Black Friday, once the shopping day after Thanksgiving, has now expanded beyond the long weekend into Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) season, a weeks-long affair that begins in- mid-October. As The Economist recently noted, it "gets more annoying every year."
And just when you think you've gotten through the onslaught of emails, Cyber Monday spawns “extended deals" that last for the duration of the holiday season.
In all this noise, you may or may not have noticed the absence of BFCM emails from Embrago. There's a reason for that.
Understanding Conscious Fashion
If you're familiar with terms like slow fashion, small batch production, sustainable fashion, or conscious fashion, you're ahead of 95% of the U.S. market. Most people never really think about garment manufacturing. The fashion industry likes it that way, preferring that consumers remain unaware of their business model.
The fact is, the everyday low prices and Black Friday bargains come at a high cost, and it's not the brands who pay. You pay good money for increasingly lower-quality clothes made of cheap synthetics that don't last. The poorest people of the world pay through exploited labor and unsafe working conditions. And we all pay with environmental damage from millions of tons of toxic chemical and textile waste that poisons our planet, ravaging land and water globally.
In contrast, conscious fashion encourages you to think. It empowers you as a consumer and invites you to consider: what are your clothes made of, how are they made, who makes them, how do they make you feel, how long will they last?
This practical, values-based approach is a radical departure from the prevailing profit-driven fashion industry, which encourages overconsumption and throw-away culture while hiding the costs and the tragic effects from the average consumer.
Embrago's Commitment to Conscious Fashion
Embrago proudly stands among a growing group of conscious fashion entrepreneurs who are building a new, more ethical ecosystem. We are committed to:
Small batch production to reduce waste
Ethical manufacturing in the USA
Fair worker compensation
Safer, natural, high-quality fabrics
Sustainable practices
Innovative and creative problem-solving
Embrago's conscious approach to sustainability starts with the design concept. By re-imagining bust support, we are re-inventing the way women get dressed and eliminating the need for an entire category of clothing: bras.
Just one Embrago top can replace up to 6 items of clothing, doing the work of multiple bras (underwire bra, t-shirt bra, and sports bra), as well as yoga top, base layer, and statement piece. Our patented Body Responsive Fit™ also adapts to daily hormone and weight fluctuations, meaning that it can replace multiple sizes, too. That adds up to a lot of savings, when you consider that "recycling just over two pounds of textiles can save 1,600 gallons of water and eliminate eight pounds of CO2 emissions," according to the B.R.A. Bra Recycling Agency,
How Sustainable Fashion Supports You and Your Busy Lifestyle
Embrago's conscious fashion approach is not only environmentally sustainable, it's also deeply personal, offering new possibilities for how you choose to get dressed every day. Embrago's built-in full support gives you back your freedom, your time, and your confidence. Most importantly, we give you back your agency, empowering you to dress in a way that works for you.
Imagine feeling confident and peaceful every morning as you get dressed, knowing your clothes will fit perfectly and make you look and feel great, no matter what your body is going through and no matter how busy your calendar is. Imagine the reduced mental load, no longer at the mercy of uncomfortable bras and shapewear or ill-fitting cheap fast fashion.
We believe you deserve more innovative solutions for support that allow you to look your best and be confident while also feeling comfortable and unconstricted. By eliminating the need for bras and shapewear, our curve-friendly, high-quality wardrobe staples are a sustainable choice for the planet and a practical choice for the life you live.
The Embrago Difference
Every Embrago piece is:
Ethically made in small batches in Pennsylvania
Designed as a timeless, chic wardrobe staple
Crafted from premium, high-quality organic cotton
Built to last with double-stitched, covered seams
Easy care and machine washable
Each garment is hand-sewn with care by skilled professionals in a local factory in our home state of Pennsylvania. If you're wearing an Embrago piece now, there's a good chance it was made by Omayra or Elba (pictured below, with me on the factory floor, and in their new Embrago Power Sheath dresses)! They are part of our highly skilled team of sewers who painstakingly create these beautiful pieces. And as you can see, they enjoy wearing them, too! This personal connection and ethical production are at the heart of Embrago's values.
Why We Skip Black Friday
The reason you won't see Black Friday promotions from Embrago is our commitment to ethical production, fair labor practices and manufacturing in the United States. We can't – and won't – slash prices for a fleeting sales event that would result in compromising quality or care. Instead, we believe in fair pricing every day that reflects the true cost and value of conscious fashion, from the premium certified organic cotton fabric we source in small quantities, to the careful, intentional process and extra labor it takes to create our technical designs to such a high standard of quality. Embrago's mission has always been about supporting women, and that includes the women who make these beautiful clothes.
Join the Conscious Fashion Movement
When you purchase an Embrago style, you begin a journey of personal discovery, where you find both peace of mind and enduring value. When you calculate the cost per wear of your clothes, year after year you will find that Embrago styles outperform most other pieces in your closet. And if you're a minimalist like me, you might just have found your new go-to for every day.
By choosing Embrago and other conscious fashion brands, you're not just buying clothing – you're supporting women and families, local economies, and a more ethical, sustainable fashion future. Thank you for being part of this important movement.
P.S. If you're interested in learning more about conscious fashion, here's a few resources to check out:
Izela Sustainable Marketplace (coming soon)
Conscious Fashion Collective (professional community for sustainable fashion professionals, entrepreneurs, and changemakers)
Conscious Gift Guide (eco-friendly gifts, something for everyone)
Youer (US apparel brand making great reels about the cost of made-in-USA fashion)
Clothes Horse podcast (intense industry deep dives, pulls no punches)
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