There will be no parade. Nor presentation of a pilot copy. And for good reason, their first two models have not yet left the Chantelle factory workshops. It will therefore be necessary to be satisfied with the communicative enthusiasm of Hawa Baradji, 26, and her sister Kany, 28, to be seduced by this innovative idea: absorbent nursing bras.
This somewhat crazy adventure started during a family meal in 2020. The two young women who live respectively in Athis-Mons (Essonne) and Villiers-le-Bel (Val-d’Oise) are then pregnant. The first of her 3rd child, the second of her 4th. Each time, they opted for breastfeeding. A practice whose benefits are recognized but which also has its share of inconveniences, such as milk leaks.
Bras modeled after menstrual panties
“All women who have breastfed have experienced these galleys. We end up with stained sheets in the morning because we lost the absorbent pad overnight. The day is the fear of having a stain appear on our clothes, describes Hawa Baradji, who lives in the Clos Nollet district. The pads are not really practical. It doesn’t last, it irritates, it pollutes…”
In 2020, menstrual panties – an alternative to sanitary pads and tampons – are starting to appear on the market. Seduced by this concept, the two sisters imagine a bra with the same properties. “It seemed so logical to us that we were convinced that it already existed,” says Kany Baradji. We looked on the Internet, and to our surprise we found nothing. They are expanding their research to the United States and Asia. But again, no trace of an absorbent nursing bra.
Their brand was born: Kawabsor’bra
The two sisters do not work in the clothing industry or in the entrepreneurial world. Kany is a childcare worker, Hawa is responsible for a home help association. Far from seeing this as a handicap, they decide to embark on this adventure, with the support of their loved one. The brand name, Kawabsor’bra, is found naturally. Kawa is the combination of their two first names. Bra means bra in English. “We know it’s a little difficult to pronounce, they laugh. The first few times, it’s impressive but we’re convinced that with practice it will pass on its own. »
They then approach seamstresses and suppliers. With the hope of seeing their model for sale for their delivery. “We wanted to be the first to release them. But that takes a lot of time. Much more than we imagined. Especially since we have not stopped our professional activity and we are also a mother, ”underlines Hawa Baradji.
A partnership signed with Chantelle
In July 2021, the two women file a Soleau envelope after the National Institute of Industrial Property. This provides proof of creation and gives a certain date to a project. Their patent will be filed in December 2021. In the meantime, another brand has already marketed an absorbent nursing bra.
“Inevitably, we were disappointed, confides Kany Baradji. But we realized that it didn’t really matter. Our prototypes worked well. We had it tested around us. We had already given birth for almost 6 months. We were still breastfeeding, but the needs are greater at the very beginning. »
It remains to find a factory to manufacture them. The Baradji sisters contact several companies. It is the Chantelle brand, which has been designing lingerie since 1876, which will respond positively to them. “We didn’t think it would succeed, but they were great with us, they smile. They listened to us. »
100% French and eco-responsible
Since 2020, the French group has been offering young brands wishing to develop their made in France product offer the opportunity to rely on its expertise at its historic site in Epernay (la Marne). “Beyond the provision of our teams and our industrial tools, this support meets two main objectives: to promote human encounters and to share this same desire to be inspired, to collaborate and to co-create together, indicates Frédéric Gosse, director of product development within the Chantelle group. The project of these two sisters resonated with us. At the heart of their considerations was the well-being of women. They wanted to offer breastfeeding products that combined support, comfort and style, an expertise that we have. »
The first two models, with or without underwiring, for cups ranging from C to E should be able to be put on the market in June 2023. “These will be 100% French and eco-responsible products, explains Hawa Baradji. On average, they will be sold, at the start, between 100 and 150 euros. We know it’s a budget but we did our calculations. A woman who breastfeeds for a year buys more than 800 disposable pads. For an amount of approximately 400 euros. There, they can reuse them as much as they want, with each pregnancy. »