Over the last 2 years, there has been a huge increase in paddleboarding around the Solent. This hobby is seen as a calming, soothing way to embrace the water and burn calories as you need to have good balance as well as offering an intense workout if you fancy that too! Claudia the founder of Island Feather (who sells SUP and provides classes around Southsea) set up her business because she felt inspired by her love for outdoor sports, natural beauty, and helping others through her work for charities and Non-Government Organisations.
Turning an idea into an established sportswear, events, and lifestyle brand for women who love the outdoors has been no small project for this girl who has really worked hard on the ethos of the company and understanding customer's needs to produce a really cool, ethical, and sustainable business.
I chatted to Claudia, to found out more about SUP and also the yoga classes hitting the water from around Southsea this month!
Hi Claudia can you please tell me a little bit about Island Feather?
I set up Island Feather with the ethos that it isn’t just about the products and services that we represent, it is a lifestyle and mindset that will support you to achieve your ultimate freedom. We encourage you to follow what your heart tells you, do what warms your soul, and do things differently. For me, Island Feather is about community, lifestyle, and encouragement.
Through our clothing, products, and classes we offer locally, we want our customers to have no barriers from performing in their sports with our products, embrace the water, go out there and have fun. This year we are approaching our 4th birthday which has gone so fast. I am so grateful to all our customers and the community that has supported our mission so far.
What kind of products do you offer?
We know that our customers love the outdoors and are consciously streamlining their lives. To support their lifestyle, we work in partnership with our customers to design products with both sustainability and style as a priority. We use advanced fabric technologies and are committed to producing products that are multi-purpose to minimise the need for multiple items for different sports and select the highest quality fabrics that will endure. You won’t see multiple collections from us, but individual items carefully created and built to last so that you don’t have to buy more!
So whether that be a swimsuit, a pair of yoga pants, a SUP {stand up Paddleboard) or a rooftop tent for your car, we have you covered.
What's new for Island Feather?
For 2021 we are back offering our stand-up paddleboard services around Southsea. Starting from the 22nd May we have our Stand Up Paddleboard yoga sessions.
What is SUP yoga?
SUP Yoga sessions take you through a series of yoga poses on a 10-foot paddleboard to reap huge benefits to both your mind and body. Whilst embracing the elements in our natural surroundings the classes will offer you the feeling of total freedom. Practicing yoga on a surface that is moving engages core muscles and strengthens other muscles which wouldn’t otherwise be used on the earth’s surface. SUP yoga also requires focus to transition between poses and to keep the board steady. Common asanas included in SUP yoga practice are downward-facing dog, the cat-cow combination, child’s pose, and corpse pose.
What would you say to a beginner who has never been on a paddleboard but wanted to try the SUP Yoga Classes?
Our sessions are for all abilities and anyone wanting to give it a go we promise to look after you. Our instructors will take you through the basics of paddle boarding and an introduction to SUP yoga.
“Please note: Our sessions are in line with Covid-19 government guidelines.”
To book a session for SUP classes or SUP Yoga please visit the website.
The dates for the SUP Yoga sessions are
22nd May
26th June
17th July
21st Aug
