60-year-old Donna Taylor and her sister, Deborah, are now helping women address the issues of menopause with their stylish bamboo sleepwear brand, Sleep Sassy.
After becoming fed up with night sweats from menopause themselves, they decided to expand their products to include stylish bamboo sleepwear that helps women combat night sweats.
More than 1 million women in the United States experience menopause each year and most people have likely heard of menopause even if they haven’t experienced it themselves.
Donna Taylor and Deborah Taylor have been growing their company and adding additional styles to help women who are dealing with the symptoms of menopause and peri-menopause.
“You want something that’s comfortable and moisture-wicking to help with those pesky night sweats, so you don’t feel drenched in sweat when you’re trying to sleep,” Donna said. “People that have purchased it love the look and feel of the fabric, and they like the way the sleepwear makes them feel.”
The sisters, originally from Newark, New Jersey, moved to Virginia a few years ago to be closer to family and to care for their aging mother. Since they both are of “a certain age”, they know how menopause can affect getting enough sleep at night.
Donna said she got the idea from Deborah, who negatively commented about the tattered sleepwear and bonnet she was wearing.
Donna, a U.S. Army veteran, said it can be hard to find comfortable, attractive sleepwear that addresses the night sweats, while also maintaining the habit of protecting our hair. It is also important as women age to look more polished and put together.
“As African Americans, part of our hair care routine has always been to protect our hair when we sleep, and many women of all ethnicities now understand this as well,” Donna said. “My sister commented on what I had on, which was a nightgown and a bonnet that didn’t match. It was not something you necessarily want to be seen in, in or out of the house.”
“It’s important to be comfortable,” she said. “We’re both of a certain age, so it can’t be too hot, or too cold.
“I started looking for alternatives, so I thought, ‘Let me create my own.’”
Donna Taylor enjoys sewing, so she began experimenting with designs and fabric. The sisters have created all the designs for the sleepwear, and the manufacturing is being done by a company with a long history in the business.
The company sells nightgowns, pajama short sets, and pajama pants sets, all with matching, satin-lined bonnets. New designs are frequently added.
Donna Taylor says she has been surprised to see comments from the partners of some customers. “The men love the look, and when their significant other wears the bonnet, they love seeing the coordination,” she says.
The brand features USA sizes small to 3X to be inclusive to as many women as possible.
Sleep Sassy® Sleepwear is a groundbreaking sleepwear brand, launched nationally in 2020, which combines bamboo sleepwear with the healthy hair care practice of wearing a satin-lined bonnet to protect the hair when sleeping.
The sleepwear consists of whimsical prints, eye-catching colors and is made from high-quality bamboo fabric which is luxuriously soft, temperature-regulating, moisture-wicking, stretchy, and breathable.