Check Out Mandy Harrell’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mandy Harrell.

Hi Mandy. We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today. Can you start by introducing yourself?
It all began mid-Summer 2012, during a rooftop Pilates session in Mid-town Houston, wearing bright purple yoga pants. Sweating through the yoga pants, feeling very self-conscious, after a male friend made the statement, “girl, this is Houston Heat, not North Carolina heat,” referring to the sweat “down there.” While it may seem like a comment of such would have been hurtful, it did the opposite; it sparked an idea. Utilize the technology of our parent (Wearever) company’s product, modify it for athletic wear, and boom, the concept of Lumana was born. A lot goes into launching any product, the development of the product, the branding of the product, the product’s production, and the product’s marketing. We were in for a big undertaking as a small team. With the success of the Wearever line, we were also able to expand our new product line. We consider Prime Life Fibers a family-run business because, in all actuality, we are family at this point. Our internal team consists of Bob Deerin, CEO; Kevin Deerin, VP; Nancy Butters, Office Manager. Rebecca Maguire, Social Media & Marketing. Jessa Cabrera, Social Media & Marketing; and myself Lumana Brand Director. We partnered with Talal Asad, Sofia Medlock of Brand Together (also a Durham startup), and Kristen Tillman of Rinnova Creative to develop a brand identity for the previously unnamed line of absorbent athletic apparel now known as Lumana.

The Lumana Brand was such a big team effort. The product was designed for women of all ages and body types. Nancy, Rebecca, Jessa, and I have spent many years and countless hours trying to perfect the design of the protectant absorbent technology that would be discreet and undetectable in athletic garments that are generally form-fitting. Our goal was always to create a product that empowered women to go about their day without worrying about sweat, menstrual, or bladder leakage that might occur throughout the day. Our motto has always been, Lumana, creating confidence in movement by creating a movement in confidence with our versatile line of active clothing and leisurewear for women. The designs had to be comfortable, practical, and functional, catching all of life’s little leaks. Lumana is made for bodies that move.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We wish it were smooth sailing. After years of perfecting the functionality and fit of our products, we were finally ready to go into production in late 2019. Then Covid hit. Factory closures and production delays. Then the great ocean freight backlog. Website design delays. You name it, 2020-2022 were some difficult production and logistics years. We would have been to market 2 years earlier if we had experienced these delays. However, we know that we did not experience this alone. We struggled alongside our fellow citizens of the world, experiencing the same difficulties. All the challenges that were faced made launching Lumana even more special because no one from our supply chain to logistics to our team gave up on the dream of launching Lumana. For that, we are forever grateful to everyone involved!

Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
I began my professional career as a buyer for a Women’s clothing catalog in Lexington, NC. This is where I was mentored by Wendy Basting and Mary McLaughlin (affectionally known to many in the apparel industry as Little Mary). They took a wet behind the ears, eager to hit the ground running, recent Fashion Merchandising grad, and taught me everything from clothing pattern making, international sourcing, purchasing & inventory control, and catalog production. While working for the catalog, I met Bob Deerin, CEO of Lumana’s parent company, Prime Life Fibers. When Bob Deerin learned I would be moving to the Raleigh-Durham area, he offered me a position to join his team. It could not have been a bigger blessing. When I learned that I would be moving to the Raleigh-Durham area for personal reasons, I had to advise my work contacts that I would leave my current position and hope to meet again in future endeavors.

Working for Prime Life Fibers allowed me to bring the real-life, hands-on experience I learned from my previous job and help apply those same skills to help build upon Prime Life Fibers’ budding foundation. Because we were a small team then, I was involved with every aspect of increasingly building upon the Wearever brand and expanding its product lines through product development. From sourcing factories across the globe and managing all the purchasing and inventory levels to working with outside firms to increase the Wearever and now Lumana brands market footprint. Over the years, our team began to expand, and we have brought along many talented team members I have the pleasure of learning from every day and teaching different aspects of apparel manufacturing. I am a huge believer in teamwork. Over the years, I have been so blessed to have people in the industry take me under their wings and continually allow me to learn new skills, and I always want to pay that forward. Our company and brands differ from most because we removed your typical business atmosphere hierarchy from daily business. There has never been an argument between any team members. Sure, there are different opinions or devil’s advocate perspectives. Still, removing the hierarchy aspect and ensuring that each team member knows their opinion is equally valued. The ideas brought to the table become more genuine and valuable. We know that nothing comes from a place of malice or motive, just raw, true opinions striving to improve every aspect of the business. Our brands are all about empowerment, and what better way than to live and work that way? We are each other’s biggest cheerleaders. It works for us and creates a great work environment and, ultimately, better consumer end-use products. I am 100% proud of working on and developing products that improve people’s daily lives. We often hear how happy customers are to find our products. Their family member, loved one, or friend has improved their lives simply by discovering affordable, reusable, eco-friendly garments that help give them peace of mind over life’s natural challenges.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love the food, friends, and sports! Three of my favorite things! Being in the triangle area, the overall sense of sportsmanship and friendly rivalries, it’s so much fun. It brings people together! Even in our office, we have Duke vs. Carolina vs. NC State rivalry; we have the best time joking about it over lunch or fulfilling daily orders. I least like the traffic, but if saying that is the worst thing I dislike about a metro area, then it must be a special place.

Pricing:

• Running Shorts $49
• 25″ Leggings $69
• 22″ Legging $69

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lumanalife.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lumanalife/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LumanaLife/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lumanalife