Prebared is an ethical underwear label based and made in Melbourne. Their fabric is made from undyed, organic cotton that is custom knitted in Melbourne, in one of the last mills in the city. Prebared promotes body positivity and the celebration of women (and all genders really). We caught up with Prebared co founder and director Cara Johnston to discuss all things underwear and the celebration of body love and inclusion.
What inspired you to start Prebared?
When I was studying Fashion Design and Technology at RMIT, the Australian fashion landscape was rapidly changing. Many brands were choosing to take their production offshore and this affected Australians jobs in the industry. What worried me more was the welfare of workers in the third world countries and their labour that was being exploited. I was taking sustainability electives in my final year and it really magnified my alarm about the environmental concerns I already had. I always knew I would start a label, but these factors helped me create something I could always be passionate about, and also find my niche.
Who is the ideal Prebared poster person?
Every woman is. I really try to consider each body type when designing Prebared underwear. I want everyone to feel included and beautiful in our garments, no matter what their age or external style is. We have customers who are driven by ethics, who choose Prebared because we have the credentials they search for when they shop, and we have other customers that love the design and fit, and our ethos is just an added bonus.
How important is maintaining an organic range and promoting sustainability to Prebared?
Being organic and sustainable is extremely important, but sustainable won’t always just mean organic. As technology paves the way for the future of the fashion industry, we would be crazy to think there won’t be other innovative and environmentally friendly ways to produce fabric. As an example, we’re in discussion with our knitting mill to potentially use their dead stock – fabric destined for landfill – to create exclusive Prebared styles. While we love organic and will always use it in our essentials line to promote women’s health, we are always open to trying a new way of doing things.
How has body positivity been promoted and incorporated in the Prebared range?
Body positivity is very important to Prebared and to me. I see so many women who are perfectly imperfect, and they spend so much of their time being worried about how they look. I want to create a space where women celebrate their flaws, as they do their strengths and be proud of themselves with totality. I’m achieving this by selecting women of all shapes, colours, ages and sizes and sharing their images on social media and our website. All women whose images are shared are also given a voice and are featured on the journal section of the Prebared website, where they pass on their stories to other women.
What’s your personal favourite style out of the Prebared range?
If you had asked me what my favourite style was before our Summer Essentials range was released I would say the Suki tanga but my new favourite piece out of this collection is the Effie High Waist Thong. She’s cut from super lightweight organic cotton and has the perfect amount of stretch. I love having something that has such minimal coverage across my bum but then feels so secure around my hips. I have been wearing her under everything this summer!
How do you see Prebared evolving in the future? I see Prebared being an iconic everyday Australian underwear and loungewear brand that women can trust and grow with. Join us in uniting a community of women who believe there is always a better way!
Photography Jacopo Borrini and @marsalluswallace, interview by Sara Nicolette.
