Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Monica Mullen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Monica, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My partner and I started UNDERS because we feel like clothes shouldn’t be identified by gender. “Underwear for all” is our mission statement. We have four kids, two boys and two girls. When our 9yo was potty training we noticed that kids underwear is crap and very girl/boy. He wanted non-conventional colors and characters that weren’t available in “boy” underwear.
A few years later his sister was born and I left my career to stay home with her and I took up sewing and dove into the world of sewing for small shops and clothing lines.

When we were potty training our now 5yr, I started making her underwear, because, why not! Shortly after that we had some friends whose kids were gender fluid and wanted unconventional fabric or prints on their underwear. So I started making their kids underwear.

A deep dive was in order. I realized that kids bodies are very similar at this age, aside from one small area. But according to big box stores, their underwear is vastly different. This got me thinking…clothes should fit the person, not the gender.

And thus, UNDERS was born.

Monica, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hello! We’re UNDERS, a mom and pop kids clothing shop in East Nashville. UNDERS are ultra-soft, undoubtedly cool, unique, unisex, underwear, in kids sizes 2T – 8Y, and now adult sizes! Every pair of UNDERS is handmade with love and care in Nashville, TN, by seamstress, entrepreneur, and mama of 4, Monica Mullen. Our handmade threads are designed to empower kids to feel comfortable in their own skin.

We understand that some kids don’t feel comfortable wearing “boy” underwear or “girl” underwear – but every kid deserves to feel comfortable and confident wherever they go. Oh, and “girls” underwear doesn’t have to be lacey, or pink, or revealing. And also, “boys” underwear can have rainbows, or dinosaurs, or both! That’s why we created UNDERS.

We make a point to support our community; sourcing art from local and regional artists, donating UNDERS to local organizations, and working with nonprofits to offer work to refugees.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Since our beginning, we have been very involved in our community. We started out giving free samples to neighborhood parents. Our next step was connecting with the East Nashville Farmers Market. We quickly realized that in-person maker markets was the key to setting a solid customer foundation. We knew that we had to connect with parents at a face to face level to share our story and brand with fidelity.

Our biggest brag is our returning customer rate. As our own kids have proven to us, once you wear UNDERS, you don’t want to go back to big box underwear. Through markets and online interactions with customers, we never get tired of hearing “My kids always reach for UNDERS, and don’t want any other underwear.”

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Quality and care. Each pair of underwear is meticulously inspected to make sure it meets our high standards. We say each pair is made with love and that’s the truth. When parents are used to paying next to nothing for underwear, it’s hard to justify spending extra money. As parents of 4, living in a teacher’s salary, we get it. We often have hard talks with parents about the price of our underwear. It’s not cheap. Adults care deeply, and spend generously on their creature comforts. It’s important to get the right bed when you spend 8 hours laying in it. It’s important to feel comfortable in your clothes. But we believe it’s also important that your children can feel that same comfort.

We’re parents. We’re educators. We care. When we talk to parents and share our story, they buy in and we deliver a product that brings their children joy. Many parents view underwear as an afterthought; an item given as a stocking stuffer. In reality, it’s something their kids wear all day, everyday. In our opinion, that makes it pretty damn important.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.undersnashville.com
• Instagram: Unders_nashville