As a young girl, Abby Drach always dreamed of creating her own athletic apparel line with a mission to change the industry. For years, companies have designed clothing for one specific and unrealistic body type. In 2020, Drach set out to make her childhood dream a reality and founded Indura Athletic, an athletic apparel company that promotes inclusivity and body positivity.
Drach attended Dartmouth College where she competed on the ski team and often helped out in the costume shop. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic cut her senior year of college short, and she completed her courses from behind a computer screen. What seemed like a bitter ending to her undergraduate experience sprouted into an amazing opportunity.
Drach put her costume shop experience and sewing skills to work making masks during the pandemic. She began sewing athletic-specific face masks and selling them online through an Etsy shop. This was a huge success and Drach found herself fulfilling hundreds of orders per week. Once the demand for masks began to decline, Drach started to add clothing items to her Etsy shop.
As Drach slowly expanded her small business, she caught the attention of U.S. Cross Country gold medalist Jessie Diggins. Diggins reached out to Drach in search of a custom sports bra. Both Diggins and Drach agreed that most athletic apparel did not suit athletic body types. They worked together to create a sports bra that was comfortable, size-inclusive, and designed using fun fabrics. After this experience with Diggins, Drach decided to take a leap of faith and turn her dream into reality. This very design became the blueprint for the sports bra now sold on the Indura Athletic website alongside a variety of athletic apparel.
What makes Indura Athletic such a unique company is their ability to make custom products for a large range of sizes and body types. Every Indura Athletic product is made-to-order and hand-sewn by Drach and her small team of sewers. This approach empowers women of all body types to feel their best while they perform. By feeling more confident on the outside, female-athletes will feel better on the inside. In fact, the name “Indura” comes from the idea of growing one’s “(in)ner en(dura)nce” to help build up mental strength and toughness. Indura Athletic works to eliminate the stigma around mental health to better the overall well-being of the female-athlete community.
In addition to Indura Athletic’s positive message to female athletes, the company promotes sustainability. Drach uses end-of-bolt and unwanted fabrics from SR Harris Fabric to design her line of apparel. Between the hand-sewn products and the use of left-over fabrics, Drach has prevented waste significantly.
Paradis Sport is proud to partner with Indura Athletic and we admire Drach’s passion for making great products as well as her commitment to the well-being of her customers. Paradis Sport and Indura Athletic hope that customers are willing to support both brands knowing that the products are made in the US by women for women using sustainable practices. We challenge you to find other athletic brands that are doing the same!
