From Frustration to Innovation: The Birth of Cuurve
Why Sustainable Underwear Matters
Have you ever stopped to think about your underwear? Not just how it fits or feels, but the journey it took to reach your drawer? Most of us haven't. Yet underwear is the first thing we put on each morning and the last thing we take off at night. It's the foundation of our wardrobes, the silent companion to our everyday lives.
When I founded Cuurve, it wasn't just about creating another underwear brand. It was about solving the most common underwear problems women search for solutions to every day. Why was it so hard to find comfortable underwear that doesn't ride up? Why did most panties have such narrow gussets that caused constant wedgies, visible panty lines, and embarrassing moments when pubic hair showed through? And don't get me started on the struggle to find period-proof underwear with enough coverage for pads! I needed underwear that wouldn't betray me during long workdays followed by errands – underwear that could truly support active women through everything life throws at us without sacrificing comfort or confidence.
The Lightbulb Moment
My journey began 4-5 years ago after reading a startling statistic: the average woman buys approximately 34 new pieces of underwear every year, with most ending up in landfills within 6-12 months. The fast fashion approach to intimates wasn't just creating waste – it was perpetuating a cycle of poor quality, discomfort, and environmental harm.
The turning point came during a Sunday brunch with my girlfriends. Between flat whites and fluffy pancakes, I finally vented about my underwear frustrations. "Does anyone else struggle with uncomfortable underwear that's always riding up or showing through clothes?" The table erupted with stories and complaints – each woman had her own underwear horror story, from awkward boardroom adjustments to period leakage nightmares.
That moment of collective frustration sparked something in me. With my engineering background, I couldn't help but see this as a problem begging for a solution. "If we can build skyscrapers and send rockets to space, surely we can design underwear that actually works for women's bodies," I declared, probably a bit too loudly for a public brunch spot.
Within a week, I'd trekked to some random part of Islington to pick up a second-hand Janome sewing machine off Facebook Marketplace and signed up for online lingerie-making masterclasses. My small attic bedroom became a workshop of fabric swatches and half-finished prototypes. "Netflix and Sew" became a thing for me - in the photo above, I was following along Joe Goldberg's antics in 'You' while sewing elastics to one of the first few prototypes. Since then, I've become notorious as "the panty lady" in my circles – whether I'm at tennis, grabbing coffee, or in coding meetups, friends now greet me with "how's the underwear business?" and happily volunteer their honest feedback on new designs.
Beyond Sustainability – A Holistic Approach
From the beginning, I knew I wanted to create a well-made and unique product – something every woman would have to have in her underwear drawer because she deserves nothing less. I also wanted to support British artistry wherever possible.
With this in mind, Cuurve was developed based on three core principles:
- True Sustainability – Using only OEKO-TEX 100 certified fabrics such as our Austrian Micromodal, recycled fabrics where possible such as our ECONYL® regenerated Nylon and finished with organic elastics with natural rubber
- Thoughtful Design – Creating patterns specifically engineered for different body types, not just scaled versions of a single design
- Local Craftsmanship – Supporting the revival of the UK textile industry by manufacturing locally and ensuring fair working conditions
The Research Phase
For 4 years, I tested fabrics (including a failed experiment at a chemical treatment lab in Portugal), refined designs, and sewed and cried over designs that didn't work. This wasn't just about creating sustainable underwear – it was about reinventing underwear to work better for women's bodies while treading lightly on the planet.
What we discovered challenged conventional wisdom in intimate apparel design. Traditional underwear patterns didn't account for the natural asymmetry of women's bodies or the need for flexibility throughout monthly cycles. Our designs evolved to address these gaps, resulting in underwear that truly moves with you.
Looking Forward
As we prepare for our launch in May 2025, I'm filled with both excitement and purpose. Cuurve isn't just another sustainable fashion brand – it's a movement toward mindful consumption, celebrating women's bodies in all their diversity while proving that comfort, quality, and sustainability can coexist beautifully.
A special shoutout to everyone who would listen when I talked to them about underwear – your patience, feedback, and encouragement made this dream possible. From the friends who became reluctant fit models to the colleagues who nodded politely when I excitedly discussed gusset designs during lunch breaks – thank you for being part of this journey.
This blog will be a space where we explore topics around sustainable fashion, body positivity, ethical manufacturing, and the everyday experiences that unite us as women. I hope you'll join us on this journey.
Thank you for being part of the beginning of something different.
Aileen, Founder of Cuurve
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