am i asking for too much?

(so, so proud of myself for making that leap when i did! can't believe it was almost a WHOLE year ago...)

sometimes i genuinely wonder…

for context, i left my consulting job in april last year to build a skin-safe activewear brand. mind you, at this point: i had no background in fashion. no experience in product development. no idea how to navigate global manufacturing. no technical knowledge of material science. no mba. no co-founder to build with. no “small loan of 1 million dollars” (iykyk)!

because once i learned that most of what dominates the activewear market - lululemon, alo, gymshark - is primarily polyester, nylon and elastane, i couldn’t ‘unknow’ it. these are petroleum-derived fibers - literally the same materials used to make plastic water bottles. they shed microplastics. they can contain additives like bpa, pfas, phthalates, heavy metals. and they’re designed to sit tight against the body, especially when you’re sweaty and warm.

so the question that kept circling in my head was pretty simple: is it unreasonable to want something that performs well and lasts… but doesn’t rely so heavily on materials linked to hormonal disruption and waterway pollution?

that question became builtwithhabit!

that was in april 2025… so where are we now in february 2026?

the parts no one sees

(guys... i might be smiling but i'm truly losing my mind)

sourcing has been… humbling to say the least.

we’re not buying off-the-shelf fabrics. we’re procuring yarn cones. reviewing twist counts. asking what solvent system was used in processing. requesting transaction certificates. cross-checking trademark licenses. i’ve had vendors send over documents that looked great - until i realised a chlorine-based superwash treatment was still involved. or that a lubricant wasn’t actually silicone-free. or that a certification applied to the raw fiber but not the dyeing stage. or that a license had expired RIPS.

there are so many technicalities with all of this… again, there have been moments where everything ‘aligned’ - pricing workable, moqs reasonable, timelines decent - and then one small detail didn’t sit right.

and every time, i’ve had to decide: do i let that slide? or do i start again? 

the “are you robot?” moment

(you can't make this up...)

true story.

i kept following up with a supplier for a specific certificate we needed. polite emails. gentle nudges. clarifications. then more clarifications.

at one point he replied, “are you robot ?” i was shook.

and that interaction actually sums up this whole process. i ask a lot of questions. sometimes uncomfortable ones. sometimes repetitive ones. but all the necessary ones (imo!). not because i don’t trust people - but because i don’t want to build something on assumptions. i want to build with honesty, transparency and precision. i want to bring the best to the people who become a part of the bwh community 🧿

the doubt (because of course!)

(i'm a little scared HEHE)

i’m a first-time founder. i’ve come to really believe in building fast. prototyping. iterating publicly, getting people to weigh in early. refining as you go… in most cases.

but for something that sits on your skin, that you sweat in, that you wear for hours at a time - i’m not willing to cut ANY corners.

there have definitely been nights where i’ve thought:

• am i actually capable of bringing this vision to life? do i have what it takes? 

• is what i’m looking for even out there? does it exist at scale?

• what if i’m being too rigid and pedantic? what if i’m slowing things down unnecessarily?

• what if someone beats me to it?

what “gold standard” actually means (to me)

(love our guiding brand pillars!)

gold standard doesn’t mean perfect. i know that perfection isn’t even attainable!

but it means i can trace the fiber origin. i understand how it was spun. i know what solvent system was used. i’m comfortable with the dye chemistry. i’ve thought about durability and end-of-life care - and how we can extend lifespan in the first place.

at bwh, that looks like:

1. radical transparency - the exact fiber composition, certification and processing standards are disclosed

2. skin-first engineering - we minimise unnecessary chemical load and reduce reliance on conventional petroleum-heavy systems

3. petroleum-conscious innovation - prioritising natural, semi-synthetic and circular fibers where technically feasible

4. performance without compromise - engineering compression, recovery and sweat management without shortcuts

5. slow fashion values - producing intentionally, scaling deliberately and avoiding overproduction

these brand pillars guide everything we do, everyday!

why we’re not rushing 2026

(we're getting this righttt 🧿🧿🧿)

it would absolutely be easier to launch something “cleaner-ish” and refine as we build the brand. it certainly would be faster. but that’s not why i left my job. i didn’t leave stability to build something that’s just marginally better.

when we launch (hopefully in q3 of this year!!!! 🧿), it’ll be with something deeply considered. not flawless. but interrogated. intentional.

we’re not trying to be the first low-tox activewear brand (although that would be awesome!). we’re trying to be the one you don’t have to second-guess. 

and if doing it right takes longer, then we’ve got ALL the time in the world.

~

if you liked this post and want to read more about entrepreneurship and the bwh founder journey, then please check out these other blogs i’ve written!

the lore behind builtwithhabit

what's really in my control

challenging limiting beliefs

is entrepreneurship the right path for you?