The idea for Yonderwear emerged in the summer of 2020 when co-founder Natalie Riha — like many others during the pandemic — found herself coping with the upheaval by spending time outside: running, hiking, and just soaking in the great outdoors.
Amidst all the beauty of being outside, Natalie found that there was one thing stopping her from fully enjoying her active, outdoor lifestyle - her underwear. No matter what type she wore, or what activity she was doing, she found herself constantly fidgeting with the fit.
“I spent a lot of time (and a lot of money) trying to find a pair that didn't ride up or down or give me a wedgie,” says Natalie, “The more I ran the more they all drove me crazy and when I started talking to folks about their underwear I found that I wasn't alone in this issue.”
Natalie’s frustration quickly turned to determination to design something that would improve not only hers but other peoples lives as well. She merged her background in ceramics and product design, with her husband, Michael Riha’s architectural skill set, and together the duo started drafting up initial designs.
A few months later, their friend and fellow architect - Ariel Mierling, joined forces with Natalie and Michael and the Seattle-based design trio began working together tirelessly to solve this pesky problem. (They are now in the process of moving to Crested Butte, CO).
“We developed an underwear pattern from scratch, refining it until it truly fit around the bum,” explains Natalie, “We tested fabrics for wicking and drying qualities and sought out fabric solutions that addressed the massive sustainability issues of the textile industry.”
After a year of development, Natalie, Michael and Ariel decided to officially register the brand as a social benefit corporation, which would allow them to continue to prioritize their focus on sustainable solutions - even as the business grows.
With that, Yonderwear was born.
Now that they had the perfect performance patterns and fabrics, it was time to find a manufacturing facility that shared the same high social standards and sustainable values and had the certifications to prove it - like Bluesign and WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production)
Sounds easy, right?
“The hardest part is manufacturing,” explains Natalie, “unless you have previous experience in that field, it is daunting and so confusing. We attended fabric fairs and switched consultants multiple times until we found our Goldilocks fit. Without our consultant we never would have been able to navigate the wild world of manufacturing.”
But once they found the right fit, it was full steam ahead and they worked alongside their new partners to refine the initial design and develop bold colorways that reflect the company values of “getting weird and having fun.”
In March of 2024, Yonderwear launched online pre-sales of Yonderpair - their first line of women’s active underwear - and began building a brand buzz with a like-minded community who were ready to have their butts in better undies.
In May of 2024, presales shifted into launch sales - just in time to get on everyone’s bum for the summer season and the feedback - according to Natalie - has been one of the most rewarding things about starting up.
“A lot of folks tell us that they've never really thought too hard about their underwear but that once they try Yonderwear they realize just how terrible most underwear is. We really paid a lot of attention to the design details and went through countless prototypes and fit testing with real humans of all sizes to dial in exactly what will make a pair of underwear stay put.”
“It's super satisfying to know that all the work paid off and folks can get out there and enjoy themselves.”
Of course, the hard work is never done as Yonderwear has big plans to venture into a men's underwear line as well as baselayers and other clothing items that “helps folks focus on what matters while they're adventuring ~ having fun and enjoying the outdoors.”
“Anyone who has ever struggled to find underwear that stays put while they're on the move is our audience,” says Natalie. “We’re here for the runners, climbers, hikers, backpackers, skiers, campers - really any outdoor enthusiast that needs odor free, wedgie free underwear in their gear kit.”
I can’t think of a single butt that wouldn’t want that kind of Yonderwear freedom.
Ali Becker is a freelance writer and adventure storyteller who spends half the year backpacking and bikepacking and the other half sleeping in strangers' beds as a professional house sitter. She and her partner, Mathieu, share their ups and downs on their IG channel at @trip.longer and hope to inspire others to get outside, adventure in nature and find their own freedom. You can learn more about them here: triplonger.ca.
