About Tera Kaia: TK is a Small Sustainable Outdoor Brand

Our Story

The journey began in 2016. As active outdoorswomen, we got tired of bras that didn’t fit and always fell apart in the wild. It seemed like all the technical women's outdoor apparel was created by huge companies run by men (no wonder nothing fit right). We wanted something we could wear both on land and in water, that was ACTUALLY comfortable, looked great, and didn't restrict muscle movement. So, we hit the sewing machine and made something different. Basewear was born.

Basewear became a cult favorite in the outdoor world. Our customers are athletes, grandmothers, and queer couples on sailboats (to name a few). Women and non gender conforming folks of all ages and identities are ecstatic to finally find a solution to all those ill-fitting sports bras. Basewear replaced everyone's hiking sports bras, swimsuits, AND underwear.

It's been 6 years since our start and we're still a small grassroots operation, now based out of Bishop, CA. Founder BK kicked our teenage brand out of her garage back in 2020, and moved to the mountains. Now, our women and non gender conforming run team creates all our designs here in the Eastern Sierra: fit-testing on tons of body types, and wear-testing in our big backyard. Skiing, rock climbing, swimming, backpacking - you name it and someone’s done it in Basewear.

Despite how much Basewear has changed people's lives, growing a small outdoor brand sustainably has been far from easy.

From the pandemic to an economic recession this journey has been full of difficulties - especially when you are committed to doing the right thing for people and planet. In 2023 we almost didn't make it - so in a final push of effort, founder BK created the Basewear Early Access Supporter program. We enlisted our many Basewear supporters to keep TK alive!