The first time I heard about Respect Your Universe (RYU) is when ProMMAnow.com (www.prommanow.com) received a press release from them last month announcing the launch of of a new line of apparel “built for athletes, suited for style and rooted in and inspired by mixed martial arts”.

I liked what I read. I liked the concept behind the company and clothing, and better yet, I liked the designs I saw. They will have a complete Men’s Performance line debuting in Spring 2012, but for now, we will focus on the T-Shirts and headwear currently available.

RYU T-Shirts

This is the Shikami Tee:

68% Bamboo / 25% cotton / 7% spandex - Price $68 (click to see back of shirt or to purchase)

The material of the Shikami Tee is extremely comfortable. I normally wear a 2xl and this 2xl fits good, it’s not baggy, but it’s not too tight either. I had no idea shirts could be made out of bamboo.

This is the Spirit of Combat Tee:

68% Bamboo / 25% cotton / 7% spandex - Price $68 (click to see back of shirt or to purchase)

The material is the same as the Shikami Tee and fits just as comfortably. The sort of baby blue color of the Spirit of Combat Tee may not be for everyone but I like it. This as well as the Shikami Tee could be used in the gym for grappling or working out but could also be worn out on the town or in daily life.

This is the Icon Tee:

68% Bamboo / 25% cotton / 7% spandex - Price $68 (click to see back of shirt or to purchase)

The Icon Tee has a cool Japanese-style design on the back and also has “Respect Your Universe” in small red letters on the back (click image to see). I think I would feel better if I knew what the symbols mean. The RYU website says the shirt was inspired by “the warrior and RYU’s core values of Respect, Strength, Honor and Sustainability”. See, I love their concepts.

This is the Ryu Signature Tee:

60% organic cotton / 40% recycled polyester - Price $48 (click on image to see back or purchase)

This RYU Signature Tee is of a different material than the previous three and fits differently. It’s not quite as stretchy. What I do like about it is the thickness; it’s not too heavy. There’s nothing worse than a big thick T-Shirt that has no elasticity to it whatsoever. It is sturdy material, but it is also lightweight. I love the color and I love the design. My only issue with this one is that it fits a little snug for a 2xl, so you might want to order one size above what you normally wear as I’m sure there’s going to be a little shrinkage after washing and drying, which is normal. Back of shirt has the RYU letters same as the front except the font is white.

This is the Age of RYU Tee:

60% organic cotton / 40% recycled polyester - Price $48 (click image to see back or to purchase)

The Age of RYU Tee may be my favorite of the bunch. The material is the same as the RYU Signature Tee above but seems to fit a little better than the Signature Tee, probably because  it does not have the thick font across the front and back, which gives it a bit more elasticity. These things are important for us 2xl people. Be sure to check out the back of this shirt. It has three Japanese-style symbols with the words “Respect Your Universe” in red. Great shirt. Great fit. I would wear this just about anywhere.

Headwear

This is the RYU Signature Cap:

97% organic cotton / 3% spandex - Price $28 (click image to see back or to purchase)

The RYU Signature Cap looks awesome. Be sure to look at the back. I love the design and wish I could wear it, but they sent me a small and it is definitely not a one size fits all. This 2xl man could not even come close to squeezing this thing on my head. There is not adjustment for the size so make sure you know what your head size is before ordering. Small means damn small.

This is the RYU the Day Beanie:

100% organic cotton - Price $28 (click image to see back or to purchase)

The RYU the Day Beanie that I got has red embroidered font. It also has some of the recurring symbols we have seen on the other items on the back as well. I love this beanie and can’t wait to rock it regularly this winter. Every guy should have a good beanie.

This is the Universe Beanie:

100% organic cotton - Price $28 (click image to see back or to purchase)

I’m not generally a big fan of white but I dig the Universe Beanie. You can’t really see it here, but the embroidered lettering is silver in color. Other than the RYU logo being diagonal as opposed to horizontal, it is pretty much the same as the RYU the Day black beanie above, and yes, it also has those esoteric symbols on the back.

Well, there you have it guys. I’ve gone over every item that RYU currently offers in their “pre-launch” state. Pay attention to this company. I’m telling you right now they are going to do big things.

The president of the company, John Wood, is a Shodan black belt in judo and trains Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu. They have some real heavy-hitters running this company, including CEO Christopher Martens, who was a General Manager and Merchandise Director at Nike, Inc.

RYU is also working with some MMA fighters which they will be announcing shortly. We have already had two contest give-aways sponsored by RYU and hope to do more soon, so stay close Pro MMA Now readers!

Would you like ProMMAnow.com (www.prommanow.com) to do a review of your product(s)? If your product is geared toward MMA fans or fighters or is something MMA fans or fighters might use, contact us at [email protected]

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