SUPPORTING WOMEN’S PASSIONS—ONE SPORTY BRA AT A TIME
By: Zibah Olabode
Women are making bold moves and taking on many different roles—balancing careers, fitness routines, social lives, family dynamics and personal passions. They need a wardrobe that seamlessly adapts to their multifaceted lifestyles, also offering both style and functionality.
Inspired by her need for a sports bra that supports her body and her busy life while living in New York City, Kate Rubi launched Rubisnacks, an active fashion brand for women who are fulfilling their dreams and going after their passion.
Image Source: Rubisnacks
The brand creates a positive narrative around the bra as something stylish, functional, and supportive, enabling women to pursue their lifestyle confidently. Blending fashion and fitness, the sporty bra tops are very comfortable and chic, allowing women to express their individual style and elevate performance.
Their “One Bra for All” collection of sporty bra tops and co-ordinate sets enables their customers to move throughout their day with ease and joy. Designs such as the Artemis Sports Bra is made from ECONYL® regenerated nylon, which offers an incredibly flattering silhouette for various body types and is intentionally designed to not look like a traditional sports bra or lingerie.
Their sports bra tops are ethically made at a local atelier in Barcelona, using luxury recycled materials sourced in Italy and Spain.
“We focus on designing a core collection of silhouettes our consumers can know and love – instead of changing the silhouette each season, we design timeless styles that are trendless. Our core collection is designed to be worn for many purposes and through many seasons – that means you can buy less and buy well”. - Rubi, founder of Rubisnacks.
For Rubisnacks, creating and building a sustainable fashion brand means working within the lens of People and Planet as a focal point. It is important for the brand to understand the impact their products have on the people within the supply chain and those who interact with the product after purchase, as well as the impact their products have on the environment.
Image Source: Rubisnacks
“We take steps in the direction of sustainability when we ask questions like: What are we creating? Who is involved in creating and making it? How is it made? What is the process? Who is involved in this process? Above all, what is the purpose of creating this product?”
Rubisnacks uses premium synthetic performance fabrics, to ensure that their consumers have a garment that truly fits their needs, providing long lasting durability and comfort.
Prints are made-to-order and printed on a recycled polyester knit fabric. This allows the company to reduce waste by not over-ordering materials to reach minimums. Their supplier uses the sublimation printing process, which is also sustainable – no waste water is created and non-toxic dyes are used.
Their solids are certified OEKO-TEX 100, free of toxic dyes. They source ECONYL®, which is a regenerated yarn made from post-industrial waste and nets from the ocean. This yarn is used to knit their Power Vita technical fabric in Italy and these regenerated nylon yarns are made from recovered nylon waste, such as discarded fishing nets and industrial plastic waste, which may otherwise end up in landfill.
Image Source: Rubisnacks
What do they do with leftover fabric? They are actively repurposed into cute scrunchies.
Rubi has mandated that her company select material suppliers that are in accordance with specific regulations and transparent in their offerings. Custom-designed prints are sourced with a sustainable partner out of Northern Spain and printed on a global recycled standard (GRS) poly technical knit in small quantities to reduce waste. Each fabric is OEKO-TEX 100 certified and is fast-drying with a soft hand-feel. The technical knit molds to your body or maximum comfort for whatever activity you enjoy.
Beyond sustainability regulations, the brand is also intentional about building sustainable relationships with their suppliers and workers, fostering trust and community where they can regularly visit and see their product and process is important en lieu of certifications.
Rubisnacks further demonstrates their commitment to sustainability with their use of pre-order model when possible, which helps them better forecast demand by seeing what the consumers want and what they don’t want, most importantly it ensures that nothing is destroyed.
Beyond the functional aspect, the purpose of Rubisnacks is really about how they make women feel. “Personally, sports have given so much to me – confidence, friends, they’ve taught me how to win and lose, and I’ve learned how to push myself,” says Rubi.
Creating a vibrant community is at the heart of our mission. Rubisnacks empowers women to connect with themselves and others through movement, self expression and wellness.
As a women-led, independent brand, they believe every detail matters, offering exclusive designs and a sustainable, fashion-forward alternative to the mainstream. As Rubisnacks Barcelona continues to take care of the people and the planet, we can only hope that they inspire more brands to do the same.