It’s about to get a bit intimate. Because we’re about to talk about bras. Ecetick, a startup founded by Babson alumna Jocelyn Liu, is offering a new line of padded bras that are not only eco-friendly, but also completely breathable.
Liu explained that, little do we know, most bras on the American market contain materials harmful to our bodies and to the environment. She told us, “I started it because I noticed that if you look at any bra in a store, the label either doesn’t tell you what the padding is made of or it says it’s made of a polyurethane foam. Women don’t realize they’re exposing themselves to toxic chemicals. That’s also a petroleum-based material, so it sits in landfills.”
Women don’t realize they’re exposing themselves to toxic chemicals.
She added that the padded bras you normally come across in stores also contain other harmful chemicals like formaldehyde and Toluene diisocyanate (TDI), both of which are considered carcinogens. With Ecetick, Liu is selling bras made with a non-toxic polymer that, in addition to being more biologically safe, is also more durable than foam-padded selections.
It gets better. As bra-wearers know, even when you spring for the crčme de la crčme of brassieres, comfort can still be compromised in certain situations. Take, for instance, stickily hot days. A simple walk outside in the Boston summer sun can leave your puppies practically screaming for air. And let’s not ignore that under-boob sweat Victoria Secret never warned us about.
That’s why Ecetick’s line of innovative bras contain 616 pores and allow air to freely flow. They don’t absorb sweat or water, which keeps bosoms dry and prevents odor caused by bacteria and mold.
The bras are machine-washable, Liu said, so you can toss them in the machine without worrying whether the padding will shrink or wrinkle. You can also forget about a wire sticking into your sides because these brassieres are wire-free.
“They’re so comfortable, you can wear them more than eight hours a day and wear them to sleep,” Liu said. “I wear them for 14 hours a day.”
It’s important to note that Ecetick isn’t manufacturing the bras it’s selling itself. The venture is sourcing them from a manufacturer in China.
“Finding the supplier was difficult,” Liu explained. “We found a distributor in China, but, at first, they were hesitant to help me.”
However, after Liu used some techniques she learned in class at Babson, she was able to persuade them to connect her with a manufacturer. As Ecetick brings these bras into the U.S. market, she’ll be staying on top of the importation and quality control processes.
“My family has done importing and exporting in textiles,” she said. “They’ll help me go back to China, do further testing and handle customs.”
Ecetick’s bras typically retail for $50 to 60, but the company is currently running an Indiegogo campaign, through which you can buy a bra for $40 to $50.
Images vie Ecetick.
