WITH a name like Carrot Banana Peach above the door, you’d expect what’s inside to be something unique.

It certainly doesn’t disappoint. For this business – one of the latest to open in Knutsford – is going to prove to be a mecca for yoga enthusiasts from across Cheshire.

Not only does it sell the temperature-regulating clothes you need to stay cool or warm while looking classy when active, you can also take a yoga class here too in the small, but beautiful studio above the shop.

Carrot Banana Peach is the brainchild of Nigel Gartside, who founded the clothing brand in 1999, continuing a long family tradition.

“My great grandfather started a cotton business almost two centuries ago that was passed on through the generations,” said Nigel.

“My mission was to find the most innovative, natural and eco-friendly fabrics and combine them with my extensive experience as a product creator at Nike to create a unique brand that delivers on performance and comfort as well as being mindful of the environment.”

That mission means clothes at Carrot Banana Peach are made using sustainably sourced, plant-based fibres such as aloe vera, bamboo, soybean and banana.

Sustainability is at the heart of everything this business does, right down to recycled business cards and packaging.

Nigel said they also promote a more holistic and plant-based way of living. “We truly believe that we are helping to change the way people think about their lives and that of our planet, by considering what they do, wear and consume,” says Nigel.

“Our vision has been the same since 1999, to develop the most advanced technical products from eco-friendly, natural and sustainable resources. To provide functional products that support a balanced and sustainable lifestyle.”

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Nigel is clearly a man with the courage of his convictions. He left a job at Nike International to team up with like-minded family members and friends to start Carrot Banana Peach.

For the family, it represented a new generation of brothers and cousins holding new values and visions while being mindful of their family’s history in clothing production.

Nigel was inspired by his family that included a world record holder in athletics to amateur footballers, tennis and rugby players, so his priority was naturally bound to be activewear.

While he was recovering in Hong Kong from a rugby injury by doing yoga in 2000, Nigel was inspired to create a yoga-focused collection, initially made from organic cotton.

Carrot Banana Peach launched during the dot-com boom and has dealt successfully online over the years.

However, a recent increase in interest in both yoga and sustainable products has helped the company take its business to the people and open a store in Knutsford.

Nigel is aware this is happening at a time when other retailers are retreating online, but says his team are excited to be advising customers about style, colours and fabrics in person.

“We are trying to get our products out there so that people can touch and feel the quality of them,” he says.

“Customers can also book a private shopping session for themselves or a group of people.”

Carrot Banana Peach has also launched a new range of thermoregulating, high-density bamboo activewear, designed to streamline a person’s silhouette, deliver extra compression support and regulate body temperature.

Bamboo requires limited water and no pesticides to grow, making it an ideal raw material for textiles.

The fabric is created through a mechanical extraction process that separates the fibres from the crushed wood pulp of bamboo without using chemicals.

Perfect for numerous activities and a perfect fit, in fact, for Carrot Banana Peach.

With plans to expand, additional products, more yoga classes and even a museum, this business shows no signs of slowing down. “We’re aiming to stay ahead of the curve,” said Nigel.