‘The Age of RYU’ begins with new premium high performance apparel line

“Built for Athletes, Suited for Style,” RYU is Rooted In, and Inspired By, Mixed Martial Arts

LAS VEGAS –Today, Respect Your Universe, Inc. (RYU pronounced “Roo”), formally announced the introduction of their new premium high performance apparel line and the beginning of “The Age of RYU.” RYU, which means “style or school – a specific way of doing things,” is a term often used to describe a unique style. RYU’s unique style is one that will transcend the sport itself by reflecting the art of the sport and creating apparel and product based on the respect that each sport deserves.

Inspired by the dedication of the athlete to a one-thousand-year-old sport established on the principles of respect, strength and honor in mixed martial arts, the high performance training and competition line was created specifically to enhance the athlete’s overall performance and need to be better at their sport. RYU’s position remains authentic to the athlete, rooted in the sport of mixed martial arts and never forgetting the Warrior Ethic* spirit of combat of the original samurai warriors.

“Built for Athletes, Suited for Style,” RYU now has several pre-launch limited items available for purchase at their online web store (www.respectyouruniverse.com) including graphic t-shirts and headwear beanies and hat with the complete Men’s Performance line debuting in the spring of 2012. The spring ’12 Men’s Performance training and competition line will include compression tops, training and competition shorts, compression shorts and training hoodies. In the fall of 2012, thirty more items will be added to the Men’s Performance line along with the introduction of the Women’s Performance training line.

“Everything we do at RYU is driven by the implementation of our core values.  Respect, Honor, Strength and Sustainability inform how we create our products, how we speak with our consumer and how we conduct business,” RYU CEO, Christopher Martens, said of the brand.

“It is our belief that these four pillars serve as a foundation of success, both for our brand and for the athletes that choose our products.”

RYU’s future plans include growth into other product and consumer categories such as youth/kids and other cross-training sports that will all reflect, and champion, the individual athlete. In addition to this, RYU is gearing towards a global distribution and expansion in other countries such as Canada, Europe, Asia and South America where mixed martial arts soars in popularity.

While still upholding the latest in style and fashion trends, the high performance apparel lines by RYU address the athlete’s every need in performance training and competition gear for their sport. All of the RYU high performance training and competition apparel lines embodies the art of each sport and places emphasis on sustainability, and harmony, as the foundation of their apparel and products. Made with both function and style in mind, RYU apparel is made from the highest quality fabrics to maximize performance, fit and comfort.

“In creating the RYU line of apparel and equipment, we made a conscious decision to use organic and/or recycled materials in all of our products utilizing some of the best yarn and fabric suppliers in the world,” said Chief Operating Officer, Erick Siffert, of the new Men’s Performance line. “It is very inspiring to be able to achieve the performance attributes we wanted in the raw material, the finish and garment construction, and still be organic and or recycled. We feel we have a product that meets the performance and comfort demands of the MMA fighter and other disciplines where training is paramount.”

Setting out to be a leader in the premium high performance apparel arena, RYU also has its first patent pending with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for their proprietary waist closure technology. The creation of this new technology was developed to answer a call within the sport of mixed martial arts to offer athletes a competitive edge in training and competition shorts, and provides a new closure system with superior comfort and maneuverability without sacrificing strength and reliability.

In the near future, RYU sees many more opportunities to improve current designs and utilize their technologies in new apparel items that will help athletes train and compete to the best of their ability.

For more information on RYU visit http://www.respectyouruniverse.com/ or call +1-888-455-6183 ext. 101.

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*Warrior Ethic
It is essential to keep the spirit of the warrior in mind twenty-four hours a day, whether walking, standing still, sitting down or reclining. Never forget it. When opposing armies faced each other on the battlefield, the strongest Samurai would dismount and step forward to recite their ancestry and previous feats of arms. The two armies would then shoot their bows in a general exchange of arrows, after which Samurai would seek out a suitable opponent to engage in single combat-it would be dishonorable for a Samurai to fight a warrior of lesser standing than himself. This was the ideal to which Samurai warriors aspired. During the ancient period, armor was a symbol of belonging to a higher Samurai clan and worn with pride. Its many parts, details and lucky symbols formed a meticulous, integrated whole, the aesthetics of which were given close attention. Combat equipment for higher-ranking samurai formed works of art. Soldiers were supposed to resemble demons, so their appearance had to be frightening. Their armor was decorated with images of dragons, tigers and insects, or beautiful patterns

About Respect Your Universe
Respect Your Universe, Inc. (OTCBB: RYUN) is a premium performance apparel and equipment company rooted in and inspired by Mixed Martial Arts. Focused on the needs of the athlete, RYU brings innovative design, development and production of premium authentic performance gear with style to mixed martial artists and athlete enthusiasts worldwide. The RYU brand is based on respect, honor and sustainability.