land destroyed by overgrazing and over-building and clean the soil of toxins.

• Grown Without Pesticides: Bamboo can be grown without pesticides or chemicals because of it's own anti-bacterial agent.

• Harvested sustainably: Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on the planet, making it a high yield renewable resource. It can be selectively harvested annually and is capable of complete regeneration without need to replant.

• 100% biodegradable: Unlike synthetic fibers which incorporate petroleum additives, bamboo clothing is safe for municipal disposal programs, whether by landfill or incineration.

Benefits and Features

• Bamboo fabric is used for a range of clothing and is ideal for active wear because of it's anti-bacterial properties  (inhibits the growth of bacteria, fungi, and destroys viruses).
  
• Naturally soft: Bamboo apparel is softer than the softest cotton, and it has a natural sheen, like silk or cashmere, yet is less expensive and more durable. 
• Allergy reduced: Bamboo’s organic and naturally smooth fiber properties are non-irritating to the skin, making it ideal for people with skin sensitivities or other allergies and dermatitis. 
• Thermal regulating: Bamboo clothing ensures that you are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It has excellent wicking properties which make it ideal for warm summer days.
• Absorbs moisture: A cross-section of bamboo fiber reveals various micro-holes, allowing bamboo cloth to have superior absorption.  This allows bamboo cloth to absorb and evaporate human sweat rapidly. Bamboo fiber is four times more absorbent than cotton.
• Breathable: The porous qualities of bamboo fiber account for it's breathability; clothing made of bamboo resists clinging during hot weather or exercise.
• UV protection: Bamboo naturally provides added protection against the sun's harmful UV rays.

Shop Roots Bamboo Products

The Tie Back Tank, Split Neck T Shirt, and Kate Bamboo Jersey Jumpsuit are all made of super soft bamboo, and are all great pieces for your summer wardrobe!

.

Source:

http://www.eartheasy.com/wear_bamboo_clothing.htm

 

What You Said... Kids and Babies Canada Collection

What is more patriotic than dressing your child in Roots Canada gear? Here are a few great finds with great reviews to help you decide what to choose.

Roots Canada Day Hoody

Meagan from Toronto, ON thought it was soft & cozy "I bought a similar style for a friend's son a couple of seasons back. I bought it because I really like this shade of red. The fabric is soft and cozy but not heavy. The zipper is of good quality. Overall this is a very well-made product." For only $34.95 we could not have said it better ourselves!

Girls 09 Canada Capri

Meagan from Toronto, ON thought these capris were super comfy: "Roots sweats, super comfy, super cool and super stylish especially in the iconic Canada Collection in bold red." These limited edition capris are only $24.95.

Roots Canada Day Campy

Donnal from Toronto, Ont thinks this hat is very cute "This patriotic little hat is adorable and protects your baby from the sun." This hat will protect your baby's face and neck for $16.95.

This year make sure to dress your little one in our national colours! Check out the entire Canada Collection for Kids and Babies for more options to choose from. 

Thank you to everyone who Rated and Reviewed their purchases! It helps other shoppers make educated decisions. 

We Like What You're Sayin' : Feeling the Love from Our Fans!

We love to hear feedback from our fans, which is why we're excited to see this amazing visual "wordle": a compilation of keywords taken from your Roots reviews. Keep up the sweet-talk!

We asked, 'What Makes Canada Priceless?' on Canada Day.

This July, Roots and MasterCard are asking everyone... 'What makes Canada priceless?' The Roots street team met up with people in downtown Toronto on Canada Day to get their candid responses. Take a look below.

If you take a moment and share your response, either in a short video or story on roots.com you could win a $1000 Shopping Spree.

So enter now, or take a few minutes to see what other people are saying: click here

Get This Look: Your Perfect Summer Outfit

Breathable, lightweight, and stylish, the dress/scarf/purse combo will take you from lazy summer days through action packed weekends away.

We would wear this outfit to run errands, sight-see, meet friends for a late lunch, and even go sailing. It's versatile and comfortable!

The Sophie Smocked Dress was hand picked by our Womens fashion designer, Nikki, as one of her top picks for the summer. She loves it because it's cool and comfy, but also feminine.

Cdncowgirl04 from Calgary agrees that it's a great piece for summer: "LOVED this dress - it's so breezy and comfortable, supportive at the top, and nice coverage for days that are as nice in the summer. It works great when you want to dress up or down just add a bracelet or necklace and a pair of shoes and your good! Nice to wear to picnics or other outdoor events too."

We love the idea of pairing it with the Paisley Print Scarf because it provides a stylish pop of colour while offering protection from cool summer nights. Simply unwrap the scarf and turn it into a shawl to keep you warm when the sun sets. The scarf also made it onto Lynne Morris' (Senior Designer at Roots) top picks for summer.

To complete the look, we've included the Village Bag in Prince Leather. The beautiful bag will keep you organized with three zippered exterior pockets, so you can toss your phone, wallet, camera, and sunscreen and have them easily accessible. The long shoulder strap also gives you hands free capabilities, leaving you free to pick up groceries, scour clothing racks, or run after your little ones.

Heritage Style: Roots Awards Jacket Featured in Photo Shoot

The Globe and Mail recently wrote a feature for the Canadian film Victoria Day, which focused on the new "heritage style" Canadians are adopting during the recession.

Mark Rendall, John Mavrogiannis and Holly Deveaux. Photo courtesy of the Globe and Mail.

According to the article, authenticity is the main selling point for clothes with a casual vibe. Having a history behind the brand becomes a selling point for consumers, who want to invest in clothing from companies that are well known for being an authentic, reputable brand.

Roots knows authenticity! Our brand encompasses Canadian culture, and has a great reputation for quality and style. While not used in the film, the Roots Awards jacket is a well known outerwear statement for many Canadians, and has been re-introduced in time for the Vancouver Olympics in 2010. Why so popular? The jacket offers excellent quality, great comfort and style, and is made in our own state of the art factory in Toronto!

Healthy Living - Easy Exercises You Can Do At Home

I was able to speak once again with Tom Scull, a personal trainer outside of Toronto, about staying in shape and exercising. He has given us some great tips about working on specific muscle groups and how you can easily complete a workout at home.

Today, we have some advice for an easy bicep exercise. The only thing that you will need is a resistance band.

Instructions:

1. Place tubing under your feet, stand with your feet staggered, your knees bent slightly, and your abdomen tight.

2. Grasp the tubing in your hands, by your sides, with your palms facing forward and ensure that there is slight tension in the tubing in this position.

3. Slowly curl your left hand towards your left shoulder, keeping your elbows fixed at your side. Pause in the upper position, then slowly lower your hands back to the start position with your arm extended.

4. Simply repeat the exercise with your right hand and do eight to ten repetitions with each arm.

 

Things to keep in mind:

1. Your upper arms should not move throughout the movement

2. To decrease the intensity of the movement, place only one foot on the tubing.

Tom has agreed to help us with some other muscle isolation exercises over the course of the next week so stay tuned!