Lingerie startup’s mission of empowering women extends to impoverished single …

LatinaLista — What does lingerie have to do with empowering women?

For Colombian-born Catalina Girald, it has everything to do with her San Francisco-based year-old lingerie start-up Naja.

Girald’s definition of empowerment isn’t focused only on making women feel special wearing her hand-harvested Peruvian Pima cotton panties, or being inspired by selected quotes printed on the inside of some of the garments or feeling good that they didn’t pay exorbitant prices for custom details made with high-quality fabrics as found in other luxury brands. Rather, empowerment derived from Naja mostly means giving single moms, in one of the poorest areas of Colombia, the confidence to know that they and their children’s future is a lot more hopeful that it ever was before.

That’s because through the company’s Underwear for Hope program single Colombian moms receive sewing lessons, a marketable skill that lifts them out of poverty — and gets them a job with Naja.

Every time a bra is bought through the Naja website, a portion of the revenue goes towards the entrepreneurial program, along with, the customer receiving a lingerie wash bag made by a woman enrolled in the sewing program.

Though Naja only launched in May 2013, the company is already racking up some amazing life-changing stories:

Maria Jaramillo, 36 years old; Barrio Caicedo, Colombia
My name is Maria, I am one of the “displaced” in Colombia—after gangs killed my sister, I was forced to leave our village with my three girls and my sister’s two girls. The violence hit me very hard. I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to die, but I couldn’t because I had them to take care of. Now, I try to teach children about the violence and I have a group of about 50 kids. I cleaned up a little park around the corner and on weekends I turn it into an activity center—I teach the children to plant, we fry potato chips in kettles, and we draw. I really try to focus on the boys, because war is made by men. I make them draw flowers so that they understand that flowers are not just for girls. I tell them that just because their mothers mop it doesn’t mean that they can’t. I teach them that when they join gangs, they destroy entire families. And I teach them that one shouldn’t wait for things to be given to them, things should be earned. Sometimes I think I want to leave this neighborhood, it has become just as violent as where I used to be from. But, I can’t. The children, they need me.

As of November 2013, Maria works full time through Underwear for Hope. She hopes to use what she earns to educate her daughters and her nieces and to build a play house in the park for her 50 children to play in.

The Naja brand carries four distinct collections of intimate apparel. It’s the quality details, like memory foam cups, nylon lace, interior bra prints and ultrasonic sealed bra straps that differentiate this brand in a competitive market — and elevates the cause of empowering women.

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How to Choose a Lingerie Shop

Finding a retailer who can help you select a bra that fits is an important consideration when choosing a lingerie shop.

There is a good chance a woman you know is wearing the wrong size bra — it might even be you.

According to a national fit study by bra manufacturer Wacoal, eight out of 10 women in the United States and Canada over age 18 are wearing the wrong size bra. Wearing the wrong size bra can cause clothing to be ill-fitting and can even be detrimental to a woman’s health.

Wearing a bra that is too small can result in scarring of the breast tissue after the bra digs in too much underneath and on the sides of the chest. A bra that is too loose or one that lacks sufficient support may affect posture and lead to neck and back pain.

Women wearing the wrong type of bra are also at a risk for breast pain or damage, say researchers at Portsmouth University. According to lead researcher Dr. Joanna Scurr, after studying hundreds of women, it was discovered that when women move around, their breasts move by as much as 8 inches and go from side to side as well as up and down. Bras that encapsulate the breasts from all angles rather than just compress them against the chest like sports bras are the most effective. There are no muscles in breasts, just supporting skin and ligaments that can be stretched and damaged over time.

The fact that bras are widely available at many types of stores and women are able to purchase them off the rack might account for some of the mistakes in sizing. Price is another factor.

Women who go to a specialty bra or lingerie shop can be custom-measured by a bra specialist who will then help them find a bra that fits correctly. Well-made bras sold at many of these stores are more costly than off-the-rack items sold at department stores and discount centers. And the cost of such high-end bras may deter women on a budget.

Another factor also may come into play. Many women do not want to admit that they wear a size larger than expected, so they stick to the size they have always picked. Women with larger bust sizes may settle for the options available at a nearby retailer rather than searching around for a retailer that may offer a larger array of styles and sizes. Women may also be embarrassed to have a stranger take their measurements and suggest bras. Lingerie is personal to many women and the idea of standing in a dressing room with someone else fitting intimate areas might be off-putting.

However, there are many advantages to using a lingerie shop that can sell you a properly fitted bra. A properly fitted bra can make you look thinner and taller and reduce pain in your shoulders and back. Clothing may also fit better, and you won’t have the scrunched “back fat” that many women prefer to avoid.

In addition, if you have special needs because you’re pregnant or nursing, or undergoing breast reconstruction surgery, a good lingerie shop will have nursing and mastectomy bras available for purchase.

A woman’s stomach is not the only thing that will grow during her pregnancy. Pregnant women often witness their bra and shoe sizes increase during a pregnancy. Hormones ready the breasts for lactation, causing swelling of the mammary glands and increased blood flow to the breasts. The medical advisory board of BabyCenter.com says it’s common to go up one or two cup sizes, especially when a woman is pregnant for the first time. The breasts also may feel itchy as the skin stretches, and stretch marks can form on the breast skin. A bra that fits properly can provide much needed support and comfort.

Mastectomy bras generally have pockets in the cups that can hold breast forms. They result in a more natural appearance to the breasts, provide the comfort of being balanced, help in preventing neck and back pain, and help maintain a good posture.

If you’re unsure if the bra you are wearing is not the correct size, consider these signs.

* The straps dig into your shoulders.

* The back rides up.

* There are red marks on your body after you take off the bra.

* You constantly adjust the bra during the day.

* The cups do not contain all of your breasts.

* You have bulges at the sides of the cups or on your back.

If any or all of these signs describe you, it is time to get a proper bra fitting — even if you have had one in the past. Bra size can change depending on hormonal changes or a pregnancy. Bra sizes may even be different depending on the bra manufacturer. Consult with a lingerie retailer who will measure you and calculate the correct bra size before helping you find styles that meet your needs.

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