The Activist Who Made Lingerie Fair
Ada Rojas did not set out to create a lingerie brand. She set out to create jobs — specifically, jobs for the women in Colombia who had been marginalized by poverty, conflict, and a social system that offered them few paths forward. The lingerie was the vehicle. The mission was justice.
The Colombian Context
Born in Colombia, Rojas grew up witnessing the intersection of poverty and gender inequality that defined life for millions of Colombian women. Single mothers, displaced women, survivors of the country's decades-long armed conflict — these women had skills, determination, and dignity, but the formal economy had no place for them.
Rojas studied business and moved to the United States, where she worked in the technology sector. But the question that drove her was always the same: how do you create economic opportunity for the women who need it most?
The Naja Model
In 2014, Rojas founded Naja — a lingerie brand built on the principles of fair trade and social impact:
- Manufacturing based in Colombia, employing single mothers and women from underserved communities
- Fair wages — significantly above local minimum wage
- Training programs that gave workers skills beyond sewing — financial literacy, health education, professional development
- Every employee guaranteed healthcare and childcare support
- A portion of profits directed to community development programs
The Product
Naja's innovation was proving that ethical manufacturing could produce beautiful, competitive products:
- Lingerie designed with the same attention to aesthetics as any mainstream brand
- Bold prints and colors inspired by Colombian culture and tropical landscapes
- Inclusive sizing — Naja offered extended sizes from the beginning
- Sustainable materials — organic cotton, recycled fabrics, low-impact dyes
- Price points competitive with mid-market brands like Aerie and ThirdLove
The "Nude for All" Initiative
One of Naja's most significant contributions was its "Nude for All" collection — nude underwear available in seven skin tones. Launched in 2015, this was one of the earliest inclusive nude collections in the market, predating similar initiatives by Savage X Fenty and Skims by several years.
The collection made a simple but powerful point: "nude" is not a single color. It is every color of human skin.
The Social Enterprise Model
Rojas built Naja as a B-Corporation — a certified social enterprise that met rigorous standards for social and environmental impact:
- Regular third-party audits of working conditions
- Transparent supply chain from fiber to finished product
- Annual impact reports documenting community benefits
- Partnerships with organizations supporting women's economic empowerment
Why She Matters
Rojas proved that the lingerie industry could be a force for social justice, not just commerce. In an industry where much manufacturing takes place in low-wage countries with minimal worker protections, Naja demonstrated that it was possible to produce beautiful lingerie while treating workers with dignity and investing in their communities.
She also proved that consumers would support ethical lingerie — that the story behind the product mattered as much as the product itself.
Beautiful lingerie made by women who are paid fairly, treated with dignity, and building better lives for their families. That was always the point.