This Friday Underlines chats to Elizabeth Hadley who founded Bumboo Lingerie. Not a traditional route by any means as her background is firmly rooted in science studying Biochemistry for her university degree! However when COVID came, she took up sewing as a new pastime and this was the first step in her creating Bumboo Lingerie. She shows how science and intimate apparel are not two detached discliplines!
Life before Bumboo….
My life was very much rooted in science. I studied Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge, and then completed a Master’s in Applied Bioscience and Biotechnology at Imperial College London. Whilst studying, I became interested in bio-based solutions and how they could be applied to real world challenges. I found myself drawn to the business development aspect of biotechnologies, which led me to work within the Cambridge Judge Business School and for a few biotech start-ups in the City.
When Covid struck and lockdown began, I started to look for new hobbies. I ended up dusting off an old sewing machine and, with the help of some online tutorials, I taught myself something completely new! It was an unexpected, but very natural, pivot and that move that ultimately laid the foundations for Bumboo.
Why underwear?
The lingerie market felt like a natural place to begin our brand journey. It’s a very personal part of our wardrobes, where comfort, performance and material choice really do matter. That close, constant contact requires a sense of trust, which mirrors the honest, open approach we take as a brand. We focus not only on the aesthetics of our underwear; we also care deeply about what’s inside our products and where real innovation can make a meaningful difference.
We also noticed a clear market gap for underwear that was fun, inclusive and offering credible, science-led responsibility claims. Bringing science-backed sustainability into fashion felt essential, and underwear offered a very powerful entry point. Lingerie is a daily necessity rather than a discretionary purchase, which makes it an effective way to introduce more responsible materials, and thinking, into people’s wardrobes.
Our brand DNA has been centred around three core ideas: comfort, colour and conscience
What’s your brand’s DNA?
We launched in 2025, and what a whirlwind year it was! From day one, our brand DNA has been centred around three core ideas: comfort, colour and conscience. Those three pillars guide everything we do, from the materials we choose to the way our products look and feel. We’re intentional about weaving them together so that our products feel great to wear, are expressive and joyful, and are grounded in responsible choices. For us, it’s about showing that you don’t have to compromise on aesthetics to achieve sustainability, nor sacrifice on ethics to achieve beautiful design.
What is different about designing/working in underwear?
Working within lingerie is certainly a leap away from reading research papers! Yet it still draws heavily on the same core interests. Fabric composition remains central to what we do: exploring different biotechnological solutions, understanding their performance and thoughtfully integrating them into our products. A large part of the process is finding the research teams developing novel solutions, and then creating a space for that science to enter the fashion industry and through a product that people will reach for every day. As the brand continues to gain traction, we have plenty of exciting developments still to come.
There’s also an enjoyable amount of mathematics involved! Turning a flat, two-dimensional sheet of fabric into a three-dimensional structure that has to perform, move with the body, and feel premium on a range of shapes and sizes is certainly a highlight for me. At Bumboo, we’re all about embracing curves and delivering real comfort. At the same time, the brand gives my more colourful, creative side plenty of room to play – designing the prints and selecting the colourways for a collection is one of my favourite stages.
Where do you get your ideas?
Our ideas for a collection usually start quite simply, with visuals that spark a sense of joy. I’ll begin with an image or feeling, and then use platforms like Pinterest to refine and build on that initial inspiration. We lean heavily into bold, beautiful colour each step of the way, which is a direct reflection of how we want our customers to feel – bold, expressive and confident in their own skin.
Refining our ideas is a fine balance between playfulness and intention. For example, pieces in our first collection reference to nature, such as peaches and cherries, which aligns with the bio-based background of the brand whilst also nodding to their slightly cheekier associations within intimate wear.
A typical week?
As a start-up founder, my weekly diary is quite variable at the moment. My time is divided across a few different areas, from product design, to PR, to preparing for upcoming events. We’re headed to the Wonderland lingerie trade show in London at the end of the month, so that’s very much the focus at the moment. Alongside that, there’s the day-to-day work of social media and growing our sisterhood of women seeking science-backed sustainable choices.
With so many aspects to building our vision, it’s important for me to keep reconnecting with the bigger picture of the brand: community, connection and conscious fashion. I’m intentional about making space for family and friends, which ultimately helps me to show up more clearly and creatively for the business.
Whom do you admire in the underwear industry?
Hands down Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx. Her creative tenacity, drive, and determination to make her brand visible is incredibly inspiring. I admire how she turned her clear vision into a globally recognised product and now, in turn, how she empowers other women to pursue their own entrepreneurial journeys. Her honest reflections on her journey have been invaluable, giving me reassurance as I make bold decisions and moves for my own brand. Her story is a reminder that persistence, creativity, and a belief in your idea can truly make all the difference.
If you were not working in this industry, what would you be doing instead?
I believe I would have continued to pursue my interests in bio-based solutions and built a career within the biotech sector. I can see myself helping new technologies move from the research into the market – supporting that “bench to bedside” progression where innovative science is translated into tangible real-world solutions. That’s the kind of work that excites me – helping ideas to become visible and accessible, and bridging the gap between discovery and practical impact.
Your greatest challenge?
Keeping my perfectionism in check! Balancing my drive, enthusiasm, and excitement to bring a vision to life with personal wellbeing is essential. Perfectionism can, if left unchecked, hold you back from making real progress.
Proudest moment to date?
The moment I thought up Bumboo – I will be forever grateful for that moment, when I understood how I could integrate my academic interests with an innate passion for creativity and colour, and to channel this towards a better cause and deliver an impact. Some would call that finding my Ikigai – long may it last!
Worst move so far?
We learn most from our mistakes, and looking back, each negative experience has taught me something that ultimately guided me to where I am today. In that sense, they were really successes – just ones that didn’t feel that way at the time (I’m a big fan of How to Fail by Elizabeth Day, which really celebrates this perspective).
If I had to pick one moment, it would be my first corporate role after graduating from university. At the time, the decision wasn’t aligned with my true interests, passions, or hopes for the future. That decision brought a period of uncertainty, but going through it has helped me to gain clarity, and develop a truer sense of where I would like to be than I would have done otherwise. I also learnt a lot about developing a company, which has certainly been useful for Bumboo.
Any other ambitions for the brand going ahead?
We’re focused on integrating new, rapidly developing biotechnologies into our products, with the vision that our brand evolves as a leader in sustainable lingerie. We’ll also be expanding our product range and styles, and are excited about exploring new markets, particularly the US, where we see a lot of potential to share our vision and products.
Time out
The brand started with my passion for creativity, and I still do dapple in quite a few creative activities. I’m a harpist, enjoy ballet and pilates – and, of course, sewing. Yet more often I like to challenge myself with something completely new. A friend has invited me to pottery throwing this year – wish me luck! With the New Year upon us, I’m sure there’ll be plenty more, new and exciting hobbies to try out this year.
The one product you couldn’t live without?
I’ll choose from outside the retail industry for this one! It would have to be good old Dr Lipp’s moisturising lip balm. Love the product, love the branding – it’s cheeky, heart-warming and made from natural ingredients too. It’s very in line with the type of thoughtful, joyful products I gravitate towards.
Pet Hate
Professionally, I’d say founders not supporting other founders. Building a company and brand can be a challenging journey, and I see cheering others on as a huge personal strength.
Elizabeth will be showing Bumboo Lingerie at the Wonderland Show later this month but you also contact her on elizabeth@bumboolingerie.com
