Those in the market for feminine foundation garments are known to drop some coin. Victoria’s Secret isn’t the most watched fashion runway show every year for nothing, and the VS Angels are said to be flying to Shanghai for 2017. Many have tried to compete with the satin and lace giant, but few have even survived. But mass-manufacturing isn’t without costs and problems, and women like to have something a little more unique.
Enter the small and intimate batch manufacturer.
In the UK, Lara Intimates couldn’t find a manufacturing facility that would take the fledgling business. Instead of going into debt, having too much stock, or begging on a GoFundMe, they launched their own right-sized manufacturing. In one fell swoop, Lara has created local jobs, set up a no-waste program, and made a decision to remain financially viable has company, all while giving themselves a solid advertising campaign in the well-loved market of sustainability.
Maddie Flanagan of Madalynne Intimates has approached her lingerie dream from another direction. Maddie saw fashion from the inside at Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and even a 2 ½ apprenticeship with a former Christian Dior tailor. She used that experience to launch her brand through larger carriers, such as lingerie at Urban Outfitters and lingerie sewing patterns through Simplicity. With the momentum gained in using larger retailers, Maddie started teaching classes and is now manufacturing her own line. It was no small task, but she found an American manufacturer that would take her lingerie line. Maddie loves having a lingerie brand so much, and truly believes it is important for people to know that when they buy from Madalynne Intimates, they’re buying from a real person. Maddie’s passion is truly contagious and she believes the American dream is alive and well because she’s living it.
How does one not end on a note such as Hanky Panky? Its kitschy, fun name is just the beginning. Hanky Panky has been around since 1977, and they take it all the way. The lace is knitted in America, the cotton is grown in America, and they’re all manufactured in America. Hanky Panky’s philanthropy page has more logos than NASCAR, and their sustainability practices would impress Patagonia. Hanky Panky has no shortage of press, from Cosmopolitan to People, proving the long, sustainability of marketing conscionable manufacturing processes. Not bad for a 50-year-old thong.
Photos: Madalynne Intimates