US – Nike is the latest brand to introduce period-proof clothing with the launch of its new product line, Nike Leak Protection: Period. Nike One Shorts will now feature a thin absorbent liner designed to prevent period leaks.
Brands like Thinx previously set a precedent serving people with periods by releasing innovative products such as leak-proof underwear. Nike’s research focused on ensuring the shorts offer more protection to women and other individuals wearing tampons, pads or cups. Its proprietary material technology combines two-layered, laminated pieces of material that absorb, wick and hold the blood.
‘Fear of bleed-through is real – and not just through the teen years, but through the entire journey of menstruation,’ says Lisa Gibson, a senior project manager in Nike’s apparel innovation team. This feeds into our report on Cyclical Fitness, which revealed how women are tracking and synchronising exercise with their menstrual cycles, creating greater demand for intelligent activewear that offers period-related solutions.
Strategic opportunity
The period care industry is ripe for disruption as women and other individuals who menstruate seek innovative self-care products and services, from fashion apparel to skincare