7 more reasons to love a belly warmer...
CYCLING
The gap at the back
You know that feeling when you lean forward on a bike and feel the constant cold breeze on your lower back? It's because of little gap that
forms between your top and pants when you lean forward.
Your kidney region is exposed and it's the thing that creates
the wind chill factor all over and in your body.
A singlet tucked in is not the same. The action of leaning pull the
shoulders forward and slowly the singlet creeps up and in
comes the cold air.
A belly warmer stays in place across the gap.
ILLNESS AND RECOVERY
When the body needs a little TLC
Because Grandma said belly warmers are made with organic cotton, they're very soft on sensitive skin and there's no toxic residue
on the fabric. The simple design means they're
easy to slide on and off.
Also gives comforting, protective support over abdominal stitches after surgery - these are a very appreciated gift
for someone in recovery.
HOW IT BEGAN
As I told people about my belly warmer so many people said, Oh my Grandma always used to tell me to cover my kidneys! ...and so became the name GRANDMA SAID...
The belly warmer was born out of the need and love of being warm and comfortable.
I (Melanie) am the inventor of the belly warmer / owner of Grandma said.
I say 'inventor' loosely now, because I discovered after I went into production that the Japanese have been wearing belly warmers - called Haramaki - for centuries.
The actual name of the modern garment is interchangeable - some call it a kidney warmer, some a belly warmer or belly band and some abbreviate to belly.
I prefer winter to summer, but I hate being cold, so I'm always looking for the most comfortable ways to be warm. A boob-tube that fell to my waist let me know that if you cover the area just above your pants line and 1/2 way up your back, you end up much warmer (if you want to try out this theory yourself, wrap a scarf around your waist on a cold winters day and notice how warm you are!). So then I set about designing a perfectly tailored shape to hug the body, without being restrictive and wouldn't slip around.
I've since learnt all the Eastern Wisdom and Western science behind kidney health and why covering them, and the front solar plexus, to keep warm is vital for good health.
It was very important to me that I find ethically made, high quality organic fabric too - which I did, through a series of serendipitous events..the result is the luxurious, durable and comfortable belly warmer that launched Grandma said.
Other than belly warmers... dogs, kids, road trips with friends & croissants, are up there in my top 5 loves.
Popular in Australia for over 15 years, but GS belly warmers are available worldwide and I'm so happy these humble little garments are warming people from New Zealand to the UK, Canada, US and Europe to enjoy the cold weather more!
Melanie x