Clean beauty pioneer: Vibrant Body Company

The National Institutes of Health states that an estimated 93% of human cancers are caused by environmental factors, rather than genetics. It’s a key reason many people avoid the sun, watch their diet and abstain from tobacco use. Milwaukee-based startup Vibrant Body Company has discovered another way to avoid carcinogens.

Mounting evidence shows what we put on our bodies is as important as what we put inside our bodies. Our clothing choices impact our physical health. Unfortunately for many people around the globe, including most Americans, a majority of the clothing we wear has been treated with toxic chemicals before it leaves the factory.

Investigative journalist Alden Wicker highlights the problem in her 2023 book, To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion is Making Us Sick. Wicker details how cancer-causing chemicals, like formaldehyde and PFA, are used to make clothing color-fast, wrinkle-resistant, easy to clean – and a host of other desirable features.

This is all absolutely legal- at least in the United States.

The U.S. does not regulate chemicals on foreign-made clothing and has only banned 11 chemicals associated with clothing production, a stark contrast to the more than 1,700 banned by the European Union.

Michael Drescher is a true believer in the dangers presented by chemical-infused clothing and is determined to do something about it.

Drescher founded Vibrant Body Company in 2015; the company offers women undergarments that are free of harmful chemicals. The B Corp-certified company is dedicated to protecting women with chemical-free clothing today and advocating for reforms to make all clothing safer for everyone in the future.

Vibrant Body uses certified OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 materials manufactured in Germany to create its line of undergarments. This stringent standard confirms that the materials are “harmless to human health.” The materials are then sent to an eco-friendly factory in Indonesia to be cut and sewn. Then they are shipped to the company’s Milwaukee headquarters for distribution.

Vibrant Body Company does not stop at the elimination of chemicals from its products to protect the health of its customers. It also carefully considers the design of its products. Through research, Drescher has discovered that underwire bras prevent bodies from operating as they should. He likens wearing an underwire bra to tightly tying a cord around a limb, noting that the compression decreases blood flow, limits the function of the lymphatic system and causes atrophy. To offer a healthier alternative, the company patented a wire-free bra that mimics the support of an underwire bra without constricting breast tissue.

Drescher is passionate about creating a “certified clean first layer” of clothing for women. To help achieve that goal, the company is expanding to offer a line of athleticwear called ‘Sweat Smart,’ providing the same chemical-free standards as its undergarments. The company anticipates the nationwide launch of this line before the end of 2024.

Vibrant Body Company is a Qualified New Business Venture and received a $150,000 grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in 2017. The company provides direct-to-consumer sales via the company website and occasionally participates in local pop-up shops at boutiques in the Milwaukee area.

Discover more about this growing company and its mission to revolutionize safe clothing options for women, connect with Vibrant Body Company here.