About
Clothing for relationships
Be-with is not about fashion, it is about products that serve a purpose and the purpose is to support building stronger and warmer relationships.
Keeping a relationship lively and happy is sometimes difficult in the long run. And this is supported by the statistics showing divorce rates of over 50%, but even the couples that stay together are often experiencing lack of warmth and happiness. This in turn affects their kids and many of their other relationships.
At the same time, the world's longest study of what makes a “good life” states that: "warmth of relationships throughout life have the greatest positive impact on 'life satisfaction'”, and the main researcher behind it Dr. Vaillant says the study shows: "Happiness is love. Full stop."
Be-with mission is to spread this awareness and provide new innovative ways to keep our relationships warm, in this case with designer clothing for touches!
Design registered
We are very happy to say that our design has been registered in the European Union Intellectual Property design register.
The chemistry behind love
The founders of be-with believe in science and research based innovation.
Research on love suggests that there are two main hormones embodying warmth in relationships in the long run: vasopressin and oxytocin. While vasopressin is a hormone mostly released during sex and there are a lot of products and services addressing this issue, oxytocin is a hormone that can be released with a simple touch, hugging, talking and being together.
These are the areas that be-with wants to focus on: products that facilitate, provide space for and encourage actions that enhance release of the bonding hormone - oxytocin.
Impact of Touch
While there are many relationship models and each couple is unique, there are some common truths that prevail. One of them is the importance of touch. The human touch influences all of us from the moment that we are born and even before that until the moment we cease to exist.
Touch is vital to emotional and physical development of our bodies, and we usually remember to touch our kids. However, touch is essential for grown-ups as well. Research shows that a hug a day can improve the nervous system and boost the immune system among other factors. The human touch is like a lightning conductor for stress relief. And without it, unconsciously, many people feel much more lonely, unwanted and wind up losing their emotional and physical health.
Clothing for hugs
Our first collection of clothing for touches consists of few ruthlessly selected items that have passed a series of testing rounds.
About the founders
We are a team of two: Anna and Monta with a mission to create products for building stronger and warmer relationships. Inspired by the 75–year–long Harvard Grant study and the fact that touches are essential for trust, warmth and loving relationships, we got carried away with a new product idea — an unprecedented clothing collection for touches.
Gifts based on research
Research shows that a hug a day can improve the nervous system and boost the immune system among other benefits. The human touch is like a lightning conductor for stress relief. That is why each garment of be–with has its specially designed secret passages on the back that allow to touch the partner, without anyone noticing. The first dark–tone collection features shirts with short and long sleeves for both women and men, as well as dresses and cardigans. The passages do not reveal skin and cold does not get through them. The garments are made of selected, pleasant for the touch fabrics: cotton, brushed cotton, Micro–modal® and eco certified bamboo fibre.
Idea generator
CEO Anna Andersone is a well–known figure in the start–up environment, founder of FROONT, Berta, THE MILL and co-creator of Riga TechGirls, graduate of Stockholm School of Economics in Riga.
Designer
Chief Designer Monta Kairēna studied Fashion Design in London College of Fashion and Teko Design & Business School in Denmark. She has interned at the studios of Keta Gūtmane and Katya Shehurina.
Prizes:
Our supporters:
LTD “be-with” has concluded an agreement with Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA) on receipt of Incubation support within the framework of the ERDF Project No. 3.1.1.6/16/I/001 “Regional Business Incubators and Creative Industries Incubator”.
SIA "be-with" ir noslēdzis 2019.gada 12. aprīļa līgumu Nr.SKV_L_2019/50 ar Latvijas Investīciju un attīstības aģentūru par atbalsta saņemšanu pasākuma “Starptautiskās konkurētspējas veicināšana” ietvaros, ko līdzfinansē Eiropas Reģionālās attīstības fonds.