When UF alumna Alexandra Schotanus started doing yoga in 2007, she never thought the hobby would lead to a career in design.
And rather than just buying a yoga bag to hold her mat for class, Schotanus took an alternative route: making her own.
This led Schotanus to create AllieBags Inc., her line of handmade yoga bag products.
Schotanus, 25, said she always wanted to own a company that allows her to mix the two things she loves: yoga and design. In 2009, two years after receiving her advertising degree from UF, she started AllieBags Inc.
After combining her eye for detail, commitment to quality, Made-In-the-USA philosophy to create stylish, new bags, Schotanus decided to sell them in Gainesville.
"Gainesville is very open to new ideas and creativity - a great location to reach students who are attracted to fashionable products," she said.
In the beginning, she used her grandmother's sewing machine to design her first bag.
"I really liked graphic design in school," she said. "That's where the love of the fabric designs came into place."
She named her first product "The Austin" bag after her favorite U.S. city. Since then, Schotanus decided to name her bags after each continent. Each bag features a different continent and destination to attract different cultures and taste. "I think the colors bring me to visit different places since I like to travel a lot," Schotanus said.
Her next project is "Expedition: South Africa," which will feature exotic African colors and illustrate the vast tribal culture. Her yoga mats can be found at Alter Ego Fitness, 101 SE Second Place, which sells the South Africa line. They are also sold in 10 stores throughout Florida and in five out-of-state locations; Texas, Colorado, South Carolina, North Carolina and New York. Bag prices range from $54 to $59 - a "good buy," Schotanus said, because others can cost as much as $80.
Raina Van Cleave, a certified yoga instructor, has known Schotanus for seven years and has supported her during her design career.
"I absolutely love AllieBags," Van Cleave said. "I love the idea. I like to practice everywhere and carry my mat everywhere. It's hard to find a bag that fits it, and AllieBag's functionality is great."
While Schotanus designs bags at home, she said she hopes to open a boutique within the next few years. She said her online sales, from www.alliebags.com, will help her achieve that dream.
"I think everyone should do yoga," she said. "It helps people cope with stress. It teaches people how to confront difficult situations. Once you conquer yoga and encounter meditation, you can translate that to anything you want to do in life."
