Inspiring Conversations with Carolina Saboya of IMBŌDHI

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carolina Saboya.

Carolina, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Carolina and Ariel here, IMBŌDHI co-founders and life partners. We met on a dance floor in 2014 and we were immediately drawn to one another through movement. Ever since, our shared passions for movement exploration, adventure, and the natural world have truly woven us together.

In 2016, we bootstrapped IMBŌDHI while working multiple gigs and living in alternative community homes in Oakland, CA. We were city dwellers at the time and both had an interest in discovering ways to live more sustainably while also being ‘body people’ that were particularly committed to dance, yoga, and acrobatic yoga. IMBŌDHI was born out of a need — the need for a sustainably made do-it-all outfit.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Birthing IMBŌDHI was as exhilarating as it was challenging right from the start. In the first few years, we were gigging in San Francisco by day and working on the business at night. To pay rent between 2016-2018, we were drivers, caterers, art models, babysitters, photographers, acroyoga teachers, performers, and bodyworkers. But IMBŌDHI, like every clothing brand, needed a lot of money to grow, and by the end of 2018, we found ourselves drowning in six-figure debt. We moved into Carolina’s family house in San Diego to catch our breath.

In late 2019 we got into a business incubator at the Fashion Institute of Technology, which brought us out to NYC where we were introduced to a consistent fabric supplier. When Covid hit, we were well positioned for growth, with versatile, quarantine-friendly onesies and a solid supply chain to back it up. So, in 2020, our revenue grew by 500%, and we managed to get out of debt and finally pay ourselves a livable wage.

Last year, we brought on our first hire, a brilliant Director of Marketing who has proven to be a great relief. Our current hurdles include inflation (like everyone else), and finding the next additions to our team. Every single day we have new obstacles to overcome and puzzle pieces to fit together. And we love it.

We’ve been impressed with IMBŌDHI, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our name is a fusion between ‘embody’ and ‘Bōdhi’. In Sanskrit, bōdhi means ‘to be awakened’. More specifically, Buddha sat under the bōdhi tree when he reached enlightenment. As two individuals who have been deeply passionate and curious about yoga for much of our lives, there was a natural alignment of values that occurred when we started creating the brand name. During that process, what became clear to us was how much we value being on the never-ending journey and exploration of embodied living. Our love for exploring what it means to ‘live embodied’, what it means to ‘live in our bodies’, and what it means to pursue an awakened and alive life is what led to the creation of our name, IMBŌDHI.

IMBŌDHI specializes in creating one-piece outfits made from earth-friendly materials. We believe that fitness wear, everyday wear, and loungewear can all coexist in one single piece of clothing. Our onesies are intended to be so comfortable that people feel like their outfit is an extension of their bodies: a unification of sorts. And, in essence, IMBODHI onesies are a metaphor for our ethos, to ‘live embodied’, which is a slogan we use to remind ourselves to continually come home to our body, again and again.

As an environmentally passionate brand, we make an effort to keep our supply chain as minimalist as our finished product. Right now, about 97% of clothing worn by Americans is actually created overseas. By keeping all of our operations in California, from fabric manufacturing to fulfillment, we maintain full visibility over our supply chain and avoid the inherent carbon emissions associated with overseas production.

About our supply chain: our garments are knit from either Lenzing™ Certified plant-based fabrics or reclaimed fabrics. Our plant-based fabrics are made from sustainably harvested eucalyptus and beech wood fibers. Also, we occasionally carry deadstock collections, which are made from state-of-the-art leftover fabrics that have been diverted from going directly to the waste stream. In terms of packaging, all of our shipping materials are 100% recycled and recyclable.

And, as sustainability-focused as we are, there is always room for improvement. We’re continually on the lookout for new developments in a sustainable fabric that will minimize IMBŌDHI’s environmental impact further. So you can expect to see new fabric compositions coming from us soon!

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Our ethos: live embodied.

In a society that’s heavily logic/brain focused, ‘living embodied’ is an invitation to take a body-first approach to experience. ‘Living embodied’ is not top-down, it is inside out. There is infinite wisdom and experience stored in our cells, and our love as a couple emerged from the curiosity of what’s held inside.

When we lose sight of the path, our ethos is a tether that brings us back to our alignment as life partners, business partners, and as an organization.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://imbodhi.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imbodhi.co/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imbodhi.co
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@imbodhi