Sports bra start-up is the upshot of brands ignoring upward movement
13/02/2019
Entrepreneur Mari Thomas has left a job in London leading a team testing wearable technology to set up Maaree, a new sports bra brand, calling on a lifetime of sports activity, her studies at Loughborough and her previous work there testing sports bras produced by some of the biggest brands in the industry.
Her first range encompasses a high-impact sports bra called Solidarity, a medium-impact version called Empower and leggings called Warrior. The innovation engineered into these products won Maaree recognition as a finalist in the 2019 ISPO Brandnew awards.
Tired of sports bras that failed to offer promised levels of support, Mari Thomas decided to create a product that focuses on upward as well as the downward motion. The key to addressing this is technology she calls Overband, a curved panel that runs over the top of the breasts, providing extra support and reducing upward motion during exercise.
“Technical garments such as the sports bra, if designed without forethought, can be a detriment to our bodies and deter women from participating in physical activity,” Ms Thomas has said. “Athleisure has brought women’s sportswear to the masses, however in doing so, creating product that is generalised and poor performing. I am on a mission with Maaree to support women so that we are empowered to achieve our potential and live the full and balanced lifestyle we aspire to.”
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