Imagine picking up your life and moving 800 miles from home only to realize you forgot to pack one of the most important garments you own — underwear.
That's what happened when Sowmya Pelluru moved from Charlotte to Boston in 2017. It was the catalyst for Pelluru's four-year journey to launch Manakii, a social and sustainably conscious women's underwear brand.
"As I was unpacking, I realized I forgot all of my underwear in North Carolina, and it hit me that this thing I know I need to buy is actually causing me to feel panic," she said. "I started researching and was finding that it is an issue for women to find high-quality underwear comfortably ... That's how Manakii was born. I believe things that are a need should be easily accessible and comfortable."
Manakii, which means 'for us' in her family's native language of Telugu, not only provides women with underwear made from material that is seamless, breathable and 90% biodegradable, Pelluru said. For every purchase, one pair is donated to a women's shelter through a nonprofit partnership.
"Women’s underwear is one of the most needed and least donated products in shelters," she said. "That has such an effect on women and what they feel they can accomplish."
Pelluru added, "I wanted to take women’s purchasing power in the market and use it to empower other women who are need and create this idea of cyclical female empowerment, where we're investing in companies and places that are focused on making you feel good."
She moved back to Charlotte last year and began working full time on the company.
"I think people often look at impact and look at the most glam way to do it," she said. "I wanted to make an impact at home."
The product is available for pre-order on the Manakii website. A box of seven pairs is $70, and each purchase will ensure a shelter also receives a box of seven, she said. The underwear currently comes in one signature color — Manakii blue — three styles and seven sizes. Pelluru said she expects orders to ship in the next six to eight weeks.
"When people buy a box, they can track their order and see what shelter the donation goes to once it's distributed," she said. "The point is to close the loop on donations, so it's not just this open-ended promise."
Last week, Pelluru was awarded a $17,500 grant through a University of South Carolina pitch competition called The Proving Ground. She said she plans to use those funds to begin expanding the product line. Eventually, Pelluru said, the line will include a three-pack offering and additional colors.
"Being a female founder in this space, there are so many times when you want to give up because it's so hard," she said. "During our first photoshoot a couple of weeks ago, when I saw women wearing the underwear, it hit me that this is real."
