From Kara: This month’s small business truly is for every body. As a petite woman with a broad ribcage, finding a good fitting bra has felt nearly impossible. Enter, Esra. I was instantly drawn to the brand’s sizing inclusivity and vast cultural representation on the website. The website alone is a work of art. My friends, when I say that these are the best undergarments I have ever worn, I am not lying!
What is the mission of Esra? It's clearly very personal for you, so we would love to hear more!
The mission of Esra is to create not only a company but a community for all women that provides inclusion, support, and a way to live in harmony with Mother Earth.
I started this company because I was unable to find a sustainable bra option without an underwire in my size (34H) that was transparent around the materials used and where it was made. As someone with a smaller band size but a larger bust size, I grew up feeling like my size wasn't acceptable and wondered if getting dressed every day would be easier if I changed my body to fit into what was available in stores.
As women, we are often made to feel like we need to change ourselves to fit into the prescribed sizes available, which is the last thing we should ever have to entertain. I wanted to create a line of intimates that celebrates women of all sizes, where we can feel seen and celebrated without the need to change anything about our beautiful and strong bodies that carry us through every season of life.
I have always felt that we are all connected in our human experience while also intertwined with nature. As a company, we believe that our responsibility is to stand in alignment with Mother Earth and always do more good than harm. We hope always to be inspiring others on how to repurpose more and invest only with the intention to waste less, not only when it comes to our clothing but also in our homes and day-to-day lives. There is no way to move forward without prioritizing Mother Earth and her well-being, along with the well-being of our neighbors living in areas across the globe that will be more affected by climate change than others. All our choices have both direct and indirect impacts. We want to be able to keep learning and growing as a company to foster change and usher in new education so we can grow as a community and support all women along the way.
On your website, one of my favorite things that's said is, "you fit right in, just as you are."
You must have incredible stories about how Esra's sizing inclusivity has boosted the confidence of so many women. Would you mind sharing a few?
One of the most rewarding parts about starting this company, and honestly a big part of what keeps me going, is hearing feedback from women who have purchased pieces from Esra. There have been so many women who have said they went to look at the size chart, assuming their size wouldn't be there because most brands don't carry it and could believe it was listed.
I have had women share with me the same struggles that I have experienced of never being able to find a bra that is both supportive and comfortable while still making them feel confident. Now, with Esra bras, they finally aren't having to settle.
One of my favorite stories was from a woman who had larger breasts and had breastfed three kids for four years. When she put on the T-Shirt Bra for the first time, she couldn't believe the support and comfort she received. She said that before that moment, she had given up on being able to feel confident in clothing anymore, and now she could embrace the way her body had changed and feel a bit more like herself again.
I will also say that there has been amazing support from women going through the changes associated with menopause. I have not gone through this, but talking with my mom and other women who have, they have all felt that they are forgotten about, and there aren't many brands who create bras or underwear that help them navigate the changes their bodies have or are going through in regards to menopause. Women have written to me to share how they feel the underwear is breathable and comfortable but still holds them in in new places they might have curves now that they didn't use to. They have also shared that the bras provide comfortable support for their breasts that have increased in size.
As women, we hold so many important roles in this world; I hope that I can continue to create supportive, comfortable, and inclusive essentials so that it's one less thing we have to worry about daily.
Your transparency is admirable. Can you share about how you create Esra sustainably in a world of fast fashion and overproduction?
Thank you so much. It was a long road (three years, to be exact, plus add in a pandemic) to find suitable materials and production facility without feeling like I was settling. It would have been so easy to cut corners and call it a day with how accessible and less expensive fast fashion is.
I wanted to create goods made with the most sustainable materials I could source and produced in a facility that was as honest and transparent as possible. It was also important to me to source goods from female-owned or family-owned companies here in the United States whenever possible.
It was extremely challenging sourcing materials to create the bras and underwear for Esra. I especially remember calling elastic manufacturing companies while trying to find GOTS certified organic cotton and sustainably harvested tree rubber elastic that is both biodegradable and compostable to use for the straps and bands for the bras and the lining for underwear. I had a tough time being taken seriously. I called over 15 companies, and I was hung up on, I was laughed at, I was told they would call me back and never did, I would follow up week after week and just get passed around to different voicemails. I couldn't get anyone to give me the time of day or return my calls. After many failed attempts, I found a manufacturer in Europe that makes the elastic I was looking to use. In addition to the naturally dyed cotton and bamboo fabrics, this elastic makes all Esra bras (minus the hardware) and underwear non-toxic, biodegradable, and compostable.
After months of research, I found companies in the USA that make GOTS certified organic cotton grown in Texas and organic bamboo to use for all the bras and underwear. I was able to work with female-owned and family-owned botanical and natural dye houses that use botanical dyes or natural dyes on closed-looped water systems, which reduce their environmental impact and keep all dyes out of our waterways while using less energy to run.
When it came to the production process, there were many facilities I interviewed, but I always found myself having questions skimmed over or told I couldn't visit in person - both red flags. As a company that takes pride in our practices, I have learned that transparency will be offered when the company has nothing to hide and is proud of the way they treat their employees and the environment. When I finally interviewed with Blue Tin Production, I knew it was the right fit. Blue Tin production is a female run co-op based in Chicago, Il. Not only do all the women who work there make a thriving wage and receive benefits, but they also have access to childcare and help with their finances. Working with them has been a dream. There is mutual respect, and knowing that our pillars align in ways such as working to abolish sweatshops and providing jobs for women makers where they are valued means that every Esra piece is truly handmade with love.
All in all, it's been a lot of work but worth it. It's also not over! I am always looking for ways to become more sustainable as a company (like creating a bra recycling and donation program and working towards becoming circular) and have a lower impact on the Earth. I am currently working on making swaddle blankets, scrunchies, and reusable makeup remover wipes with our fabric scraps and pieces that are too small to use in production to cut down on waste and be even more intentional with all we make.
