There are things we take for granted every day without realising it. A bra is one of them.
For most of us, a bra is just part of getting dressed. We might have a drawer full of them. We might be halfway through finding the perfect nursing bra and have a small collection of not-quite-right ones accumulating in the process. We rarely stop to think about what it would mean to not have one at all.
Project Uplift asks us to think about that — and then do something about it.
Who is Project Uplift?
Project Uplift is a small, entirely volunteer-run NZ charity that has been quietly changing lives since 2012. Founded in Christchurch by Pauline Hanson after she came across a similar initiative in Australia, and now run by Juliet Campbell in Auckland, Project Uplift collects clean, still-wearable bras from women across New Zealand and redistributes them to women who need them most — both within NZ and throughout the Pacific Islands.
Every single bra is checked, sorted, and sometimes fitted with extenders before being sent on its way. Mainfreight and Daily Freight support the operation with free freight between depots, and a network of area coordinators, local volunteers, Pacific Island community members, yacht travellers, and container shipments get the bras to where they're needed most.
It's a deceptively simple idea with a profound impact. Last year alone, Project Uplift sent approximately 45,000 bras to women in need. 45,000.
Why bras matter more than you might think
In New Zealand, Project Uplift supplies high schools in low-socioeconomic areas, the Auckland Women's Prison, Auckland City Mission, the Auckland Refugee Centre, and Koha Sheds — among many others. For young girls and women in these communities, a bra isn't a luxury. It's the difference between participating in school, sport, and daily life — or not.
In the Pacific Islands, the stakes are even higher. A bra can cost the equivalent of a week's wages in countries like Fiji, making them completely out of reach for many women — and in small villages outside the cities, there's often nowhere to even buy one. The humidity means that going without causes real physical harm: rashes and fungal infections that could be prevented with something as simple as a bra.
The impact goes even further than comfort. In Fiji, a woman without a bra cannot work in a government office or a hospital. Not having one can be a direct barrier to employment. For nursing mothers, a bra means the ability to manage leaks and support breasts that become heavy and painful without one. For young girls, it means being able to go to school without self-consciousness.
Project Uplift shared the story of one family in Fiji — five women sharing a single bra between them. Whoever had the greatest need got to wear it that day. You can imagine what it means to each of them when a box of bras arrives.
Hotmilk's donation
At Hotmilk, we've spent over 20 years designing bras for women navigating one of the most physically and emotionally demanding seasons of their lives. We know better than most what it means to have a bra that actually fits, actually supports, and actually makes you feel like yourself again.
So when we had the opportunity to donate boxes and boxes of brand new bras to Project Uplift, it wasn't a difficult decision.
New bras — not pre-loved, brand new — are something Project Uplift describes as a real treat to include alongside donated bras. We love that. Because every woman receiving one of those bras deserves to know that someone thought about her specifically. That the bra she's holding was made for her, even if they've never met.
💕 Project Uplift accepts all kinds of bras — maternity, sports, underwire, wirefree, crop tops, surgical, mastectomy. Which means that if you have clean, wearable bras you no longer need, they want them too.
How you can help
If you have bras at home that are still in good, wearable condition — hooks and eyes functional, clean, ready for someone else — Project Uplift has drop-off points in towns and cities across New Zealand, and they also accept postal donations.
Bras should be clean and in good reusable condition with functional hooks and eyes. Project Uplift also gratefully accepts underwear in new or excellent condition. Everything you need to know, including drop-off locations and postal addresses, is at:
And if you're due a new nursing bra anyway — well, you know where to find us. Every Hotmilk bra is designed to last. And when your journey is done, there's a woman somewhere who would be very glad to have it.
Bras provide comfort, dignity, and support. Three things every woman deserves — no matter where in the world she lives. 💕
