Why Lululemon's Yoga Pants Cost $30 More Than Athleta's

Lululemon Athletica charges about $30 more for a pair of basic yoga pants than Gap Inc.'s Athleta simply because it knows women will pay for the brand. Lululemon's $98 pair looks almost exactly like Athleta's $69 pants. The materials, a mixture of nylon and Lycra, are also the same. The Lululemon pants are made of the brand's own patented "Luon," which is 86% percent nylon and 14% Lycra. Athleta also makes its yoga pants with its own patented material — called Pilayo — which is 88% nylon an...