NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

SCUBA HOODY
Ideal for the winter: looks good, feels warm

The latest item to hit stores this season is the Scuba Hoody. Made from 55% poly fleece and 45% cotton fleece, the hoody captures the casual look of cotton fleece on the outside and the technical benefits of poly fleece on the inside.

To provide protection from chilly weather, the hoody features a two-way main zipper extending higher than a regular hoody and a storm flap to keep the zipper off the neck. It also has thumbholes to create built-in hand warmers.

Designed by Dylan Anderson, Associate Designer of Menswear, the hoody also comes equipped with an internal zippered pocket to hold iPods or other mp3 players and a metal grommet to run headphones through. Additional details include zipper closures on the front kanga pockets and tree embroidery on the hood.

Available at select Roots stores in Canada and the US, the Scuba Hoody is great to wear on trips to the cottage or the mountains, and comes in colours smoke, forest night, black and black coffee.
Retail price: Scuba Hoody, sizes XS-XXL, retail price: $98.

BREATHING EASY
Get set to fill your lungs with healthy stuff thanks to new product

Something's in the air. Trouble is you probably don't know what it is, at your own peril. To help remedy that, Roots is introducing an innovative product to help people breathe better and live healthier.

Called Oxia, it consists of a personal air dispenser containing a blend of 90% oxygen and 10% nitrogen packaged in a refillable, recyclable canister. Due to its benefits, it has already gained popularity elsewhere among eco-conscious consumers.

Normal atmospheric air that we breathe contains high levels of dangerous pollutants including carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide and various particulate matter. Oxia has none of these contaminants while containing a higher concentration of pure oxygen.
Every Oxia personal oxygen dispenser is filled by a professionally trained technician in a hygienically controlled facility, to ensure its contents are exactly as specified, and are free from any contaminants and pollutants. As an added safety measure, the dispenser also contains an internal filter to further ensure quality.

The oxygen-enriched air contained in the dispenser is pressurized and provides from three to five minutes of continuous airflow depending on the flow-rate chosen.

This week, select Roots stores in Toronto received the Oxia bottles and refills along with related literature. An Oxia representative will also be present in the stores to assist with the initial sales.
Retail price: Oxia Oxygen Bottle - $89.95; Oxia Oxygen Refills - $17.95.