Half-Flat offers exciting and flattering swimwear designs for breast cancer survivors who had a unilateral mastectomy with aesthetic flat closure. We let women proudly stand out as the warriors they are: brave, resilient, and gorgeous. Our styles specifically highlight and accentuate the graceful asymmetry of a single-breasted body and allow a scar (and chest tattoo!) to be visible. Women are not defined by their breasts, and we don’t need two of them to be whole, feminine, sexy, and happy.
In June of 2019, I got the news that 1 in 8 women in America will hear – I had breast cancer. Fortunately, my tumor was small and contained; but due to its shape and location, my doctor and I decided that a unilateral mastectomy would be the best option for a quick and effective treatment.
One of the first things I did after my mastectomy decision was to do an internet search on “mastectomy swimwear”. Literally every result was intended to hide and conceal the fact that a woman was a breast cancer survivor. “It’s high on the sides to cover your scar,” they touted, “and it has a pocket for your prosthesis!” There was nothing available for women who wanted to be open and authentic in their new bodies.
So I decided to change that. Half-Flat is all about being transparent about the tough decisions we made and the fulfilling lives we are living post treatment. We don’t need to pretend that everything is the same afterwards. Our bodies are different, but we are no less beautiful.
I am proud to say that my entire production line supports our struggling planet and the people who live here. We are a slow-fashion, small-batch, eco-conscious, human rights mindful, status quo breaking boutique. We want to make the world a better place, and so do our suppliers.
All of our swim pieces are made from Vita PL by Carvico, an eco-sustainable fabric made from 100% regenerated polyester thread from pre- and post-consumer products. We don’t just resist fast fashion – we put it to a better use than a landfill or a sea turtle’s stomach.
Our manufacturing is through Prototype, a swimwear design-to-showroom team that specializes in small-batch production lines. They vet all their factories for safe working conditions and fair labor practices, and promote environmental sustainability and water-wise practices along their entire production chain.
Our studio photography was shot by Linnell Keeling of Scars of Beauty. Linnell is a fellow woman business owner, breast cancer warrior, flattie, and breast/gynecological cancer awareness activist.
Shop This Small Business: https://half-flat.com
