Just about 5 years ago we were prepping to launch a Kickstarter campaign for our Bareskin Binder: masculine swim top and compression apparel option for folks who struggled to find tops that worked for their style, comfort preferences, and representation. We had noticed holes in the market — binders were often uncomfortable, scratchy, heavy, and limited in fabric option, ugly, and, worst of all, there was only one “nude” color option - a generic band-aid peach offered by only two binder companies.
We realized that a whole portion of the binding community was being excluded by the current offerings available, so we set out to create a new apparel option. We wanted to design a binder that blended more seamlessly with the wearer’s skin and offered a shirtless-inspired aesthetic, something that simply didn’t exist in the market at the time. When we started our Kickstarter campaign, the idea of a range of nude binders (along with a racerback design) was unheard of and people loved it.
Fast forward to five years later and we’ve definitely made a substantial impact on the binder market as a whole. The largest player in the binder game has introduced their own line of nudes and, more recently, a racerback option. There’s something to be said for creating a product so influential and good that your competitors mimic its design — but we still think that our binder is the best option out there. We’re proud of the role our binders have played in expanding what’s available in the market. We continue to hear from customers who appreciate the fabric, fit, and overall feel of our designs compared to other options they’ve tried.
Our binders aren’t perfect, they never will be. We’re constantly evolving and improving. After we completed our Kickstarter, it took us over 6 months to hit the market with a product we felt confident putting our name on. That was mid-2016 and we only had 4 colors and 5 sizes. Fast forward to today, we’ve moved manufacturers from our initial manufacturing team in Arlington, TX to one in Austin and we’ve expanded to include 7 colors and 7 sizes.
We have another color on the horizon along with 3X hoping to hit the shelves in 2021, but, until then, we’re sitting back and enjoying the journey that got us here. We couldn’t have done it without those 700+ Kickstarter campaign backers or without the thousands of customers we’ve had purchase our products since then, so thank you! Thank you from a little queer brand that saw a need and looked for a way to address it. We’re going to always look to improve and provide for this community that continually provides for us. 🌈