Woman practicing yoga outdoors, sitting in a cross-legged position on a yoga mat, holding a bowl with a beverage, with a water bottle nearby, smiling and wearing a sleeveless top with the word 'Revival' on it.

From Frustration to Founder: Helping a Yoga Teacher Launch a Purpose-Driven Brand

When Austin-based yoga teacher Leslie Sharp discovered cork mats, everything changed. As a hot yoga regular, she was used to slipping, sliding, and hauling sweaty towels to every class, until one class on a cork mat showed her what a better practice could feel like. But when the mat began to degrade and emit odors, she realized even “eco” products had their compromises. That experience sparked a mission: to create a cork yoga mat without compromise. One that was sustainably made, fully functional, and beautiful to look at.

It Starts with
a Name

Leslie came to BrandMuse with a clear vision and a big ask: help me shape this into a brand. Together, we developed the brand name, strategy, branding, e-commerce site, and creative direction for what would become Karmadillo, a playful, purpose-led brand that reflects the values of modern wellness seekers and Leslie’s own journey from practitioner to founder.

We began with deep brand exploration: what made her practice different, what she wanted her products to stand for, and how her Austin roots shaped the story. The name Karmadillo emerged from a fusion of yoga’s spiritual language and the iconic armadillo of Texas (and Austin’s own unofficial mascot). It felt fresh, unexpected, and memorable. When Leslie heard it, she lit up. It didn’t just check the boxes, it captured the spirit of the brand in one joyful, grounded word.

A woman outdoors on a hilltop holding a yoga mat with a logo of a meditating fox surrounded by a sun, with a river and landscape in the background.
A stylized illustration of an armadillo sitting in a meditative yoga pose with hands together, an orange circle behind its head, and the words 'Karmadillo Yoga Supply Co.' below.
A white sign for Kamadlo Yoga Supply Co. featuring a stylized illustration of an armadillo sitting in a meditative pose with a halo around its head, mounted on a building exterior. Some greenery is visible below the sign.
A woman with blonde hair wearing sunglasses, a white hoodie, and light blue jeans, standing and leaning against a vintage green Volkswagen van decorated with white and pink daisies and a logo with a lion cub, along with the text 'Kamadillo.'
Collection of branding and logo design sheets for Karmaadilo Yoga Supply Co., featuring various logo concepts, font styles, color palettes, and sample applications.
A cork baseball cap with a logo of a stylized seated animal surrounded by a sunburst and palm trees, placed on a set of stacked cork blocks with matching logo stickers, all outdoors on a light-colored surface with sunlight and shadow.
A woman sitting cross-legged on top of a vintage green Volkswagen bus decorated with daisies and the logo "Karmadillo Yoga Supply Co." in a park with trees, blue sky, and clouds.
A rectangular cardboard box with the Karmadillo Yoga Supply Co. logo, featuring a stylized armadillo meditating, placed on a textured surface with sunlight and shadow.
A woman in a colorful dress standing behind the bumper of a vintage green and white camper van decorated with daisies and the Karmadillo logo, parked on a sunny city street with trees and modern buildings in the background.
White water bottle with a logo of a seated armadillo and the text 'Karmadillo Yoga Supply Co.' on a yoga mat outdoors on a sunny day.
Two cork yoga mats with labels from Karmadillo Yoga Supply Co. resting on a concrete surface, with a potted cactus nearby.
A series of cork yoga mats with geometric moon phases, floral illustrations, succulents, and dots, placed outdoors against a green hedge background.
Person sitting on a wooden deck, putting on a white sock, with a yoga mat branded 'Karmadillo' beneath their feet.
Woman with long brown hair in a white and red striped jacket, wearing a cork hat and carrying a yoga mat, standing in a bright room with green-framed windows and a black and white checkered floor.
A woman sitting outdoors with a cork yoga mat on her lap, showing the Karmadillo logo and the words 'Karmadillo Yoga Supply Co."
A person with light skin holding a white insulated tumbler with an armadillo logo and the word 'Karmadillo' on it during an outdoor activity, sitting on their lap with a brown container in the background.

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