I’m Bee, and I make Bee’s Knees Knee Pads. I’ve been pole dancing since 2013 and teaching pole dance since 2015. Pole dance has changed my life, as I’m sure it has yours. It’s the thing I’m most passionate about… besides Bee’s Knees!
Bee’s Knees was conceived in January of 2018 when I designed and made my first prototype. With the help of a local cut and sew manufacturer, I tested and revised 10 different samples until I got it just right. The first pair of Bee’s Knees Knee Pads came screaming into the world in October just 9 months later.
Bee’s Knees are not purchased cheaply in bulk from an overseas manufacturer, then white labeled and sold at a high mark up. They aren’t mass market manufactured. Bee's Knees are small batch produced. In layman’s terms, that means they are handmade by a very small team of human beings.
I source much of the fabric and elastic myself! I order compression mesh from Herman and send it either to Craig at the dye house to have solid colors made or to Kris at the print shop to have patterns dye sublimated, all of which takes months. When all the materials are in, the cut and sew team led by Ramon and Maria gets to work, machine stitching all 8 component parts to make a single pair of Bee’s Knees Knee Pads. Then, Bryan and his daughter ship the almost finished product to me, and I diligently inspect each pair, insert the padding, package them up, update the inventory, and fulfill the back orders, shipping right from my own home. In short, each pair passes through human hands right here in the USA, which means the people who make them are paid fairly for their skill and labor.
Bee’s Knees aren’t an accessory added to the shop as an afterthought or an upsell. I believe knee pads are a pole dance essential, and they are the main thing I do. That’s why they are so thoughtfully designed.
Bee’s Knees sport a lot of features. In general, the more features a product has, the higher its value. A volleyball knee pad is inexpensive because it’s essentially a sock with the foot cut off and no specific value-add features. Bee’s Knees have 9 component parts and several features—hook and loop straps, removable pad inserts, four standard sizes, five skin shades, gripper elastic on the inside to minimize slipping, and an open back design. All of these parts and features add cost and complexity, but they also contribute to the thoughtful design.
I fought hard to get these knee pads made, put my own money on the line, and even quit my 18 year career as a teacher to run this business full time. I believe in Bee’s Knees. I truly hope you love them. I made them with you in mind.
XOXO,
Bee
