NYC Hemp Brand Sojen Debuts New Yoga Bundle Aimed At Helping NYC Schools

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only changed the way people work and lead their lives, it has also posed a challenge to people’s mental and physical well-being. Studies, such as one recently conducted by the Boston University School of Medicine, further substantiate this claim. To help people ease their anxiety and better cope with this difficult period, Sojen, a New York City-based provider of hemp-derived CBD products that launched over a year ago, has come up with a unique solution to appease the collective angst —-introducing Sojen Exhale.

Created in partnership with athletic apparel retailer lululemon, Yoga Shanti, a yoga studio in Sag Harbor, New York and the Give Back Yoga Foundation, a yoga service nonprofit, Sojen Exhale is a yoga bundle that fuses the benefits of yoga and hemp while making charity its driving core. Each bundle includes a Sojen product of choice, a lululemon reversible yoga mat and three virtual yoga classes from Yoga Shanti. Proceeds from the bundle will go to the Give Back Yoga Foundation to provide yoga mats and virtual yoga classes to New York City public schools.

“The main inspiration for [Sojen Exhale] was how do we connect working professionals with a resource right now they can use and is helpful for them at home,” said Sojen co-founder Caleb Putrich, explaining the project’s mission. “With people being at home, it’s a really unique opportunity to start yoga. It doesn’t require much. All it requires is a mat, a good teacher and the bundle really amplifies the benefits of doing yoga both mentally and physically.”

Putrich, who prior to launching Sojen ran his own property management business, said the idea for Sojen Exhale materialized because he and co-founder Nick Willeke, a former Goldman Sachs associate, had been looking for an opportunity to work with Yoga Shanti, one of Sojen’s first partners. Also, he and Willeke had approached Rob Schware, executive director of the Give Back Yoga Foundation, with the plan of using the proceeds from the bundle to support New York City public schools during the ongoing pandemic.

“We felt like right now, who is underneath the gun the most? It’s schools and teachers,” said Putrich.

To get the word out about the bundle, Sojen has set up an influencer program. “We got an allocation of mats from lululemon to give to influencers to promote the bundle,” noted Putrich. Also, Sojen sent a pre-release email announcement to their subscribers.

“The initial response has been great,” said Putrich. “So far things are going our way.”

This is not the first time Sojen has launched a charitable initiative during the pandemic. During the early days of the coronavirus outbreak, Sojen unveiled a “positivity pack.” Designed to provide stress relief for working professionals, Sojen’s targeted demographic, as they work from home, each pack, priced at $129, included a CBD tincture, a weighted blanket, a desk plant and an eight-pack sampler of sparkling tea. Proceeds went to Citymeals on Wheels, an organization that provides home-delivered meals to more than 18,000 elderly New Yorkers.

The Sojen Exhale bundle costs $99.99 and can be ordered on the website. Sojen products are available in balm, gel caps and tincture.