TWO York midwives have launched their own business making eco-friendly underwear for mums and mums-to-be.

Nicola Moore and Chloe Malarkey have created Meraki Lingerie, which uses materials made from bamboo.

The pair came up with the idea when the pandemic struck and they found themselves spending more time with women when Covid restrictions saw an end to visiting.

Nicola, a mum-of-three, says she struggled to find pretty maternity lingerie that fitted properly and did the job and made her feel good about herself.

Chloe also has a passion for fashion and making women feel good about themselves

Nicola, who attended St John Fisher Catholic High School, Harrogate, said: “We decided that together we wanted to develop lingerie that helps to empower women and make them feel good about themselves during a vulnerable time in their lives.

“Midwife means to ‘be with woman’ and this is what we had to do to understand what women wanted and needed. We carried out extensive research and have used our knowledge of the female anatomy to design our lingerie.”

The pair say using bamboo makes their lingerie different to others. Bamboo is hypoallergenic and breathable, and moisture-wicking (keeping sweat off your body - common with hormonal changes during and after pregnancy). Bamboo also helps you keep cool in hot weather, whilst protecting against chills on cold days. It also holds its shape even after frequent washing.

Chloe, who went to Archbishop Holgate School, York, says it was important to manufacture the lingerie locally. They use Leeds-based Something Wicked as it is a female-owned business (owned by Steff McGrath) and shares the same values as Meraki, with it also supporting the ‘slow fashion’ movement, meaning customers are buying ethical items.

Based in Muncastergate, York, the business sells online, allowing 24/7 retailing. The products can be found at www.meraki-lingerie.com, as well as on Facebook and Instagram.

At present, the range consists of the Nellie bra and Maisie Brief, both designed with comfort in mind. But the pair plan to extend their range..

The bra has no clips/clasps and has a crossover design to provide support, especially to those breastfeeding.

The brief has been designed to provide comfort during pregnancy as well as having a slightly higher waist to ensure it sits above a caesarean section wound/scar. Its gusset has been designed with one seam that has no rough edges to ensure comfort post-delivery including when stitches have been required.

Chloe added: “Buying British is so important these days. It supports the local economy and keeps skills alive and reduces CO2 emissions generated from transport as the products travel a shorter distance.”