Clothing companies focus on activewear for menstruation
Businesses rolling out period-friendly sportswear after decades of minimal innovation in the industry
Working out on your period is known to ease PMS and cramps, not to mention help battle fatigue, but many women are put off by the threat of leaks and the uncomfortable nature of wearing tampons or pads while in movement.
While for decades tampon and pad makers have touted the protection of their products, there’s been little innovation specifically around gear to keep ladies active during menstruation.
But in recent years, there’s been a boom in period panties (underwear designed with additional layers of special fabric to trap menstrual flow) and cotton pads (naturalfabric pads with a Velcro fastener that can be washed out and reused each month).
Amid this wave of new ways of dealing with periods, a number of companies are rolling out products designed with leak and period-proof sportswear. Sport Shorts from Lunapads In August, the Vancouver-based company is rolling out a new line of sport shorts geared at teen girls.
If successful, it’ll introduce a similar product for all ages.
The shorts are designed to be worn alone or with tampons and pads, and have an absorbent layer to trap up to two tampons worth of menstrual flow. $60 to $80, lunapads.com. Yoga pants and dancewear from Dear Kate Last year, New York period-panty maker Dear Kate unveiled its first line of yoga pants and followed it up with a pair of dance leotards, launched this past June.
The yoga pants are available in a variety of patterns and invite wearers to “go commando,” while the dancewear leotards come in black. Both the pants and leotard have an absorbent gusset that can hold one teaspoon of liquid — usually enough for a short workout. Leggings, $143; Leotard, $65, dearkates.com. Training shorts from Thinx New York period-panty maker Thinx unveiled a newer line of training shorts, ditching the tight-fitting look of so much gym-wear in favour of a pair of baggier and more traditional-looking health-class-inspired shorts.
Lined with a pair of its signature undies, the shorts can hold up to two tampons worth of liquid in its four layers of moisture-wicking fabric. $86, shethinx.com. PantyProp leak proof leggings New York-based PantyProp rolled out a pair of leggings that are undies, period protection and gym-wear (or loungewear) all in one. It can be worn with a pad, tampon, cup or all alone, and will hold up to four teaspoons worth of flow.
And with proper care promises to last up to three years.
The product is made in the U.S. and ships to Canada with no duty or fees. $66, pantyprop.com. Seamless panties from Knixwear Made from a carbon-based cotton, Toronto-based Knixwear bills itself as additional protection against period leaks, founder Joanna Griffiths says.
The underwear itself can hold upwards of 15 mL of liquid — roughly two tampons worth — and can be worn with a tampon or pad.
The fast-drying cotton makes it ideal for women while they work out, Griffiths adds, while its seamless cut means it can easily be worn under tight-fitting yoga pants. $26 to $32, knixwear.com.
New York-based PantyProp rolled out a pair of leggings that are undies, period protection and gym-wear all in one