The story of ShirtUP
​After the birth of my daughter, like many other mothers, I was initially a little overwhelmed: My entire day revolved around my child and the needs of it. The fact that I felt like I was breastfeeding 24 hours a day and my daughter only let herself be soothed this way, didn't make it any easier.
I mostly wore my normal clothes when breastfeeding, ie sweaters and a tank top underneath, the problem was that the clothes kept sliping over my daughter's face - so I always had to hold the clothes with one hand or my chin, which was incredibly tiring.
And so one day I sat breastfeeding in the dark and thought there must be a way to hold up the clothes somehow. When my research didn't bring any results, I quickly designed the breastfeeding clip myself...
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DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
I spent several months pondering the idea. But one day I got down to work and created with materials from previous sewing projects the first prototype, and ShirtUP® was born. My first customers were friends of mine who gave me the first feedback. This, and a lot of trial and error helped me create the final ShirtUP design.
PROTECTED DESIGN
I've found that even the simplest things become complicated when you're holding a baby. That's why I developed a special magnetic closure, which is integrated into the band and makes opening and closing very easy.
The ShirtUP® design is protected as a utility model
DE 20 2021 001 877 U1
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MATERIALS
The first ShirtUP® was made of fabric. But it soon became clear that it needed to be made from a robust material. Something which could withstand use and at the same time be water repellent and easy to clean, since milk stains often occur. So I started to make a new version out of imitation leather. This material didn't quite convince me either, as it wasn't as robust and durable as it should be. After much material testing I came to the conclusion that leather and cork were the best choice.
MANUFACTURE
In the beginning I made all ShirtUPs by hand. But I soon realized that to improve the product I needed technical expertise from a professional. Today ShirtUP are made by a specialized leather goods company in Italy.
ShirtUP® are made by the ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturer