Think of every piece of clothing you have on right now — it all has a story. From concept to design to production, every garment starts as an idea and often travels around the world and back before reaching your dresser.
At BRANWYN, we take this process incredibly seriously. Sustainability is our north star and that means we are not in the business of making “more stuff.” From day one, every single thing we’ve created (and there aren’t many!) was designed with a true purpose. We want all women to have wearable and functional options made out of Merino wool—the most regenerative natural fiber that’s healthy for our earth and our bodies — so if we can’t find it elsewhere, then we build it.
In fact, so much thought goes into each piece we create that we wanted to give a peek behind the curtain—a look behind the seams—at a single garment. Here’s how our Merino Compressive Leggings went from a concept to a completely new option for active women, one that we truly believe can change the world.
1. THE SPARK
Fun fact: the idea for our Compressive Leggings actually started many years ago as an idea for a sports bra. After releasing our Essential Bralette, our amazing community of women was clear: They loved the bralette for low-impact activities like hiking and everyday wear — but when it came to higher-impact activities, many needed a more supportive solution up top. Later, we’d realize that a more supportive solution was needed elsewhere too…
2. NAILING THE KNIT
Our Performance Innerwear is made of seamless Merino. The construction involves extraordinary machinery to avoid seams and allow for a three-dimensional feel. The fibers are knit into tubes that become our bras, underwear, and (spoiler alert) leggings, so really the fabric and the garment are created simultaneously. That means that the knit is absolutely key.
The knit we’d developed for our Bralette was created to have a barely there feel for maximum all-day comfort with 81 percent Merino. A true high-impact sports bra, however, would require a thicker, more compressive knit.
We knew we wanted to keep as much fabulous Merino in there as possible, so we set a goal of maintaining 76 percent Merino with zero forever chemicals. (Most other garments on the market that say “Merino” actually contain 40 percent or less). We knew this would be tricky, and it took many, many rounds of samples to develop a knit that delivered the support of a sports bra with the magic of a high percentage of Merino. Once we got there, we knew we had something really special.
4. INTRODUCING: THE BRA
In 2024, after 3 years of development, the Compressive Racerback Sports Bra finally launched! Women fell in love with having the benefits of Merino (moisture wicking, stink-free, temperature controlled) in a sports bra. Reviews like this one kept pouring in:
I wasn't sure about a merino sports bra, but I decided to give it a try after being really dissatisfied with how my other sports bras have held up over the years. I'm SO impressed with this bra. I've been marathon training, so obviously lots of high impact running, and this is the only bra I'll wear now. The material is very comfortable and not itchy, the compression is great for high impact, and I can wear it multiple times before washing thanks to the odor resistant wool. And I love that there's no plastic in it. Amazing!
5. NOW FOR THE LEGGINGS
We quickly realized that the knit we’d taken so long to develop could be more than just an incredible bra. It had serious potential for other garments where a little squeeze is welcome. We knew that finding high-performance Merino workout wear was a challenge for so many women — the idea for the leggings was born.
6. IT’S ALL IN THE FIT
Since we’d already developed our next-level seamless Merino knit, all we needed to do was figure out the best fit. Leggings can be tough: They need a well-designed gusset to keep our private areas comfortable and happy, and avoid fabric bunching in the vulva. They should be compressive without gaps in the ankles or knees—but they also can’t feel too constrictive. Plus, the rise needs to be just right: not too high in the front or too low in the back.
7. ROAD TESTING
We don’t release anything before it’s been road tested on women with different shapes, sizes, and activity preferences. These leggings took a beating during runs, hikes, yoga classes, bike rides, and more. Our wear testers would provide feedback and we’d make adjustments as we went. It wasn’t until we got to a unanimous “these are perfect, don’t change a darn thing” did we finalize the design.
8. PRODUCTION PROCESS
Once we had our “just right” prototype, we needed to make the leggings. Creating Merino goods is true craft manufacturing. Knitting super-delicate natural fibers from sheep isn’t a push-button project. It requires extremely skilled seamstresses, high-tech knitting machines, and a little bit of luck. Plus, it always takes longer than you think! We expected our leggings to launch in October but we weren’t able to get the pieces perfect until the following spring.
9. THE BIRTH
Then comes the fun part: introducing our Compressive Legging baby to the world. We’re absolutely delighted to release a first-of-its-kind compression leggings that contains 76 percent pure Merino goodness. All of the properties of Merino you love—moisture wicking, breathable fabric, odor resistant, temperature regulating, butter soft feel, great for your skin— is there, in a legging that hugs your body and keeps you supported as you jump, run, ride, squat, row, or whatever it is you like to do. We can’t wait for you to try them.
Have any Merino wishes you’d love us to try to create? We love ALL and ANY ideas. Please email us at info@branwyn.com or DM us at @branwynofficial.
