Below is our recent interview with Rachel Whittaker, founder, and CEO of BraEasy, an adaptive fashion brand that works to empowers women with disabilities by creating a bra that can be used with only one hand.
What is your role at BraEasy? Inventor and business owner of BraEasy.
What is the story behind BraEasy?
When my daughter Jamie-lee was nine years old, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. During the surgery to remove the brain tumor she suffered a deep brain stroke. Over the next five years, we fought cancer and won.
When Jamie-lee turned 15, I realized that she could not put on a bra because of her stroke. I searched for years for a solution but found nothing suited. As a result, I set to work on a functional bra that could be put on with one hand. When I realized that other women were having the same issue, I knew I had to do something about it, not just for my daughter but for women worldwide. This realization led to a three-year journey to perfect the design, register patents, and find someone to manufacture it for us. I am passionate about making a difference. All women deserve the right to be able to dress independently.
How was the bra developed?
I sat at my sewing machine for a year to get it right. My mother-in-law and daughters were my user testers. I tried many different approaches to create the perfect BraEasy bra that you see today.
What is BraEasy’s Mission as an adaptive fashion brand?
Our core value is to enable all women to dress with dignity and independence. Our product must always be beautiful and functional; thus, we take great care in choosing the fabrics we use. Every product we sell must be able to be put on with just one hand. We didn’t set out to be an adaptive fashion brand. We set out to fill a need. I can’t count the number of women who tell me they have been looking for a product like this for over 12 years.
Below is a copy of an email that I received recently:
“I received my bras today, and omg, they are so easy to put on. I got a little emotional about it as I’ve had to get help putting bras. Thank you so much for inventing such a wonderful product. I am now independently dressing myself. And can wear nice clothing and not have to go without a bra. Thank you!
Regards, Tracy”
Messages like this are what drives us to keep going every day. And to be honest, we all get a bit teary when we receive this overwhelmingly positive feedback.
How does the BraEasy bra work?
Inventing this product wasn’t easy. The designs that I created to support the back of the bra for someone who can only use one hand were incredibly hard to explain to a manufacturer, especially in another language. I wanted to enable women to put it on without reaching over their backs. My mother in law also had two frozen shoulders, which played a big part in the design.
What is the cost of the product?
We have just put it down to $79.95 AUD. Since we are a start-up, the cost to manufacture the bras is relatively high. We do put on sales from time to time. In Australia, we have been approved as a National Disability Insurance Scheme provider. Therefore women who have an NDIS plan can get the government to cover the cost of their adaptive bra.
Who does it aim to help?
Basically, we aim to help any women who struggle to put on a standard bra. It is that simple. We are focused on enabling women who struggle with a variety of conditions. Even a woman who has broken her arm as my sister did can put on our bra quickly and easily.
Learn more or purchase a bra: https://www.braeasy.com/
Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braeasyofficial/