Veil Intimates Gives a Tech Boost to Bras

The Denver-based startup is re-engineering fit

Julie Kailus //February 21, 2019//

Veil Intimates Gives a Tech Boost to Bras

The Denver-based startup is re-engineering fit

Julie Kailus //February 21, 2019//

The global bra market is on track to be a $30 billion business by the end of 2025, so a smarter bra is a brilliant investment. And with its innovative wire-free bra design, Denver-based Veil Intimates wants to become a significant player.

Founders Nancy Trangmar, Meghan Marsden and Kathy Heimann are trying to solve a trio of issues: comfort, fit and support. But to be blunt, breasts are tricky. They move in every direction and are often asymmetrical, so finding materials and support structures that work on all kinds of women doing a wide variety of activities is a colossal challenge.

It’s fair to say that no manufacturer or brand has totally nailed it—yet. But Veil Intimates thinks it has a pretty savvy solution: a bra cup that adds broader support, not just under the breast like traditional underwire, but wider and higher up where it can make more of a difference. The technology has broad applications, too, from post-surgical to the sports-bra market.

“Our product replaces underwires and compression as the predominant forms of support in women’s foundations,” Marsden says.

None of Veil Intimates’ founders have backgrounds in apparel or engineering, and the learning curve has been steep. So they partner with pros. The company is also leveraging 3D printing to bring bra designs to life.

The business is a dual disruptor, using a non-traditional manufacturing process and a different business model altogether. Rather than building a stand-alone bra, Veil Intimates licenses its process and products, much like components in the high-tech industry.

The startup has tested the engineered design and gathered wear feedback to help make the bra work for women of various sizes without sacrificing comfort, support and style.

In fact, the bra cups are currently undergoing a comfort study with the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. The results of that will help Veil Intimates approach major players in the intimates world.

“We’ve been very fortunate to have local mentors and vendor partners that have given us some of the best advice to propel us forward,” Marsden says. “The progressive culture and entrepreneurial atmosphere in Colorado has fostered growth that other markets may not have helped facilitate.”

Sportswear brands in particular are showing interest in Veil Intimates’ innovation. The founders have shopped the proprietary design at national apparel shows and networked at Denver’s Outdoor Retailer.

Everyday women are happy to weigh in, too. “Our Colorado lifestyle being culturally active has facilitated great conversations with women about sports bras,” Marsden says.