Inspired by her sister’s recovery from breast cancer, founder and product developer Paola Ponce created Paola Ponders as a community-centered brand making functional activewear for women. Its collections connect fitness with wellness and faith, including a pink piece in every collection as a tribute to women affected by breast cancer. The brand also guarantees sweatshop-free production and hosts wellness gatherings such as Pilates and pickleball events.
TONA Activewear, LLCTONA Activewear creates women’s performance wear led by its LiftFit leggings, developed after three years and $2.2 million of design work informed by interviews with hundreds of women. Its size-inclusive leggings run from 0 to 24 and use proprietary TONAFit fabric with Stay-Up Technology™, while the company’s mission extends beyond apparel: every leggings purchase helps fund mental-health counseling sessions for teens in need.NEW YORK, NY
LuxCareFounded by fashion and costume designer Paloma Soledad, LuxCare makes adaptive “wellness fashion” for people living through cancer treatment, recovery, and beyond. Soledad’s own experience as a three-time Stage IV cancer thriver informs clothing that accommodates changing bodies while retaining the feel of everyday style, from port-access tops to soft headscarves. LuxCare garments are produced in small batches by hand in Pennsylvania using OEKO-TEX certified fabrics, with designs shaped by survivor-community feedback.BARTONSVILLE, PA
AwareAware is a woman-owned sustainable clothing brand created by friends, mothers, sisters, and other women to reduce fashion’s environmental impact while giving back to communities. Its work extends beyond apparel through a mental-health awareness mission centered on an Awareness Panda symbol created with Spanish artist Domingo Zapata, with a percentage of profits from licensed purchases supporting that effort. The company also redirected its sustainable textile resources during the 2020 pandemic to donate hypoallergenic, antibacterial masks to frontline healthcare workers.
Carrie Amber IntimatesFounded by women and run by women at every level, Carrie Amber Intimates designs L.A.-inspired lingerie and everyday essentials made to move with the wearer. The El Monte company pairs a minimal-meets-luxury aesthetic with a strong community focus, having donated more than 10,000 items while hosting groundwater recycling wells on its property and repurposing all of its cardboard.EL MONTE, CA